By Neeti Sabnani and Tarang Jain

As SIPASA elections near their conclusion, the race for leadership positions has been marked by a flurry of activity, from coffee chats to interactive information sessions. This year, 24 candidates are vying for 24 board positions. At least 2 candidates, contending for the President and Career and Alumni Chair roles, have withdrawn from the race.

Campaign promises have ranged from revitalizing SIPA's social scene to expanding career opportunities for students. However, the newly introduced curriculum changes have loomed large over the discussions. During campaign week, students engaged with the candidates, seeking clarity on how they plan to tackle these challenges. Many voiced concerns to The Morningside Post about the lack of concrete details on the transition to the new curriculum and the absence of actionable proposals from some candidates.

In exclusive interviews, The Morningside Post delved deeper into candidates' promises and their plans to turn their visions into reality.

Presidential Candidates

Arthur Vryghem

1. In your candidacy statement, you mentioned shifting SIPASA’s focus on “enhancing the day-to-day SIPA experience.” While there are already numerous social events and informal spaces where students can socialize and exchange ideas, what unique initiatives do you plan to introduce to further enrich students’ daily experiences? Additionally, how do you plan to ensure these spaces and events are well-attended, given students’ demanding schedules and constant deadlines?

My decision to run was driven by a belief that the two years here are a unique experience and that it is key to organize our events (social and professional) so that students obtain the most out of it. This does not mean more events necessarily; but improving those that exist., I don't want to flood students with more events (as it sometimes already feels overwhelming); but I want to declutter chat groups by having dedicated communication channels for events, and focus on quality over quantity. Better; not more.

As President, I believe achieving that comes from setting a clear agenda and list of priorities, with appropriate and hands-on support of the clubs that put the work in to organize socials and bring in speakers, and a SIPASA focus on communication, execution and delivery. It's not reinventing the wheel admittedly, but I feel a realistic and tangible agenda is key in producing results for Seeples.

2. Beyond the existing career panels and job talks at SIPA, how do you intend to strengthen partnerships with industry leaders and alumni? Can you share specific strategies or ideas for fostering deeper engagement with these groups?

Career panels and talks are a good start and are useful tools in our academic journey. However, we need only look at the Business School or the Law School to realize there is still upside left. SIPASA in my view, has to fill the gap for events outside of SIPA. CBS regularly organizes breakfast get-togethers with alumni downtown; the law school has free coffee for all to bond-over; there are multiple best practices across Columbia schools to boost and emulate.

In coordination with the elected Career & Alumni chair it would be a top priority for me to get students out of the campus grounds; and into the professional environments that interest us during our time as students.

Matty Flower

1. There are many campus issues Seeples have to directly contend with - including deteriorating condition of the water fountains to excessively slow functioning of elevators - things that impact the daily life of SIPA students. How will you work with the administration to resolve these issues?

My campaign platform includes an overarching goal of listening and being responsive to students' needs. From speaking with the current President, I fully understand that a major ongoing responsibility of the President is to listen to students' complaints about quality of life, academics, and other day-to-day issues. I plan to continue existing methods of collecting student feedback, through the WhatsApp cohort chats and feedback form, as well as explore other ways of listening to students, like drop-in office hours. Together with the Executive Board, we would then triage these issues and work with the administration to resolve these issues the best we can.

2. SIPASA currently organizes 3–4 social events each semester. What types of additional social events do you envision, and how will they differ from or build upon the current offerings?

Most of the SIPASA social events are drinking events/parties, such as the boat party. While these are fun, I think that there is a space for more regular and informal events on-campus. This could look like a monthly free pizza lunch in the Level 4 Courtyard, regular lunch and lessons with Professors of interest to students, and excursions to cultural attractions such as The Met. 

These additional social activities would be designed to be open to all students, and would not require tickets. It would also not require advanced planning to attend. Moreover, we would plan to elevate or involve cultural-based student organizations such as LASA, to ensure that programming reflects and encourages engagement with diverse student groups.

Sarah Mathew

1. What specific initiatives do you plan to implement to encourage open dialogue from diverse perspectives? How will you incorporate these perspectives into SIPASA’s decision-making processes?

First, I would create a feedback form for students to share feedback, thoughts, concerns, and ideas with us. Our team will check the form and use that to focus our priorities and help get a pulse on things that are working and not working for the students. Additionally, I would love to share monthly updates about what our team is working on to help promote transparency and openness amongst SIPASA and the student body. 

Second, I want to start a monthly Student Diversity Panel with different students (from across concentrations, countries, and backgrounds) to come and share their thoughts and ideas with members of SIPASA. I would love to involve other members of SIPA staff/administration in this as well. After the meeting, a summary of the conversation will be shared on SIPASA's social media and sent to students via email. 

Finally, I would love to help bring in more guest speakers that have different viewpoints. SIPA is a diverse community with students from around the world, and it would be valuable to have more opportunities for talks and discussions with individuals from varied backgrounds as we learn to bridge our differences and collaborate effectively.

2. What additional steps will you take to build upon the established SIPASA relationship with the SIPA Administration?

I want to keep communication open and work closely with OSA as we seek to serve the student body. The current SIPASA team has established a good relationship with them, and that is something I want to grow and maintain. A big change that is coming is the new curriculum. I know there are many questions about this, so I hope to work with OSA and the Deans to answer the student's questions and help the transition go smoothly for the students who are making the switch to the new curriculum. 

Also, I would love to help students better connect with professors. I have a few ideas for how to do this. I would love to highlight different classes across the various concentrations and specializations by creating reels of professors introducing their classes and sharing them on SIPASA social media 1-2 weeks before registration for any new semester. Next, I understand that we have students from all over the world who come from different learning backgrounds. At first, some students might not be used to the way things are done at SIPA. Because of this, I want to share content that talks about what office hours are and tips for how to connect with professors. I also think it would be so fun to have student/professor mixers and speed dating. This would help foster community and promote connection amongst these groups. 

 Janvi Manek 

1. If elected as SIPASA President, what specific steps will you take to increase transparency in administrative decision-making and foster open communication with the student body? 

I will implement a two pronged approach to increase transparency - enhanced and issue-based communication with the administration and open communication with the student body. I propose to seek quarterly roundtable discussions with the administration to discuss student concerns and policy updates. In addition, to close the feedback loop, I propose to organize quarterly open forums to ensure student voices are heard and incorporated into decision-making. As President, I will endeavor to ensure that SIPASA collaborates closely with the administration to ensure timely responses to student queries about matters concerning decisions and publish transparent updates to students. A continuous cycle of structured communication with the administration and timely updates to the student body is the only way to enhance transparency. 

2. One of your campaign promises is to expand mental health resources for students. What initiatives will you prioritize to make this happen?

I will prioritize collaborating with the administration to expand counseling and support services for students. Mental health also includes the ability to exchange ideas and opinions freely and I aspire to organize monthly discussion groups where students can express their concerns freely. I invite the student body to appreciate the significance of a platform for free exchange being more relevant than ever today. I will advocate for workshops on stress management, mindfulness, and self-care tailored to student needs. I will also push for increased visibility of existing resources through regular awareness campaigns. Finally, I aim to include mental health programming as a central element of SIPASA-sponsored events, integrating wellness into the SIPA experience.

Janhavi Chanda

1. Can you provide more details about your proposed user-friendly alumni network platform? How will it differ from SIPA Connect?

Currently, we have access to only 8,000 alumni contacts, missing out on a vast network of potential experts, mentors and advocates who could significantly support career development. I propose creating a user-friendly platform, similar to Columbia Business School's MyCBS, which features over 50,000 alumni profiles. This platform would allow SIPA alumni to connect seamlessly by filtering contacts by industry, location, and expertise, giving students direct access to alumni for invaluable guidance and career opportunities. The aim is to foster impactful networking within the SIPA community by unlocking the full potential of our alumni network.

2. How will your proposed weekly coffee chats or office hours with SIPASA differ from the existing open weekly SIPASA meetings? How will you ensure your board is willing and able to dedicate the additional time, given their own academic and professional commitments?

The open weekly SIPASA meetings allows one to observe conduct of meetings. However, my proposal is a more interactive one in addition to the existing meetings. Every week, one member of the board will hold an open office hour at lunchtime. This addresses a key concern I heard during my campaign: many people don’t fully understand what the President and other board members do. To ensure the board can dedicate time, we'll plan around their academic and professional schedules. As these chats evolve, we will also integrate conversations around navigating campus jobs, internships, and career opportunities, helping students connect with resources and gain practical advice.

The Morningside Post did not receive any response to the following questions sent to SIPASA Presidential candidate Rory Callison.

1. As SIPASA President, what specific measures will you take that promotes transparency with the student body?

2. One of your campaign promises is to ensure “protections for students engaged in political activities.” What specific actions will you take to ensure that protection?

3. How will you ensure that SIPA has a stronger voice in the larger university administration’s decision-making processes, such as those related to entry restrictions on campus?

4. Beyond current resources, what strategies will you introduce to provide better guidance and communication about the new curriculum?

Vice Presidential Candidates

Aaliyah Khwaja

What measures will you take as SIPASA Vice President to enhance access to professional resources for students?

As SIPASA Vice President I wish to build useful professional resources for the student body and find solutions to common obstacles, especially for international students. I want to improve the existing job and internship postings, by reformatting the presentation of information and keeping them up to date and relevant to student needs. I also will work to ensure that the internship opportunities in the weekly concentration and specialization newsletters are compiled and accessible for the student body. It is valuable to have our peers share information on panels and external events, and I would recommend having a separate WhatsApp group for announcements on current opportunities rather than in our cohort groups. I admire the students at SIPA who work during their studies, which is why I want to bring together second year students every semester to share insights on internships, networking, resume building, and capstone preparation to first year students to provide direction and peer support.

Pedro Villa

What is your long-term vision for the proposed “cafés des langues”? How will you ensure consistent student participation as the semester progresses and academic demands increase?

I believe in the power of peer-to-peer learning. I will push for more student-led workshops tailored to specific sectors, allowing students to share their expertise and networks with one another. These workshops will not only enhance our professional skills but also foster a sense of collaboration and support within the SIPA community.

Together, we can make SIPA a more integrated, inclusive, and professionally enriching environment. I am committed to serving as a bridge between students and administration, ensuring that every student’s voice is heard and that our shared values are represented.

Treasurer Candidate

Palash Gajbhiye

Can you elaborate on how you plan to make the budgeting process more collaborative? How will you balance differing views on how SIPASA funds should be allocated?

I will form small group committees to focus on specific areas of budgeting such as academic funding committee, social event committee, alumni network committee. These small group committees will ensure that diverse views are incorporated in the budgeting steps. I will identify different categories of expenses and rank them based on student body preferences. This prioritization will ensure democratic allocation of SIPASA funds. I will align funding with measurable outcomes like students attendance at events, feedback on initiatives, registration for events/clubs etc.

General Secretary Candidate

Rechelle Rumawas

Can you elaborate on your plans to make SIPASA’s records more accessible to the student body? 

I plan to create a repository of agenda and records of SIPASA's activities that can be accessed easily through google drive and whatsapp groups. Information overload is the least of things that we need, but when the students need some information, I hope to make it available as soon as possible.

University Senator Candidate

Eden Kaduri 

How will you balance the need for a safe campus with the importance of upholding free speech and accommodating diverse perspectives?

I intend to take part in the Rules of University Conduct Committee and actively participate in shaping the University’s policies on this critical issue. To ensure that my advocacy is grounded in the experiences of Seeples, I will conduct surveys and organize focus groups to hear directly from the community about their concerns. As an Israeli-Jewish student, I recognize that my background might lead to assumptions about bias, but I view this as an opportunity to engage with openness. My experiences have shown me the value of freedom of speech, but I have also spoken to many students who feel protests have disrupted their education and made them feel unsafe or excluded. I believe deeply in the need for balance—policies that protect the right to express diverse viewpoints while maintaining an environment where all students feel included and secure.

Academic Chair Candidate

Arshiya Sawhney

What strategies will you use to help students navigate the upcoming curriculum changes effectively?

The transition to the new curriculum will be challenging but is also an opportunity to make informed decisions that align with our goals. My priority is to ensure every SIPA student feels informed and supported. Here is how I plan to make this transition smoother: 

FAQs page for the new curriculum: a go-to resource to clarify recurring queries, including administrative and concentration-specific questions.
Chats with Concentration Directors: to offer personalized guidance for students on the fence about switching into the new curriculum, to ensure they are equipped to make the best decision for themselves.
Greater flexibility for the transition cohort: I aim is to minimize obstacles for those wishing to switch, for instance, by pushing for more leeway in testing out of prerequisites for the new concentrations.

Career and Alumni Affairs Chair Candidates

Lara Geiger

Do you plan to establish mechanisms for on-campus recruitment similar to other schools at Columbia? If so, how will you ensure these initiatives effectively connect students with potential employers?

On-campus recruitment is a critical initiative for connecting students with meaningful career opportunities. SIPA is a special case because we have a greater variety of interests. To address this, I plan to organize recruitment events tailored to each concentration, inviting HR professionals, campus recruiters, and alumni who are actively seeking candidates with the unique skills SIPA students bring. These events would foster direct engagement between students and employers, creating a dynamic platform for networking and recruitment in coordination with the CAC and the alumni office.

I am deeply passionate about helping the SIPA community take proactive steps toward their professional futures. Having personally navigated the complexities of the American internship process as an international student, I understand the challenges of adapting to unfamiliar professional norms. I want to ensure my peers have access to clear, timely information—especially as recruitment timelines continue to shift earlier each year.

To further enhance career support, I propose leveraging data from the mandatory internship forms completed by all SIPA students. This would allow us to create a centralized database of alumni, organized by graduation year and linked directly to employer opportunities. By providing instant access to these resources, we can streamline the job search process for students while reducing reliance on informal outreach, such as LinkedIn requests. Together, these efforts will equip SIPA students with the tools and connections they need to excel in their career journeys.

Christy Yin

What innovative ideas do you have to initiate a summer internship recruitment program? 

Some of the proposed strategies are:

Micro-Internship Matchmaking Platform: Create an online platform to match students with short-term, project-based micro-internships at various companies.

Alumni Mentorship Matching: Leverage the CAC's alumni network to recruit mentors; Develop a matching algorithm based on career interests and backgrounds; Facilitate virtual mentoring sessions and networking opportunities

"Try Before You Commit" Internship Bootcamps: Offer short-term internship bootcamps (2-3 weeks) where students work on real business problems for companies. This serves as a trial period for both parties before committing to a longer internship.

Internship Guarantee Program: Partner with companies to create an "Internship Guarantee" program. Under this initiative, select students who meet predetermined criteria (e.g., completing a training program) are assured an internship placement.

Zhiqi Zang

How do you plan to effectively match mentors and mentees on a large scale, considering the diverse backgrounds and needs of participants? What tools or strategies will you use to ensure meaningful connections?

I will use straightforward and effective tools, such as Google Forms for surveys, to collect information as detailed as possible, from both mentors and mentees about their career goals, areas of interest, and preferred mentoring styles. The data will then be organized in an accessible spreadsheet (e.g., Excel or Google Sheets), allowing for efficient and transparent matching based on shared interests and goals. Professional advice from CAC, OSA and faculty members for different concentrations will be necessary during this process.

To further enhance the program, I propose targeted initiatives like mentoring for students pursuing niche fields (e.g., climate policy or impact investing) and region-specific career discussions (e.g., opportunities in Asia or Latin America). These tailored efforts will ensure that every participant feels their unique needs are addressed, while minimizing complexity in execution.

Miriam Yousaf

What specific measures will you introduce to create more pathways for students to connect with alumni, and how will they differ from existing programs?

I plan to better connect first years with second years that have job/internship experience that is of interest. This is expanding on the existing project of the current board to streamline the career/networking resources among SIPASA, CAC, and the Alumni Affairs office. My policies differ from the current projects because I want to give more attention to the sectors that have fewer networking events, like HRHP and EPD. SIPA is not short of career and networking resources; however, the resources are often hidden, inaccessible, or are less relevant to student needs. I plan to increase student input in SIPA career resources through surveys and open events so that the career resources provided by SIPA are as relevant and accessible as they can be. 

Student Life and Social Chair Candidates

Maya Hartman and Shraeya Mithal

How will you ensure accessibility to ticketed events, especially in places that have restrictions on the number of attendees? 

As SIPASA Social Chairs, we plan to prioritize offering accessible and inclusive events to the SIPA community. We appreciate SIPA's incredibly diverse student body and aim to enhance our networks (and friendships) through events. To address concerns regarding venue limits, we are looking into opportunities to expand capacity at these large-ticketed events. However, we anticipate needing more financial information and plan to work with SIPASA's board for this information upon election. We also would like to gauge the student body's interest before committing to a single path. Additionally, we are considering hosting a wider range of events (both large and small) at differing price points and formalities to engage the SIPA student body more frequently.

Communications Chair CandidateS

Naz Hussein

In your campaign you mentioned ensuring “equity and justice are reflected in SIPA’s communications.” As Communications Chair, what specific plans do you have to ensure that?

The tumultuous events of the past year have highlighted the need for addressing different grievances and perspectives. It has also shown us that we should acknowledge ongoing issues in the world versus ignoring the elephant in the room. As a Communications Chair, I will directly address these concerns, provide avenues for students to express their thoughts or experiences, and share helpful resources. 

Besides these scenarios, I want to put the emphasis back on our student body. For example, I will promote different student organizations and events on social media. I will also center the needs of our student body and create posts that are useful; one idea would be to compile a "class highlight" on social media that talks about different courses when registration is coming up. I also want to create student spotlights and share different people's journeys to SIPA so that we can showcase the diversity and resilience of our cohort. I'd also like to create more visually engaging content in our SIPASA cables so that our messaging doesn't get lost in paragraphs of text. 

Rachel Cicilia

Can you elaborate on your strategies for streamlining information dissemination, considering the multiple existing communication channels at SIPA?

1. Centralizing Information: Share a weekly infographic highlighting key events, deadlines (like course registration), and other important updates. This can be posted in the SIPA cohort WhatsApp group, other relevant campus groups, and emailed out. Using familiar terms like "SIPA Events" ensures consistency and clarity. Sharing consistently across platforms, making it easier for students to stay informed.

2. Listen to the Seeples: Run quick surveys to see which channels people prefer and what info they need most.

Overall, I think the current system is already great, and I believe that these small tweaks could make it even better!

Culture and Inclusion Chair Candidate

Garima Sahni

What specific steps will you take to promote the recruitment of professors from more diverse regions, especially given that such decisions may not directly fall under the purview of student administration?

As a Culture and Inclusion Chair, I will be working closely with the DEICE Committee to meet with the SIPA dean to attract the administration's attention to the issue and eventually act on it. From what I know, there has been some progress in this direction in the past one year. I will be working closely with the current SIPASA Inclusion Chair and the board-to-be to make a strong case and push for it.

MPA-DP Representative Candidate

Jin Park

What strategies, beyond social events, will you employ to foster cross-cohort collaboration at SIPA?

The question for me is: how can we reduce barriers to entry for students interested in other concentrations? We can at the very least, work with the administration to make the rationale for these designations transparent (if not reduce the barriers), and also work to create more robust course evaluation data so that students can make their own judgements for whether a course is a good fit. For the former, we can make this process transparent to students, and for the latter, I can start with the course feedback in DP and work towards better data quality in this regard.
Second, cross-cohort collaboration can happen in the organic mixing of individuals. You said “besides events,” sure. But I think the question can be posed as to why budget allocations do not exist for cross-concentration mixers and events. The goal is to facilitate this “structured time for unstructured engagement” across personal and professional capacities. 

The Morningside Post also reached out to Academic Chair candidate Cimrun Srivastava; Career and Alumni Chair candidate Matheus Ferreira; and Dual Degree Representative candidate Avisha Somu; but did not receive any response from these candidates. 

Voting for SIPASA elections begins on November 22 following the Debate. The election results will be announced on November 25. 

Tarang Jain (MIA ‘25) is the Editor-in-Chief for The Morningside Post.

Neeti Sabnani (MPA ‘25) is a Reporter for The Morningside Post. 

Corrigendum: We erroneously stated that we did not receive a response from Communications Chair candidate Rachel Cicilia to our outreach prior to publication. We would like to clarify that Ms. Cicilia did, in fact, provide her answers to our questions before the requested deadline. This oversight was unintentional, and we sincerely apologize for any confusion or misrepresentation caused by this error.