CAMPUS NEWS: Meet the 2024 SIPASA Candidates

By Tarang Jain

On November 16, approximately 200 students gathered for the School of International and Public Affairs Student Association (SIPASA) Debate Night, where candidates discussed their vision and priorities for Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) during the academic year 2024-25.

The debate began with each candidate delivering an opening statement, followed by a moderated debate by SIPASA and questions from students. A total of 21 candidates are running for positions, including SIPASA President, Vice President, General Secretary, Treasurer, University Senator, Career and Alumni Chairs, Academic Chairs, Dual Degree Representative, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair. Voting is scheduled for today, November 17, and results will be announced on Tuesday, November 21.

The Morningside Post interviewed the candidates running for President, Vice President, General Secretary, and Treasurer:

As SIPA undergoes a leadership transition, what aspects do you aim to retain from your predecessors, and what innovative approaches do you plan to implement?
Being a J-termer, I arrived as SIPA leadership was undergoing its transition. When you just arrive in an new environment, it is natural to assume that all the structures you see are as old as the institution. Those are the boards. Those are the people to rely one. Entering this environment I was really admirative of all the leadership that was taking place within those groups.
I spent a lot of time with SIPASA throughout those last 10 months and really had the chance to learn from their processes, the SIPASA’s culture and what it was working towards. Giving means to other leaders to lead better is a invaluable chance.
Generally speaking, I found that the leaving SIPASA board - as we are talking about student groups at SIPA in particular - was generous, present, and fair. One thing that I was particularly excited about was when they started - mostly this semester - to initiate cross-Columbia schools events. Cross-Focus collaboration is key. It is key now and will be so later.
This is something that I would like to strengthen even more. While I recognized every’s one ability to transform networking into bigger projects, I think that most human beings needs safe frameworks in order to bring what they are passionated about and that is not small-talky like food, sports, dating, weather. We are at SIPA because we devoted our life to this particular thing that we, with Admissions, are the only one really aware of. I believe that we should foster opportunities for students to have networking opportunities targeted to talk about transforming the industry they care about.
To frame this opportunity, and thoroughly developed in my program, I would like to create an Entrepreuneurship Lab and a Parallel Optional Curriculum. Those are my terms but it can be described differently. My idea for SIPASA is to initiate change, not only within our community, but for the world. We can all agree that structural change is taking time to happen. I believe that it is because no one is taking the risk to shift its way to operate.
Coming back to your precise question, I would like to foster collaboration between student clubs, between schools, and - potentially - between universities. However, it should not only be about connecting leadership, it should also be about connecting those with ideas, passions and/or skills. As we have the Presidents gathering organized in the Spring, I would like to tell all the other leaders to find means to empower their club members to create, connect, and communicate. People have to much to give if they are given the way to do so.
Lastly, with one of our peer, we are currently working on a platfrom (an app) to foster such kind of opportunities, which should be release for Spring 2024 classes start. This should help this process.
What inspired your decision to run for the SIPASA elections?
I strongly believe that there will be no day in which we wake up and a sign will be posted in front of your house saying. “It changed.” We see what is happening today. Thousands, millions, thousands of millions people in the street, and administrations’ conversations are not changing. “Let it die.”
While I understand anger, violence has never lead to any form of peaceful solutions. It is evident, however in pratice it is not so much.
Whatever one thinks about this beating global movement. It exists and it is embodied by people.
I would like to share an example that will speak to all of us. Here at SIPA, we all believe in Climate Change. It is impossible for us to understand that others would deny it. In a way we want to throw it in their face: it exists, see. And they don’t see.
Our frustration towards those who ignore climate change is big. We would almost like them to force seeing it, collaborating to solve it, we would almost force them to change. “How can they not see it? How?” - we are all thinking.
Whatever one thinks about this global movement what this movement is telling those who remain silence is “How can they not see it? How?”.
This message is not to support not to critic. This message is to highlight the strength that can be mobilized by an entity that doesn’t want to see. As much as some ignore climate change, and we cannot understand, others are ignoring the cause that the world is screaming at. It is not reaching.
I know some of you could saying I am making a stretch here, but this societal trait is what inspires me to run.
As much as I am convinced that we have the desire to change, I believe that societies have difficulties to recognize the similitudes between the lack of care towards respective priorities.
I believe that one of my best skills are observation and my ability to explain what I see for others to make it theirs, and potentially to feel better.
I am running because I want things to change, societally. For that I want to invite people to be their best, take risks, and be there for one another. I am running because I believe that I have to capacity to highlight nuances for people to better understand one another, and bring legitimacy back into others’ people fights.
I am running because I believe in what I am saying, and that if we succeed together, thanks to observation and the capacity for action we all have, that would be a beautiful way for others to do the same.
Our capacity to act is not in our way, it is our ego. I want to be here for everyone ego’s taking actions.
In your role as SIPA's President, what unique qualities will you bring to the position, and why do you believe you are the most suitable candidate?
I think that I am a good normal healthy human with aspirations, and that is rare. I have a vision for SIPA, as I have a vision for the world. I don’t want to be president because I want to hang out with policy stars nor because I’ll have statically 2 more percent change to get a consulting job (- I am making those numbers up.)
I think it is hard to communicate with simplicity if your words aren’t expressed for something bigger. For that I believe that I have the best capacities to communicate difficult things to hear, and with kindness.
While I am “fun”, it might not be my best quality as a candidate. When I see my opponents, I appreciate how they are out there, which is pleasant. It is important to be accessible and I understand this approach, but it is not mine. I would tend to believe that being too flowery prevents people to be their best. We’ve all laughed at jokes by professors that were ultimately not funny, just because we were bored. I want to asked people what they care about, not what they had for lunch - we’ll talk about that later. I think we want to talk about what we care about.
Was just a parenthesis.
Lastly, I believe that I have a program that can only be implemented if I am in this position, while others could implement their vision by other means. My project for societal innovations and innovative discourses was a SIPASA funded initiative last year, however, it is really difficult in practice to do it without a strong platform such as SIPASA and all the leaders connected to it. Together, we are limitless.
This is why I believe I am the more suited candidate. (I’ve ignored to mention that I did my undergraduate at Columbia, attended most of SIPASA meeting for the the last 10 months and have a good working grasp of the expectations students have with socials.)
If you want to lend on the Moon, while the problem of getting in space remains, the harder problem is the one lending. It is not because I’m trying to foster leadership opportunities for everyone that we will not do the due diligences of student activities. Today, it is harder to be more than what you are expected, but I would see a SIPASA that is more than what it is expected: a SIPA where its students already leads the change.
Please refer to my program for more infos: https://www.victoiremandonnaud.com/about/victoireforpresident
What is your vision for SIPA in 2024-25, and what key priorities will you focus on if elected?
There is a SIPA timeline. As you mentioned earlier, SIPA will transition leadership. As student groups are the heart of SIPA, meeting with groups’ leaders will be a priority. As said throughout, I will like to open a discussion with them to see how do they envision to push boundaries with and through their groups, and what other ideas they have.
Meeting the new SIPASA board, creating an agenda and merely getting to know each other well will also be a priority. We need to be bound to work well together.
Moreover, given what I said in my program I would also need to find people to feel the new positions we would implement. I would also launch a call for a new clothing line “support” that will be more expensive and fully dedicated to support activities for those who have trouble participating due to financial limitations.
Immediately I would also need to meet with the administration to see what we can collaborate in times of emergency and un-emergencies. Understanding, and if necessary, reviewing our scope of action, will be something to look at.
Since J-termers will be coming, we would also need to prepare the orientation modules I mentioned in my program, in order to integrate a cohort that approaches SIPA as a place in which free speech is understood for what it is.
I told you earlier about the app one of our peer and I are making. Testing it, and adapting it to better fit our students needs will be one of the first thing to get going. This could be a valuable tool for the 12 months to come, and after, so it should be ready asap.
Moreover, I’ve been talking with a couple of institutes to collaborate for the Parallel Curriculum. We’ve set the frameworks but haven’t finalized, as it is pending this election result. If it is positive, I would prepare that, along with the Academic Chair if they like the idea and want to support the vision.
More simply, I will try to meet with the more students I can, holding office hours to hear what they would like to do, who they are, what are their passions, etc. I would encourage the SIPASA board to do the same, or to so it together, depending the preferences we would have established.
Because I’ve said a lot about my vision for SIPA 2024-2025 throughout the other question, I think it would be redundant to say it again. What is key for me is to initiate a dynamic in which SIPA students trust that we are the place to design the change and have the means, the community, and the leisure to do so. I want SIPA a place where we can kindly say to someone that the world has changed, and that that we should talk about how it will change through our actions to change it.
In case of doubts, my thorough program can be found here: https://www.victoiremandonnaud.com/about/victoireforpresident .
How do you plan to address student safety concerns within and around the campus? What strategies will you employ to facilitate communication between the student community and SIPA administration?
First I would like to recognize the work that the previous board, and supporting students, have done in trying to solve the doxxing and in supporting those who have been threatened by it.
My stand is that if the administration cannot help us because it is limited, we should find others that could. I think it became clear quite early on. I believe I would have try pushing alternatives from the start of it all. The core of my program is to create a sense that there are infinite ways to create solutions if you see that limits you are facing, and to foster our peers to look for those.
The other day, I was looking at a dialogue in which Ian Bremmer, in a conversation about IA (see what he posted on Instagram on Nov.13.2023) was pointing that “Historically, in the United States, we don’t respond with censorship, we respond to lawyers.” While the example of students groups to be forbidden would suggests the opposite, my point was about the later part. Law is key.
Law is key, and while we are not Columbia Law, nor want to be, we can - as policymakers - design the template for legal frameworks.
The Free Palestine liberation movement is more than it is. It is encompassing other stories that want to be told as well. It is asking for a new vision of International Order. While I understand protestation, the need of protestors are beyond anything settled institutions can hear, and I think we all know it. And it can be ok. However, as said earlier, as much as anger is legitimated what anger wants is a system in which those injustices will not be possible anymore. It is not Columbia that will help, it is the people standing and believing in what they are saying, believing together, believing with certainty.
Because the core of the safety concerns is tied to students believing in a cause to the point to received retaliation measures so big that it become a safety concerns for them, for us, for our community, and the student body, I would tell them that they’ve succeed to impact those they wanted to impact. Time repairs the courage. As a SIPASA president, I would do my best to have those trucks forbidden, I would also try to tell them that if it is a cause that really matters to them, history will recognize what they have done. Of course, I would try my best to support everyone that needs.
However, to the core of your question, I would do the following: yes I would have recurrent check-in with the students and I would also go to talk to the administration. If the administration cannot help, I would go to other Deans (as a Columbia undergraduate maybe I could have a bit more leverage.). If it doesn’t work, I would go to Columbia’s President. If not, I would go to the former President, Bollinger, know for his support of free speech. I would try to find his support. If it doesn’t work, I would ask around for people’s network. I would first go to NY police, and then scale up, and up, and up.
In practice, the most important goal was to make the truck owner’s activities illegal. Simultaneously, I would have tried to work with the Law School to see if we could sue them. At SIPA, I would have try to gather a group of student to design a international or national framework for it to be impossible in the future. I would also ask our student artists to come with an idea for something we could do to support people taking risks to speak.
Whatever issue it is, it is always encompassing something bigger. Communities and World’s problem needs scope and collaboration.
Naively maybe, but I believe that I am able to understand people’s concerns. While administration has disappointed many, and it is understandable, the administration are also people like you and I (but with more power) that have limits, as we all do. Acknowledging their limitations, I would have encouraged our disappointed community to find other means. In the back, I would have continue a dialogue with them.
Moreover, I believe that my direct response, how modest it is, would have been to order hoods for our students, to protect everyone. Those protests were fill with camera, and as much as I understand the urge to support, also we can see the forces that are established against the success of this cause and against the life of those supporting it.
In the meantime, I would also have continuously reiterate that it is important to protect Jewish students from the fear and the threat that a misinterpretation of the movement could lead to. Moreover, while some causes could be seen as more prioritized by the administration then others, I would make sure that all causes are treated the same.
Ultimately, in this particular case, I would have asked for ideas. This is obviously a difficult question. I’m sorry if my answer dissapointed some of you, but hopefully you could have help us address it.
Is there anything else you wish to convey to your fellow Seeples before the voting process?
I’ve been talking a lot about action, change, etc. I am aware it can scare those who see SIPASA as the student organization for activities before anything. Talking about action and caring about social activities, networking events, etc is not contradictory. It is not because I want to address wider than SIPASA issues thanks to the strength of our student body and our nature of our studies, that I don’t care about the rest.
I’ve been coming to many many SIPASA meetings throughout those 10 months, and I’ve seen the way they organize events, the calendar and budget dynamics between different students groups. What I am saying is that while it is necessary to learn how to walk. once you get it, you might try to run. You may fall on the floor remembering this time you didn’t know how to walk. But ultimately it is a mirage. You were running when you felt.
I left France at the time protests were closing universities. Students were so much destroying universities that we couldn’t attend it. Moving to NY, I thought that something like that could never happen in the US - assuming that the risks was too high for students to actually be willing to undertake. The world is changing. I think we can find even stronger means to direct its change. What was impossible couple of years ago is not anymore. We are the change.
As SIPA undergoes a leadership transition, what aspects do you aim to retain from your predecessors, and what innovative approaches do you plan to implement?
The current SIPASA board has been stressing the importance of unity recently. Easier said than done, but I do appreciate the message. As President I have big ideas for encouraging unity at SIPA. We all need to do our part and contribute to making SIPA a better place where everyone feels comfortable. This will be at the forefront of my agenda.
What inspired your decision to run for the SIPASA elections?
I love meeting people from different backgrounds. Diversity is the main reason I chose to come to SIPA. As such, I have been constantly meeting new people since before the semester even started. I met a group of first-generation students and heard about some of their struggles at SIPA. I wanted to find a way to help although I was not sure how. As I met more and more students, I heard more opportunities for improvement of the student experience.
A friend suggested SIPASA could be an avenue for helping advocate for students and improve their situation. Although I wasn’t convinced at first, talking to the current VP about his work changed my mind and since my background fits perfectly with this role, I decided to pull the trigger on running for President to improve our student experience as best as I can.
In your role as SIPA's President, what unique qualities will you bring to the position, and why do you believe you are the most suitable candidate?
Even before the semester started I organized a meetup group for staples already in NYC, and every weekend since the semester started I’ve organized outings by inviting diverse groups of students to build community. I am always on campus and love meeting new people, so I can consistently keep my finger on the pulse of students’ current needs. My presence is not intermittent.
From consulting, I developed great relationship management skills with leadership, so I have plenty of demonstrated experience building productive working relationships with senior leaders.
Most importantly, I have the resolve to stand my ground even when in opposition to leadership. I won’t back down when the interest of SIPA students is on the line. No one will keep me from doing all I can to make sure my peers’ needs are met and their voices are heard.
What is your vision for SIPA in 2024-25, and what key priorities will you focus on if elected?
My vision is for each of us to demonstrate how we can personally be a complement to our SIPA community and enjoy a student experience where we feel accepted, challenged and supported.
My key priorities are making sure students feel secure, receive far better career networking opportunities and can enjoy their time here from orientation through graduation.
How do you plan to address student safety concerns within and around the campus? What strategies will you employ to facilitate communication between the student community and SIPA administration?
As far as student safety goes, I want to make clear that any attack on one of us should be considered an attack on all of us. The SIPA administration should be involved in a few main ways, but they need to demonstrate competency right away. For example competency in facilitating safe discussions between students. Competency in promoting engagement with each others’ cultures beyond just a superficial level. Competency in protecting the privacy of our students. The administration is in a difficult position and I empathize with them. But this is their job. And if they show that they’re rising to the occasion, we will support them.
Is there anything else you wish to convey to your fellow Seeples before the voting process?
We’ve made it to arguably the best policy school in the world. Let’s make sure we live up to that. I appreciate any of you who take enough interest in building our community that you take the time to vote. The more of us who vote, the more accurately our collective voice is heard. Please take a few minutes to login to CampusGroups and vote this Friday November 17th.
As SIPA undergoes a leadership transition, what aspects do you aim to retain from your predecessors, and what innovative approaches do you plan to implement?
As SIPA undergoes this leadership transition, I'm deeply inspired by the commitment to unity in diversity fostered by my predecessors. I aim to retain the tradition of inclusivity, transparency, and community engagement. However, innovation is the heartbeat of progress. I plan to introduce an initiative where not I am creating an inclusive community for every voice to be heard and valued, and a series of dynamic events and platforms celebrating our varied backgrounds. This goes beyond dialogue; it's about creating experiences that resonate with the essence of SIPA's diverse community, fostering connections that extend beyond the classroom.
What inspired your decision to run for the SIPASA elections?
My decision to run for SIPASA is rooted in a passion for building bridges and creating an inclusive community. As EMPA students, we felt very isolated with limited resources, information and opportunities; only to realize later on that many at SIPA feel the same way. Having worked with diverse organizations like the Olympics and the UN, and with a background in psychology, I've seen the transformative power of collaboration. SIPASA is an opportunity for me to channel this passion into tangible initiatives that unite our diverse student body. I am inspired by the potential to be the bridge between students and administrators for transparency and accountability, to foster empathy, to bridge cultural gaps, and to ensure that every Seeple's voice is not only heard but celebrated.
In your role as SIPA's President, what unique qualities will you bring to the position, and why do you believe you are the most suitable candidate?
As a candidate, I bring a unique blend of international experiences, and my leadership approach is founded on empathy, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to unity in diversity. I believe these qualities are crucial for navigating the complex dynamics of SIPA and ensuring that every student feels seen and supported. What sets me apart is my genuine belief in inclusivity and my ability to turn that belief into actionable initiatives. I am not just a candidate; I am a fellow Seeples who understands the complexities of our community and is dedicated to driving impactful change
What is your vision for SIPA in 2024-25, and what key priorities will you focus on if elected?
In 2024-25, my vision for SIPA is one of thriving diversity and inclusive excellence. I see a community where every Seeples' unique story is not only acknowledged but celebrated. My key priorities include fostering even greater international-local student integration through cultural exchange initiatives, ensuring transparency in decision-making processes, and creating pathways for professional development and job opportunities. I envision SIPA as a place where every student, regardless of background, feels a profound sense of belonging and has equal opportunities to succeed
How do you plan to address student safety concerns within and around the campus? What strategies will you employ to facilitate communication between the student community and SIPA administration?
Ensuring the safety of every Seeples is non-negotiable. I plan to implement a multifaceted approach to address student safety concerns. This includes enhancing campus security measures, providing self-defense workshops, and introducing an anonymous reporting system. To foster communication, I'll initiate regular town hall meetings, open forums, and a dedicated online platform for feedback. By creating a culture of trust and transparent communication, we can collectively address concerns and strengthen our SIPA community.
Is there anything else you wish to convey to your fellow Seeples before the voting process?
Aloha SIPA Ohana and to my fellow Seeples. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for considering me as your potential SIPASA President. This journey is about us, the diverse and dynamic SIPA community. I am committed to being a president who listens, learns, and leads with empathy. Your vote is not just a choice; it's a statement about the future we want to create together. Let's embark on this journey united, celebrate our differences, and make SIPA an even more exceptional place to learn and grow. Thank you for your trust, and I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. Together, we can make a lasting impact! Mahalo nui loa with all my heart. Again, ohana means family, family means no one gets left behind.
As SIPA undergoes a leadership transition, what aspects do you aim to retain from your predecessors, and what innovative approaches do you plan to implement?
In my professional capacity as a user experience designer, we often do these things called “retrospectives” where as a group we come together and look back at the goods, the bads, and the could-be-betters that occurred during the product launch process, so that we can document our learnings and reflect on it as a group. The learnings will then feed into the ideation process, and inform our ultimate solution.
If elected SIPASA president, one of the first things I will do is facilitate a retrospective with the outgoing administration, specifically keyed in on two issues: The advocacy for international student insurance waiver, and SIPASAs response to the doxing incident. I want to build an in-depth understanding of these two issues to see what our new administration can improve on, and formulate an improved tactical plan for future advocacy incidents.
What inspired your decision to run for the SIPASA elections?
I’m a creative problem solver. It bugs me a lot when I see a problem that can be solved easily, and yet nobody is trying to solve it and everybody just keeps going about their day. And while I wouldn’t say that SIPA is littered with problems, I do get a sense from my fellow students that life in SIPA is a bit harder than we all anticipated.
I am a long-time resident of Morningside Heights, and I was super happy to chime in on the group chats and give my fellow students pointers of life around campus. I understand the stress of moving to a new place, which is even more amplified when you are transitioning to a new country. I figured the lack of support from school with regards to student life was just temporary, and was surprised to learn that this issue still persists in some way even after we arrive on campus. I also learned from second year SIPA elders in my Civic Innovation class that the lack of assistance is an issue that sticks throughout your SIPA experience.
Things don’t have to be this way, and I want to be in a position to make things better.
In your role as SIPA's President, what unique qualities will you bring to the position, and why do you believe you are the most suitable candidate?
If elected SIPASA president, I would like to find ways to bring the skills I honed over my long career as a user experience designer, and work with the new incoming SIPASA team on devising practical and low-cost solutions that will make our lives a little bit easier. I will not claim to have the answers to everything, but I will say that I’m pretty good at facilitating conversations and brainstorming processes that will point us closer to a solution for any given problem, and also to see those solutions through. Human-centered design is a process where we go out and talk to people, identify their biggest pain points, dream up some potential solutions, and put it in front of the people we’re solving for to get their thoughts and iterate more. I am endlessly fascinated with the people that come here, and the stories they carry, and I can’t wait to get to know my fellow students more. I want to design and build some solutions for all of us based on everything I’ve learned about their lives so far, and everything that’ll be thrown our way. I hope to bring my human-centered design skills to the table, and together we can try to make SIPA a better place.
What is your vision for SIPA in 2024-25, and what key priorities will you focus on if elected?
I do believe that as SIPASA president, a big responsibility is to create a collaborative environment and identify what the board wants to solve in the coming year. But if it was solely up to me, here’s a couple small things that I’d like to start with:
- Increase SIPASA Transparency by creating an online issue platform (like, a Google sheet) that tracks all SIPASA issues, the resolution status (deprioritized/in progress/resolved), and any implementation notes.
- Develop more resources to assist people who are new to new york to better navigate NYC living.
- Launch an online SIPA alumni merch store, to sell school merch and raise funds through alumni. The proceeds will then be used to fund student events and subsidize school merch, and allow us to explore a path to free merch.
- Build on the prior administration’s experience and continue to advocate for an international student health insurance waiver and explore a lower cost health plan alternative.
- Conduct a retrospective review to understand how we can improve SIPASA’s response time to the doxing incident, and create long-term safety strategies and guidelines that are inclusive and non-discriminatory.
How do you plan to address student safety concerns within and around the campus? What strategies will you employ to facilitate communication between the student community and SIPA administration?
This is probably the hardest and most important question for the whole student body to figure out moving forward. 2024 is going to be an especially challenging year, with a bunch of elections happening across the globe. The world seems to be getting murkier and murkier, and it’s hard to not let that anxiety seep through to our daily lives.
If elected president, my main responsibility is to ensure that you can express your personal and political belief, and engage with the university and our fellow classmates on an equal level. I plan to continue the regular cadence discussions already set up with the school administration and keep the constant communication flowing. Secondly, as mentioned earlier, I would like to codify a response plan as a specific deliverable of the retrospective and publish it so we can have a common understanding of why and how the communication broke down from the student side. And lastly, I would like to understand from the administration point of view the reasons why there is a lack of engagement with the students. Only once we understand all the facets of this problem can we begin to propose practical solutions.
Is there anything else you wish to convey to our fellow Seeples before the voting process?
Shoutout to my fellow SIPASA presidential candidates, as well as all the people who decided to put their name up and down the ballot. It’s been wonderful to share this campaigning experience with you all. Also, a huge thank you to all the people who helped me and spoke to me throughout these campaign weeks. You continue to inspire me each and every day, and I can’t wait to work with you more!
Clare did not respond to our request for interview:
At the debate, she gave the following answer:
As SIPA undergoes a leadership transition, what aspects do you aim to retain from your predecessors, and what innovative approaches do you plan to implement?
I think it's good to remember that each year each administration is going to be different. I think it's really important that we have conversations or transitional meetings and figure out what went well. What did I learn and build off of that? I personally love when I've gone to the SIPASA meeting because I can tell when it's a family. And when I was in student government at UMass my favorite part was getting to talk with students that would be walking to class and stop me and chat with me. That is why I want to do this.
With that in mind, I want to be transparent. I want to be an open communicator. But it's also really easy for all of us to stay on stage and say that we're going to do one thing and then get in the position with all these challenges and be up until three in the morning and have class the next day. I work so I don't want to work on top of that. But I want to do this because I genuinely love our students quality. We are so diverse and it is so beautiful. I want us to be able to celebrate those experiences and connect with one another. We need to have more connection and community. I just really look forward to hopefully being in this position because I want to get to know each and every one of you even if there's over 1000 of us. I love talking and I also love to listen and that's why I'm an advocate and want to be in this position.
Sumanth did not respond to our request for interview:
At the debate, he gave the following answer:
As SIPA undergoes a leadership transition, what aspects do you aim to retain from your predecessors, and what innovative approaches do you plan to implement?
There's no doubt why we choose to SIPA, because we deeply care about at least one problem which affects us and one crisis. That's why we choose a public policy school to come and address the crisis. But some time after coming here, we will be lost in economics and quant that take over everything and our problems slightly slip over the back.
I want to create a platform for the innovators to solve the problems which can be open. We as a students can see those problems. Let's collaborate and do the problem solving and leverage the resources from, not only SIPA, but the university and institution. I want to retain cross-university collaboration and also the SIPA talent show. Showing the talent to the largest school is something I want to retain and adding to that like I want to create a platform for the storytellers. What can unite us is stories from the different communities and different backgrounds to take inspiration from.

Vice President

Why should SIPA students choose you as the Vice President of SIPASA, and what qualities make you the ideal candidate for this role?
Receptive, Reliable, Passionate.
People are aware of the various issues we face at SIPA - we all complained before about overpriced coffee and merch or the lack of sunlight in classrooms, me included. But the truth is, the problem is much bigger and more significant than that. Students are facing issues about their identity, security, inclusivity, and financial and career opportunities.
The first step towards solving these problems is acknowledging their saliency. I believe that I have done this, as this is what my entire campaign is based on. As your VP, I will be receptive to the concerns faced by SIPA students. I recognize the importance of a platform that allows them to express themselves fully. More than that, few things bother me more than potentially letting down the student body and their cause - that is why I am committed to being a reliable intermediary to see promises and responsibilities through.
In early October, I attended one of Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo’s lunch sessions, where security, representation, financial, and identity issues were discussed. Two months on and no improvements can be seen. That is the problem: there are many opportunities for change, but little concrete action. Through SIPASA, I am passionate about doing my part to ensure the materialization of your vision, so we can all enjoy and benefit from SIPA to the greatest extent.
What strategies do you have in place to foster a positive and collaborative relationship with the SIPA President, ensuring representation of the desires of the SIPA student community?
I have taken the initiative to individually meet nearly all the candidates running for the presidency. This allowed me to understand how their goals and inspirations can be aligned with mine. By establishing a level of personal connection, I am confident that no matter the results, we will be able to collaborate effectively and lead SIPASA.
If elected, I first plan to arrange a check-in session with the new President to have a blueprint for the year to come, address any challenges, and explore directions for change. Second, I want to establish a feedback mechanism to better listen to the concerns of the student body. Third, I want to schedule weekly meetings with the President to discuss potential initiatives, updates, and anything else submitted to the feedback mechanisms. Third, through communication platforms such as newsletters, I want to continue the last board’s great work at updating the SIPA community on joint efforts between the student body and SIPASA. For example, the SIPA Cruise Party. To add to this, as your VP, I plan to conduct weekly open sessions at Publique where you guys will be able to come and discuss any problems, ideas, and everything!
Through inclusive decision-making and collaborative goal-setting, I will ensure that the President is well-informed about the desires and needs of the SIPA student community. SIPASA is all about YOU.
Is there anything else you wish to convey to your fellow Seeples before the voting process?
You might have seen me walking around on campus with my headphones on, but I promise, I enjoy meeting new people and talking to them. Please stop me at any time for any questions, concerns or even just to chat :)
Determined and communicative, I am confident as a Vice President that I will be able to enhance your SIPA experience for you and with you.
If you want to hear more about me, check out this link, and feel free to connect on any social media platform: https://linktr.ee/angiehenon.
Why should SIPA students choose you as the Vice President of SIPASA, and what qualities make you the ideal candidate for this role?
SIPA students should choose me as the Vice President of SIPASA because I bring the required empathy, energy and experience to thrive in this role. I will devote my time and passion to address students concerns and ideas to make sure everybody feels heard, e.g. by offering regular meeting between SIPASA representative and SIPA students to discuss issues, wishes etc. Being the founder of my social startup and the LGBTQ initiative leader at Boston Consulting Group, I learned how to work efficiently (and with a lot of fun) together in a team to achieve a common goal. And our SIPASA common goal will be making SIPA a place where every student can be their best version.
What strategies do you have in place to foster a positive and collaborative relationship with the SIPA President, ensuring representation of the desires of the SIPA student community?
To foster a positive and collaborative relationship with the SIPA President, I will ensure to have regular touch points and meetings to guarantee that the desires of the student body have a high priority for the SIPA president. I would serve as the bridge between the students and president Yarhi-Milo, taking my time to listen to students issues and work with SIPASA and the president on concrete actions to address them. After already having talked to many students, I know that a more individualized and useful career counseling is an important action point that should be addressed at SIPA.
Is there anything else you wish to convey to your fellow Seeples before the voting process?
As a first-generation, international student I will ensure that SIPA is a place with equal opportunities for everybody - I’d be honored to get your vote to make this reality.

General Secretary

What factors make you the best candidate for your position within SIPASA? Why should SIPA students vote for you?
I am the best candidate for the position of General Secretary because of my previous experiences and skill set. Students should vote for me because I am empathetic, driven, dedicated, and passionate; I promise to bring all of those qualities to the General Secretary role. SIPA students should vote for me because I am willing to put in all of the time and effort necessary in order to make the SIPA community inclusive, welcoming, and fulfilling for all students. If SIPA students want a true advocate and ally serving as General Secretary, they should vote for me.
Can you elaborate on the specific experiences or skills that have equipped you to serve as a board member of SIPASA?
I have several experiences that make me well equipped to serve as SIPASA General Secretary. Firstly, I previously served as secretary of my undergraduate institution’s Black Student Union during my junior year. Through that position, I managed all of the club’s administrative materials, kept minutes during meetings, drafted and sent weekly emails to members about meetings, represented the club in meetings with high-level university officials, and more. Secondly, I have previous student government experience! I served as a senator in my undergraduate institution’s Student Government Association during my junior year and then went on the be elected Wellness and Campus Safety Chair for my senior year. My proudest accomplishment during my tenure as Wellness and Campus Safety Chair was providing my undergraduate institution with free Aunt Flow period products (just like the ones at SIPA) for the first time in school history. It was truly moving to have students stop me in the hallway and tell me how the Aunt Flow products relieved the financial burden of affording period products and it also made their academic experience more enjoyable. Lastly, I have experience in a high leadership role. During my senior year at my undergraduate institution I also served as president of the university’s Black Student Union. This experience was one of the most valuable experiences of my undergraduate career and I got the opportunity to learn what it truly takes to lead effectively and efficiently; I plan to bring that mindset to the General Secretary role.
Is there anything else you wish to convey to your fellow Seeples before the voting process?
In the role of General Secretary, I really hope to work to support clubs and organizations more— especially with advocacy related endeavors. As SIPA students and as future leaders of tomorrow, we deserve to be in an environment that is safe for us to advocate, speak freely, and stand up to gross injustices happening on our campus and also around the world. I hope to have your vote and to be able to serve the SIPA community as General Secretary. Thank you!
Rose did not respond to our request for interview.
At the debate, she gave the following speech:
I want to start by saying thank you all for showing up tonight. I was very pleasantly surprised when I walked in. As my favorite TV president once said,
”decisions are made by those who show up” and all of you being here tonight is a huge delight. I'm just really grateful that you all came to your all of us talk because it's been so great to hear from other candidates.
My name is Rose. I am running to be your general secretary. I am a first year MPA (USP, LID). A little bit about my background, in undergrad I was in student government all four years and absolutely loved it, except for all the time when it was really frustrating. When I graduated I thought I was never going to do it again. And then I got here and getting to attend SIPASA meetings, getting to talk with current leadership, convinced me to want to do it again. I'm very excited to have the opportunity to be in this role. For those of you who I do know, you know that I love having conversations about how things are going and I think what really drew me to this position are the priorities of transparency and really making sure that information is being well communicated to you. I think collaboration has come up a lot tonight. It's a beautiful buzzword. It's even better when it's actually happening, and one of the crucial steps to make collaboration happen is for students and those who are going to hopefully, I pray hold us accountable for you to have the information to actually hold us accountable to expect more. I really see this role as the opportunity to give you the information that you need to then hold us accountable and to create more opportunities for students to be involved and be successful. I hope that through this role, working with the rest of the team, we’ll be able to do our best to serve you this year.

Treasurer

What factors make you the best candidate for your position within SIPASA? Why should SIPA students vote for you?
I believe I’m the best candidate for the post of Treasurer because I bring together a wealth of experience, commitment and enthusiasm to listen to and learn from everyone. My goal is to make SIPASA’s functioning as inclusive and transparent as possible. I have a great head for numbers, I am super organized, and I love collaborating and working with people!
Can you elaborate on the specific experiences or skills that have equipped you to serve as a board member of SIPASA?
Ans. I have a mix of experiences, from organizational and leadership experience in my undergrad law school, to my work in both the public and private sectors, that equip me to be your Treasurer.
One thing that comes to mind and is particularly relevant to the post of Treasurer is that at my law school in India, I was the first Chairperson of the Student Association’s Audit Committee. It was my job to draft and pass our first Audit Policy (which is still in use!), and create a culture of accountability and transparency in the body’s functioning. I made sure to take as many opinions from students as possible, and to circulate a mid semester and end semester report to the student body on the finances and functioning of their elected representatives. I worked together with the Student Association, and the University Accounts and Budgets department to create efficient and effective budgets which achieve financial outcomes that were in the best interests of the students.
Is there anything else you wish to convey to your fellow Seeples before the voting process?
Ans. I think every candidate in the running is highly capable and will do a great job, and I’d like to wish everyone luck. At the end of the day, these elections are about creating a team that works together and best represents all of us Seeples. I believe that my work speaks for itself, and I hope my friends and colleagues will trust me with their vote to do just that.
Colby did not respond to our request for interview.
At the debate, he gave the following speech:
My name is Coby Dorcely. I came here straight from undergrad and I'm a first year MIA concentrating in Energy and Environment and specializing in IO/UNS. In undergrad, I had a concentration in finance and political science. Throughout that journey, I held multiple positions within student organizations, the latest being the treasury of my undergrads SGA. Now, I’m running for SIPASA Treasurer. I've had multiple conversations with the current Treasurer, and through them I was able to understand how SIPASA operates.
I noticed that current boards brought a lot of innovation during their term. They introduced backlogs for student organizations, one common sheet for all SIPA expenses, they created a merch account, and increased funds through the profits for the merch sales.
My goal is to make all of that sustainable, and that will only be possible through communication, collaborative auditing, initiative prioritization, event management, risk management, continuous improvement, and backlogs and in merchandise improvement.

Tarang Jain (MIA ‘25) is a reporter for The Morningside Post.

NewsTarang JainNovember 17, 2023Comment