Question 1

Why are you running for the Yale Corporation?

Accepted Answer

I am running for the Yale Corporation because I believe we are at a critical inflection point. The University has the opportunity to be a leader in the global transition to a new 100% clean energy economy. From world-class education and research, to rapidly building a zero-emission campus, to implementing a first of its kind ethical investment strategy, Yale can continue to show how a world-class university can lead in our fight against climate change. 
 
But this goal can only be achieved if we take a hard look at the current governance structures and endowment management strategies. I look forward to working with the board to build a more financially and ecologically sustainable Yale, one that embraces inclusive governance structures, ethical endowment management, and bold climate action.

Question 2

How will increasing democratic engagement improve the ethical management of Yale’s endowment?

Accepted Answer

The Board of Trustees makes decisions that affect all Yale students and alumni, and that’s exactly why all alumni should be able to participate in the Board elections. Right now, Yale College graduates can only vote once they have been alumni for five years. As alumni, the University should welcome our participation and continued engagement, starting from the moment we graduate. 
 
A Board of Trustees that looks more like the Yale alumni community will only lead to a more diverse, vibrant and resilient Yale. As fiduciaries, the board has a responsibility to set an investment strategy that will achieve these goals. I look forward to using my experience building coalitions and working across the climate community to drive ethical management of the Yale endowment.

Question 3

What makes you the right candidate for the Corporation?

Accepted Answer

The Yale Corporation makes decisions that directly impact current and future Yale students, and yet no one on the current Board of Trustees has been a student at Yale since 2002. This disconnect between the Corporation and one of the University’s most important assets, its students, leads to decisions that are not always reflective of the current zeitgeist of the student body and young alumni.
 
As a young graduate who has spent the last 10 years building coalitions at the state and federal levels to advance bold, transformational climate policy, I will bring a new perspective to the Board of Trustees.
 
Bringing young alumni voices into University governance structures is not a new idea. Princeton, Brown, and Cornell all hold seats on their Boards of Trustees for young alumni or current students as a matter of good governance. Yale Forward is partnered with The Boarding School, a non-profit that trains young people to be effective and successful board members within organizations that affect their lives. By learning directly from trustees at other institutions, I feel confident that I’ll be ready to make a positive impact on the Corporation from day one.

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SUPPORT ZORAYA'S CAMPAIGN

Join our supporters list, sign up to volunteer, or chip in $20.20 to help Zoraya move Yale forward.

Join our supporters list, sign up to volunteer,
or chip in $20.20 to help Zoraya move Yale forward.