Student Government Elections
Sign in with your netID to wink at classmates, declare for a role, and vote.
The election schedule
All times Eastern · New Haven
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Winks , closed
Closes Fri 11 Sep, 11:59 pm
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Declarations , closed
Closes Fri 11 Sep, 11:59 pm
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Speeches , closed
Tue 15 Sep, 11:45 am · Zhang Auditorium
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Voting , closed
Opens Tue 15 Sep, 12:45 pm · closes Fri 18 Sep, 12:45 pm
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Results
Published here when counting is complete
A wink is not a candidacy
You can be winked at and never stand, and you can stand without ever being winked at. Winking and declaring are two separate things, not two stages of one.
Campaigning runs from Monday 14 September, 9:00 am to Friday 18 September, 5:00 pm. Speeches are Tuesday 15 September at 11:45 am in Zhang Auditorium, 90 seconds each, and voting opens straight afterwards.
How the election works
Wink. Anonymously suggest a classmate for a role you think they would be good at. A wink is encouragement, not a candidacy, and it is not required. You may be winked at for several roles.
Declare. Stand for a role yourself. Even if you were winked at, you must declare to become a candidate, and you may declare for one role only.
Review and campaign. Candidate statements appear on this site once approved. Campaigning runs from Monday 14 September, 9:00 am to Friday 18 September, 5:00 pm. To withdraw, use the Declare page.
Speeches. Every candidate gives a 90-second speech to their classmates on Tuesday 15 September at 11:45 am in Zhang Auditorium.
Vote. Voting opens Tuesday 15 September at 12:45 pm and closes Friday 18 September at 12:45 pm. New officers are announced once results are verified by the Dean of Students.
Who can run
Joint degree students are encouraged to run. Joint degree students may not run for election in more than two academic years, whatever the results of those elections.
Campaign rules
No mass messaging. Sending mass or impersonalised campaign messages by any means, including but not limited to Slack, email, Instagram and group messaging apps, whether by a candidate or on a candidate's behalf, violates campaign rules. The Election Committee makes the final determination on any infringement.
Campaign materials. A maximum of $50 per candidate may be spent on materials, by the candidate or on their behalf, at the candidate's expense. Flyers may be placed on designated bulletin boards within SOM and nowhere else in the building. Get approval from the Student Government Executive Team before putting up posters.
Two violations disqualify a candidate automatically. By declaring, you agree to abide by these rules and to accept the consequences of breaking them.
Writing your statement
Statements are due Friday 11 September at 11:59 pm, no exceptions. Keep to no more than one page at 12-point font; brevity is appreciated.
Include a statement of interest, a brief summary of your pre-SOM experience, and a list of your anticipated SOM commitments.
Write it straight into the Declare page. It saves as you type, so you will not lose your work. There is no need to draft it elsewhere first.
A wink from a classmate does not make you a candidate. You still have to declare.
Voting
Your ballot stays editable until voting closes. Once it closes, your most recently submitted ballot is the one recorded, so make sure you have submitted before the deadline.
Races are decided by ranked-choice voting, the instant-runoff method Alaska uses. You rank the candidates you like in order. If nobody has a majority of first choices, the last-placed candidate drops out and their ballots move to their next choices, until someone does. Similar candidates cannot split the vote, so standing for a race never unfairly hurts another candidate, and ranking a long shot first never wastes your ballot.
Questions
Contact Thomas Gould (thomas.gould@yale.edu) about anything to do with the election process. If you cannot sign in, use the "report a problem" link on the sign-in page.
The roles
1Y MBA Academic Affairs Chair
The Academic Affairs Committee assists in curriculum reform efforts, works with faculty to evaluate instructional performance, and seeks to improve the overall student learning experience.
1Y MBA Admissions Chair
The Admissions Committee serves as a liaison between SOM Admissions and students; coordinates admissions events; communicates with prospective and admitted students; and facilitates student communication and feedback.
1Y MBA Alumni Affairs Chair
The Alumni Affairs Committee connects the SOM student body with SOM alumni, organises student programmes and social events with alumni, and serves as a point of contact with the Office of Alumni Relations.
1Y MBA Career Development (CDO) Chair
The Career Development Committee serves as a liaison to the Career Development Office, assisting students with matters surrounding summer internship and full-time job searches.
1Y MBA Clubs & Finance Chair
The Clubs & Finance Chair serves as the Budget Officer for Student Government. In addition to facilitating the creation of new clubs, the Chair helps allocate SOM club funding and works with AASL on major club processes and events, including club training, transitions, and end-of-year closeout.
1Y MBA Community and Inclusion Chair
The Community & Inclusion Chair is responsible for engaging the SOM student community in defining and embodying core values and promoting an equitable and inclusive culture at SOM.
1Y MBA Community Service Chair
The Community Service Chair is responsible for engaging the SOM student community in community service opportunities throughout the year and coordinating major service initiatives, including SOM Serves.
1Y MBA Health and Wellness Chair
The Health & Wellness Chair leads and coordinates health and wellness programming for the Yale SOM community, advocates for the health and wellness needs of the wider student community, leads the Health & Wellness Committee, and partners with AASL, the Good Life Center, and the Mental Health Coalition at Yale.
1Y MBA International Student Affairs Chair
The International Student Affairs Chair collaborates with Career Development, Academic Affairs, Student Life, Community & Inclusion, and Admissions to address the unique needs of international students. The position is open to all students regardless of background, though candidates should have knowledge of issues relevant to international students.
1Y MBA Marketing & Communications Chair
The Marketing & Communications Chair coordinates Student Government communications, manages internal communications within Yale SOM, and works with the Communications Office to facilitate student feedback.
1Y MBA Student Life Chair
The Student Life Committee plans and administers social events for the SOM student body and works to foster community across programmes and student groups. Major events may include Closing Bell, formals, the Harvard-Yale tailgate, and other community-building events.
1Y MBA Sustainability Chair
The Sustainability Chair leads and coordinates sustainability initiatives across Yale SOM.
1Y MBA Technology and Operations Chair
The Technology & Operations Committee serves as a liaison between the administration and students, funnels ideas and suggestions for operational improvements, and helps resolve matters pertaining to technology platforms and facilities.
Blue Cohort Representative
Cohort Representatives are the primary points of contact for their cohorts. They identify problems, develop solutions, make themselves available to classmates, and draw on student input to support initiatives across Yale SOM.
Gold Cohort Representative
Cohort Representatives are the primary points of contact for their cohorts. They identify problems, develop solutions, make themselves available to classmates, and draw on student input to support initiatives across Yale SOM.
Green Cohort Representative
Cohort Representatives are the primary points of contact for their cohorts. They identify problems, develop solutions, make themselves available to classmates, and draw on student input to support initiatives across Yale SOM.
Red Cohort Representative
Cohort Representatives are the primary points of contact for their cohorts. They identify problems, develop solutions, make themselves available to classmates, and draw on student input to support initiatives across Yale SOM.
Silver Cohort Representative
Cohort Representatives are the primary points of contact for their cohorts. They identify problems, develop solutions, make themselves available to classmates, and draw on student input to support initiatives across Yale SOM.
Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) - MBA
Senators represent Yale SOM in the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and work on issues affecting students across Yale's graduate and professional schools.
Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) - GBS
Senators represent Yale SOM in the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and work on issues affecting students across Yale's graduate and professional schools.
Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) - MAM
Senators represent Yale SOM in the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and work on issues affecting students across Yale's graduate and professional schools.
Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) - MMS
Senators represent Yale SOM in the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and work on issues affecting students across Yale's graduate and professional schools.