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We dedicate the Student Senate activities to the College's mission of embracing and promoting the rich diversity, community, and civility of the student body. We encourage student organizations to develop and implement activities that serve Teachers College students, the larger community and to discuss matters concerning the broader University community.

Here are some new initiatives we're starting this year:

- Community Innovation Fund: We are excited to launch this new initiative that gives student organizations the funding and support to turn big ideas into real experiences that bring the TC community together. Whether it’s a creative campus event, a collaboration between student organizations, or an initiative that addresses a need in our community, CIF is an opportunity to think outside the box, build meaningful connections, and bring your ideas to life.

Have an idea that could make TC a more connected, vibrant community? Let’s make it happen!

What the Winning Proposal(s) will receive:

• Funding from the Student Senate
• Event planning support
• Event promotion support

- Rethinking Student Engagement: After hearing that traditional office hours weren't meeting students' needs, senators will now complete five hours of student engagement through a combination of office hours, tabling, and listening sessions with the Office of Community Affairs (OCA) and . The goal is to create more opportunities to listen, connect, and understand our community's needs.

-Building Shared Leadership: We're introducing a non-hierarchical approach to committees, distributing ownership and encouraging senators to contribute in different ways. Wang, Waldman, and Zhang (2014) found a positive relationship between shared leadership and team effectiveness. We're putting this into practice to foster mutual accountability, psychological safety, team empowerment, relational coordination, and autonomy while reducing the risk of burnout. 

-Built-in Mentorship: We've launched Advisory Groups which consist of small groups of senators supported by an EBoard member. These groups provide space to ask questions, troubleshoot challenges, exchange institutional knowledge, and develop ideas. Most importantly, they'll strengthen relationships and reduce silos across committees and the Senate.

-Community-Wide Participation: Through extended committees, we're inviting students, student organizations, faculty, staff, campus partners, and subject-matter experts to contribute to specific projects, including food insecurity, disability visibility, and more.