Kevin Tupper – SBA Presidential Candidate

Hi NYU Law! My name is Kevin and I’m thrilled to be running for SBA president alongside my friend Safeena.

This year, I served as SBA treasurer and vice president. We increased the student group funding by 15% while improving the fairness and transparency of the budget process. Our committees worked with the administration to implement mid-semester feedback, an improved loan advance program, affordable summer housing solutions, and more accessible facilities. We also launched new community building events including, the Brooklyn Nets game, the 5k fun run, and some great graduation events yet to come. I am thrilled with what we have accomplished, but there is still work to be done. We’re running together because our backgrounds and experience inform the kind of SBA we want to see next year. We will focus on:

Student Advocacy

• Continue to lobby for increased PILC funding and support other student-led advocacy initiatives. Where you see a problem, we’ll help you advocate for a solution. This year we were pleased to support a group of 1L students who wanted to increase PILC funding, and work with them to successfully get an increase in the amount + eliminate the cap on outside money.

• Support a student-centric curriculum, where students play a more active role in designing the curriculum. We were inspired by the student-led initiative to bring a course on domestic violence to the law school and want to make this process more accessible.

• Implement new mechanisms for mid-semester feedback for Professors.

Communication and Transparency

• Advocate for better communication between the school and students—find ways to streamline information from the Docket, Events, and the Weekly, as well as the social listserv + Coases.

• Improve the consultative process between the administration and students in decisions like the Coases transition, which should have been discussed earlier.

• Build a more transparent SBA. We will make better use of website, social media, and Google Apps to share agendas, policy changes, and important reminders.

Student Life

• Continue to improve the student organization funding process by making it fairer, more transparent, and increasing the total amount available.

• Create a Council of Presidents of all student organization leaders to allow groups to coordinate initiatives and advise SBA on their needs and priorities.

• Improve student affordability by allowing students to request loan advances from the Bursar beginning July 24th. This year’s SBA has put this into place—we will implement it.

• Continue to explore better student housing options for the summer and for EIW.

Community Building

• Support the social chairs in organizing amazing bar reviews and flagship events such as Fall Ball, Spring Fling, and Dean’s Cup.

• Develop community building events for both JDs and LLMs such as a fun run, another Brooklyn Nets game, and more wellness activities at the law school.

• Build a better graduation and create signature apparel to allow us all to celebrate our time at NYU Law.

• Foster a supportive section environment by institutionalizing weekly reminders, the affirmation project, and other projects that make 1Ls feel welcome.

Safeena Mecklai – SBA Vice Presidential Candidate

Hi NYU Law! My name is Safeena Mecklai and I’m thrilled to be running to serve as your next

SBA Vice President. I’m excited to be running with my friend Kevin Tupper.

I am obsessed with building community. I was proud to do that as the Section 1 1L Rep through

projects like weekly reminders of events, supporting our section’s affirmation project, and joining

a group of my section-mates in advocating for the increase in PILC funding. Within SBA, I

served on the Facilities Committee, which successfully advocated for free feminine hygiene

products in Furman and supported DALSA accessibility requests, and the Academic Committee,

which succeeded in securing mid-semester Professor feedback.

We’re running together because our backgrounds and experience inform the kind of SBA we

want to see next year. We hope to:

Student Advocacy

• Continue to lobby for increased PILC funding and support other student-led advocacy initiatives. Where you see a problem, we’ll help you advocate for a solution. This year we were pleased to support a group of 1L students who wanted to increase PILC funding, and work with them to successfully get an increase in the amount + eliminate the cap on outside money.

• Support a student-centric curriculum, where students play a more active role in designing the curriculum. We were inspired by the student-led initiative to bring a course on domestic violence to the law school and want to make this process more accessible.

• Implement new mechanisms for mid-semester feedback for Professors.

Communication and Transparency

• Advocate for better communication between the school and students – find ways to streamline information from the Docket, Events, and the Weekly, as well as the social listserv + Coases.

• Improve the consultative process between the administration and students in decisions like the Coases transition, which should have been discussed earlier.

• Build a more transparent SBA. We will make better use of website, social media, and Google Apps to share agendas, policy changes, and important reminders.

Student Life

• Continue to improve the student organization funding process by making it fairer, more transparent, and increasing the total amount available.

• Create a Council of Presidents of all student organization leaders to allow groups to coordinate initiatives and advise SBA on their needs and priorities.

• Improve student affordability by allowing students to request loan advances from the Bursar beginning July 24th. This year’s SBA has put this into place – we will implement it.

• Continue to explore better student housing options for the summer and for EIW.

Community Building

• Support the social chairs in organizing amazing bar reviews and flagship events such as Fall Ball, Spring Fling, and Dean’s Cup.

• Develop community building events for both JDs and LLMs such as a fun run, another Brooklyn Nets game, and more wellness activities at the law school.

• Build a better graduation and create signature apparel to allow us all to celebrate our time at NYU Law.

• Foster a supportive section environment by institutionalizing weekly reminders, the affirmation project, and other projects that make 1Ls feel welcome.

Adam George – SBA Treasurer Candidate

Hello friends! I am writing today to discuss that most solemn of duties accorded any

group of individuals who choose to associate in a free society: the right to vote. While

we may have our disagreements over policy and tactics, as is our right, we also

acknowledge that the responsibility to vote is so incredibly vital that to abdicate that

responsibility cannot be contemplated.

I have been quite fortunate to meet many of my friends and colleagues at NYU Law up

to this point, but for those of you whom I have not met, I will tell you a bit about my time

at NYU up to this point. I represented the interests of 1L Section 3 this year in the SBA,

helping my classmates with various issues they had, including meeting with them about

setting up new student groups. I also worked to improve the sense of community in my

section, hosting a social gathering this January.

Additionally, I served on the SBA facilities and financial aid committees, working to

improve accessibility on campus and increasing transparency in the financial aid

process and helping gather information that contributed to NYU’s decision to raise

public interest summer funding by $1,000 this upcoming year.

If I am so fortunate as to be elected Treasurer, I promise to be as open and transparent

as possible with the budgetary process. I will work with student organizations to

facilitate their budget requests and ensure that school funds are equitably spent and

distributed. I will also promise to keep my inbox open at all times for anyone with

questions about their organization’s budget, incentive funding requests, or new student

group proposals. While our revenue streams are controlled by the school itself, I will

certainly work to ensure that the money we have is used in a way that best enhances

the overall welfare of the student body.

If you were to ask my classmates in Section 3 about my time so far in semi-public

life, they would likely tell you that they aren’t really sure what I do exactly as Section

Rep. but that I did host that party that one time where I got the drinks paid for and that

was pretty cool. With skill, creativity, and a little bit of elbow grease, I hope I can earn

such rave reviews as SBA Treasurer from the law school as a whole in the coming year.

Becca Rosen – SBA Secretary Candidate

Hey NYU Law!

It has been both a pleasure and a privilege serving the NYU School of Law as SBA Secretary

these past two years, and I hope to continue serving the student body in this position in the

upcoming year.

Over the past two years, I have become both comfortable and confident executing the duties as

Secretary and am eager to develop new ideas for this position that will increase and streamline

communication between the student body, the SBA, and the Administration.

Because of my experience in this role and on Student Government at my undergraduate

institution, I have a unique and valuable understanding of the inner-workings of the Student Bar

Association and the coordination and collaboration of various Student Groups in one institution.

I believe I am well-equipped to institute my new ideas, which have received positive feedback

from current SBA members, and to serve the NYU Law community in a meaningful way.

I am dedicated to this position and hope to stay involved with the SBA during my 3L year!

Siena Cornacchini – SBA Social Chair

My name is Siena Cornacchini and I am so excited for the opportunity to potentially be one of

the SBA Social Chairs next year. I am originally from Zionsville, Indiana (fun fact – Parks and

Rec’s Eagleton is named after my town – we’re the Zionsville Eagles). I graduated this past year

from the University of Arizona, where I studied Spanish and Psychology, with certificates in

Entrepreneurship and Civic Leadership. When I’m not hitting the books, I like to play golf, watch

horror movies, or go to concerts.

I was a little nervous about the adjustment coming straight from college to law school, but I

found an amazing community in NYU Law that made starting this new chapter an incredible

experience. I owe a lot of that to SBA-sponsored social events. Bar review and other events put

on by SBA were such a great way to meet people from other sections and to get to know people

outside of the classroom. It’s been such a great way to have fun and foster law school spirit on a

weekly basis. Our personality and camaraderie are huge parts of what sets NYU Law apart and

it’s important to keep celebrating that together. Next year, I want to further strengthen our

community spirit and also give incoming 1Ls the warm, fun first year that I have had because of

SBA.

I am an organized, committed, and social person looking to contribute to NYU Law’s student life.

I would be honored to represent my fellow students as SBA Social Chair for the 2019-2020

Academic Year.

Elie Lipnik – SBA Social Chair Candidate

Hello! My name is Elie Lipnik, and I originally hail from the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. After

graduating high school, I spent a year studying abroad in Jerusalem, Israel and then 3 years at

Yeshiva University, where I majored in political science. After college and prior to law school, I

worked as a paralegal at a boutique, transactional healthcare firm in midtown.

The idea of taking an active role in the communities in which I am a part of is far from foreign to

me. My first leadership position was as president of my middle school. While not the most

serious of positions, it was the first time I realized how much I loved working with others,

planning events, and more generally, having the ability to transform the hopes and ideas of

others into concrete action. From there, I hit the ground running. In high school, I served on

student council and was the senior class elect, wherein I planned our class fundraisers, trip, and

graduation. My passion to serve the community spilled over into my college experience, serving

on the board of many clubs, and perhaps most notably, as the student liaison to the Office of the

Dean and Registrar.

From all of these empowering experiences, I have garnered organizational skills, a strong sense

of responsibility, and most importantly the ability to turn an oft-tedious position into one that is

fun and dynamic. As social chair, I hope to cultivate a vibrant law school community where

students not only feel comfortable partaking in events but are actively enthusiastic about

spending time with their peers. More specifically, while no one loves a good Bar Review more

than me, I believe that planning other events such as ice skating at Bryant Park, a picnic in

Central Park, or brunches in Soho could be a positive way to engage students in a different, yet

enjoyable setting.

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Cara Buchicchio – SBA 3L Representative Candidate

Hey NYU Law!

My name is Cara Buchicchio and I’m running for one of the 3L Representative positions. Last

year, I was inspired to run for a 2L representative position by the incredible sense of community.

I found in my section and by all the amazing people I’ve met at NYU Law in general. I decided to

run again this year because I’ve really enjoyed working on the initiatives, I had the opportunity to

be a part of, including the effort to increase the PILC Summer Funding, and am very excited

about the ideas I have for next year. If elected, some of my goals include creating more

opportunities for student body feedback and suggestions, working with Student Affairs and the

Office of Student Financial Services to make resources and information about student loans,

financial aid, and other important financial matters more accessible and understandable, and

increasing submissions to the outline bank. I promise to make myself readily available for any

questions, comments, or concerns you may have. I look forward to the opportunity to work with

all of you again this coming school year.

Michael Quinn – SBA 3L Representative Candidate

Hi, I’m Michael Quinn, and I’m running to be one of your 3L Representatives. Because I refuse

to allow law school to extinguish the last dying embers of my inner creativity, I’ve decided to

express myself through poorly-composed poetry:

Dear colleagues, I’m running to represent you;

To be your voice, your advocate, and your friend, too!

I want to build our sense of community,

So join me on this journey – this is our opportunity

To work together to improve NYU

And create a better law school experience, woohoo!

“I’d like to know your qualifications,” you might say,

“What skills have you, to my fears allay?”

A fair question, and one I’ll address with willingness:

I can fold a fitted sheet like nobody’s business.

I bake a mean batch of chocolate chip cookies with a chewy bite.

Plus I have a decent beard, which counts for something…right?

But in seriousness: this year I’ve served as a 2L rep,

And I’ve rep’d you with interest, with spirit and pep.

I displayed leadership as Chair of the Facilities Committee

And helped ensure the feminine hygiene products in Furman are free.

I advocated for a more accessible school

Because a campus that isn’t for everyone is very uncool (and by that I mean incredibly inequitable and wrong).

I also recently revamped the incentive funding application –

A creation that I hope will bring student groups some elation.

I served you all thoughtfully, with concern and great care,

I always tried to do what I thought was right and fair.

So I hope you’ll consider voting for me;

Thank you all for indulging this bad poetry.

Jack Shaked – SBA 3L Representative Candidate

My name is Jack Shaked and I am running to be one of your 3L class representative on the

SBA. I have been a 1L and 2L representative and I am excited for the opportunity to use my

experience to improve our school even more. I have been in charge of running elections and

organizing volunteer opportunities for the student body. This Semester I organized a winter

clothing drive and I am currently planning a big volunteer day for the whole school next

Semester! I also want to help streamline communication between the administration and 3L’s in

relation to Bar and New York law exam requirements so that you don’t miss important

opportunities and resources! If elected, I promise to be a resource for all 3Ls for any problem,

no matter how small.

Garrett Heller – SBA 2L Representative Candidate

My name is Garrett Heller, I’m a 1L in Section Fun (1), and I’m running to be a 2L

Representative on the SBA in service to you wonderful people.

This past fall semester, given my love for the NYU Law community and Section “Fun” in

particular, I coordinated an effort to promote confidence, morale, and support within my class.

This included the collection of personalized kind notes about classmates (every single one)

through an online form over the course of roughly a month and then the assembly of individual

goodie bags for each student consisting of candy as well as the kind notes written for them by

their classmates.

This Affirmations Project, a genuine pleasure to spearhead, exemplifies both my leadership

style and a central priority of mine.

With respect to my leadership style and how I think about promoting change, I believe in first

identifying “bright spots” (successes) and then growing/adapting them. The Affirmations Project

was an effort to capitalize on a sense of support that I knew already existed but deserved to be

reinforced and strengthened. I am eager to explore how we can adapt successes at other

institutions into our own home and nurture/expand those we have here.

Regarding my goals (broadly), I am determined to challenge the myths/tropes/stereotypes

associated with the law school experience and empower us, as a community, to take control of

the NYU Law environment. The Affirmations Project was meant to resist the narrative of “cut-

throatness” and “competition” associated with law school, highlighting the environment that

students should expect from one another and actively contribute/aspire to. We are conditioned

to accept a prescribed vision of what law school is supposed to be like, how we’re supposed to

feel, what we should expect from our classmates, etc. But we’re a lot more powerful than we

think!

There is tremendous work to be done by the administration here to better shape the path for

and reduce barriers to our wellbeing and success. As a 1L, I have already begun conversations

(focused on student experience) with staff members from all corners of NYU Law, from career

services, to residential life, to student affairs. As a 2L Representative, I plan to keep these lines

of communication active and make sure there is a seat at the table for anyone interested in

discussing and improving the student experience.

Importantly, I am excited to have an open line of communication with as many of you as

possible. I have many ideas of my own (please reach out—let’s chat!), but these are rooted in

my own experiences/observations, and I want to hear about yours.

To my fellow rising 2Ls, whom I would love the honor of specifically representing: we’re on our

way to being the “middle child,” an experience I relate to painfully. Do we want to have a “Joe

Jonas” year or a “Jan Brady” year? Except, okay, Jan Brady is actually the best, and in this

essay I will

Neha Mehta – SBA 3L Representative Candidate

Hi everyone! My name is Neha Mehta and I am running to be a 2L SBA representative.

A little about me: I’m from Queens, NY (#queensgetthemoney), went to undergrad at

Baruch College, and am passionate about all things related to baking, basketball, and

healthcare tech.

As a current 1L representative on the SBA, I am well-aware of the commitment, passion,

and collaboration needed to be an effective advocate for the student body. Over the past

year, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a number of student organizations, as well as

organize school-wide social events, including Fall Ball and the upcoming Dean’s Cup.

And given all the incredible work SBA has done this year, I hope to continue in this

tradition. Looking forward, my objectives are to: 1) continue to support the initiatives of

NYU Law’s amazing student organizations; 2) plan class-wide social events to foster a

greater sense of community, 3) keep the student body informed about the concerns,

events, and projects that SBA is undertaking, and 4) design some dope NYU Law apparel.

I’d love to hear your suggestions and thoughts on any issues that are important to you,

so feel free to catch me on campus or shoot me an email!

Rebecca Papilsky – SBA 2L Representative Candidate

Hi, everyone! My name is Rebecca Papilsky, and I am running to be one of SBA’s 2L

Representatives. This past year I had the honor of serving as Section 2’s SBA Representative. I

am excited about the opportunity to be on the Student Bar Association again next year and am

confident that I have the skills and background necessary to truly make this organization the

voice of the law students.

While serving on the Student Bar Association, I was part of the communications and

apparel committees. The communications committee continually meets with law school

administrators to make sure that the most pertinent, time-sensitive material is reaching the

students in a streamlined manner. We also worked on initiatives to ensure that the

communication materials students received were not over-burdening or unnecessary. The

apparel committee has been working on providing fun new ways for students to show their pride

in NYU Law (stay tuned)!

My first year at the law school has been extremely rewarding, and I want to make NYU a

welcoming and inclusive environment for its students. Serving on the Student Bar Association

and learning what is most important to students has been one of my favorite parts of my

experience here. I hope to continue to help students feel supported as a 2L Representative.

Samuel A. Ison – SBA Student Senator Candidate

As a current 1L as well as an undergraduate alumnus of NYU, I have a strong investment in the

broader New York University community. I believe the law school is one member of a

phenomenal university, and I want the law school to have a more active voice in shaping the

direction of the university as a whole. I believe my experience as both an undergraduate and an

alumni make me especially qualified for the role. I hope, with your support, to do my best to

represent the interest of the law school in the University Senate and represent the law school

student body as a member of the executive board.