Yale International Relations Association
Encyclopedia
The Yale International Relations Association, Inc. (YIRA) is a registered, 501(c)(3) non-profit student organization at Yale University
. Founded in 1969 by a group of individuals who wanted to promote a better understanding of global affairs after the events of the turbulent 1960's, YIRA's mission is to promote debate and awareness of international relations and global affairs through a number of unique programs. These include the Security Council Simulation at Yale (SCSY); the Yale Model United Nations Conference (YMUN); the United Nations Crisis Simulation at Yale (UNCSY); a global education program, Hemispheres, aimed at high schools in the New Haven area; a scholarly journal on international affairs called the Yale Review of International Studies; a series of well-renowned speakers and international trips; and dozens of independent initiatives, including hosting conferences in cities across the world (such as Beijing, Seoul, and Prague). YIRA is also host to Yale's traveling Model UN team, which is one of the top-ranked teams in the world and has been granted consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
. With 1,000 members hailing from 30 countries and virtually all courses of study, YIRA is one of the largest and most diverse student organizations at Yale University
.
YIRA's programs and initiatives are run entirely by undergraduate students.
is involves the simulation of proceedings within the actual United Nations
. Participating delegates are asked to accurately represent countries or NGOs during four days of committee sessions. Model UN provides an open forum for educating students about international affairs, critical thinking and negotiation skills, and promote the learning and reinforcement of good public speaking and inter-personal skills. Behind the scenes of Model UN usually lie several hundreds of staffers, as well as members of dais teams and Secretariats who aim to organize the conferences. Each Conference is run by a Secretariat, which is responsible for coordinating all the organizational and logistical aspects of the conference, as well as overseeing all the committees. Each Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General
, and is made up of either one or two Director-Generals, as well as several Undersecretary-Generals, who are each responsible for particular aspects of the conferences. Each Undersecretary-General is often also assigned an Assistant-Secretary General, who is a junior member of the Secretariat and is often a freshman
or new member of the organization. Committees are run by dais teams, which include Directors, Moderators, Crisis Managers, and staffers; altogether, some 150 undergraduates work on each of YIRA's primary conferences, SCSY and YMUN.
, with an email list reaching over 1,000 members (nearly a quarter of all undergraduate students), and some 200 active members. Members hail from 30 countries and virtually all courses of study.
YIRA is run by a Board of Directors composed of 10 members, which include a President, Vice-President, Executive Director, Treasurer and Secretary, as well as the Directors of each of the organization's constituent programs. The President, Vice-President, Executive Director, Treasurer, and Secretary positions are selected through an election process in the spring. The Hemispheres director is selected through a rigorous application process led by the current Hemispheres director. The SCSY and YMUN Secretaries-General must also undergo an application and interview process in the winter and spring before being admitted to the board. Incoming board members officially assume their positions on May 1st of every school year. The current Board includes:
The duties of the President of the Yale International Relations Association include providing a face and voice for the organization, recruiting new members into the organization, and managing the Board of Directors. The Vice-President is responsible for overseeing international trips, recruitment, and alumni relations, while assisting the President in developing a broad vision for the organization. The Treasurer is the architect of the organization's financial operations, managing investments and budgets pertaining to all YIRA-affiliated activities. The Secretary is responsible for keeping comprehensive minutes, producing newsletters for the organization's membership, and updating online material. The Executive Director executes on-campus events such as guest speakers, banquets, and happy hours. Additionally, the Executive Director leads the YIRA Board of Strategy and Operations, a team of YIRA members selected by application that screens independent initiatives and implements organizational strategy. YIRA's intramural Model UN conference and the International Relations Symposium at Yale also take place under the purview of the Executive Director.
Staffers for conferences obtain YIRA membership, whose benefits includes access to trip subsidies, as well as entrance to YIRA happy hours and banquets. Staffers must apply one-two months before YMUN and SCSY, although acceptance for positions tends to act on a rolling basis up to two weeks before the conference to allow time for training. Staffers are often exposed to the workings of Model UN for the first time during their time at conferences. Secretariat and dais team members are often more experienced members within the organization, although qualified freshman have also held these positions.
occur yearly and are well-attended. The banquets are usually formal dress and require an RSVP. All members in good standing are invited to attend. Graduating seniors are toasted and give farewell speeches during the Spring Banquet. Each month, YIRA also hosts happy hours, which are popular among members. Happy Hours are generally themed and are good aids for facilitating inter-organization bonding. During each of YIRA's primary conferences, SCSY and YMUN, all members are also invited to a Staff Dinner, which brings together all who have worked on or staffed the conferences. Furthermore, before each conference, dais teams and their staffers participate in bonding days where games of Jeopardy with international themes are played for a prize. Food and drink is provided for all those attending. Typically, each department or Conference Secretariat will also host its own social activities; for instance, the Model UN Team, MUNTY, hosts an annual "Seniors' Roast" to toast graduating seniors, while each of the Conference Secretariats host regular Secretariat dinners. Secretariats as well as MUNTY hold initiations and retreats, as well as weekly meetings. A popular tradition is also the Monday dinner series. YIRA members gather in the Calhoun College
dining hall at 6pm to eat with the Board of Directors and other YIRA members.
In the early 2000s, YIRA would hold Wednesday night movie, TV, or toasting sessions to foster bonding between members. In 2007, YIRA co-sponsored an International Week (iWeek) with the International Students' Organization (ISO). The week consisted of shows held by coalitions of cultural groups, speakers, tournaments, and talks by professors. In 2002, YIRA held a United Nations week. Prominent visitors included Jung Sun-Yong
, South Korea
's ambassador to the United Nations, Canadian UN ambassador Paul Heinbecker
, and British UN ambassador Stewart Eldon. The week was aided in part by support from the Academic Council of the United Nations System
, and the United Nations Association of Connecticuthttp://www.una-connecticut.org/.
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. Founded in 1969 by a group of individuals who wanted to promote a better understanding of global affairs after the events of the turbulent 1960's, YIRA's mission is to promote debate and awareness of international relations and global affairs through a number of unique programs. These include the Security Council Simulation at Yale (SCSY); the Yale Model United Nations Conference (YMUN); the United Nations Crisis Simulation at Yale (UNCSY); a global education program, Hemispheres, aimed at high schools in the New Haven area; a scholarly journal on international affairs called the Yale Review of International Studies; a series of well-renowned speakers and international trips; and dozens of independent initiatives, including hosting conferences in cities across the world (such as Beijing, Seoul, and Prague). YIRA is also host to Yale's traveling Model UN team, which is one of the top-ranked teams in the world and has been granted consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
. With 1,000 members hailing from 30 countries and virtually all courses of study, YIRA is one of the largest and most diverse student organizations at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
Programs and Initiatives
The Yale International Relations Association runs a number of programs and initiatives aimed at fostering knowledge and debate on international affairs These include:- Hemispheres is a community service program bringing YIRA members into New Haven public schools to teach after-school classes on Model UN and international relations alongside model UN. Participating high school students form the New Haven Model UN team. Hemispheres was established in the early 1990s as the Yale International Education Program (YIEP) with the intention of operating as an outreach program that taught geography and international affairs to middle school students and established a Model UN team at a local high school. Due to lack of interest from administration in the local schools, the organization was disbanded in 1997. The program has since been restarted and has achieved great success. In 2011, thirty of these students participated in the YMUN conference. The classes normally take place on Friday afternoons, with Yale students encouraging participants to speak about current issues in foreign affairs, including human rights in AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, the broiling unrest in the Middle EastMiddle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and domestic disputes such as immigration laws in ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. Classes will often take the form of moderated caucuses focusing on the main topic for the day. Current schools participating in the program include Common Ground High SchoolCommon Ground High SchoolCommon Ground High School is a charter school in New Haven, Connecticut that serves as a "high school, urban farm, and environmental education center." It was founded in 1998 and since has expanded to take approximately 150 students. It is located at the base of West Rock Park in northwestern New...
and Hill Regional Career High SchoolHill Regional Career High SchoolHill Regional Career High School is a magnet high school located in the Hill area of New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Its original name was Lee High School, named after one of New Haven's most famous mayors, Richard C. Lee...
.
- International trips are organized by YIRA members over Fall, Winter and Spring breaks. These trips generally fall into one of four categories: election monitoring trips, political/investigative trips, community service trips, and model UN conferences. Trip leaders are Yale students, usually sophomores and older, who draft proposals to the Vice-President several months before the trip is set to occur. Those interested in going on trips can receive substantial subsidies from YIRA if they hold YIRA membership - attainable by staffing either SCSY or YMUN, or through participation in Hemispheres. Trips usually involve 10 - 12 members. Past excursions have included election monitoringElection monitoringElection monitoring is the observation of an election by one or more independent parties, typically from another country or a non-governmental organization , primarily to assess the conduct of an election process on the basis of national legislation and international standards. There are national...
trips to KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and MauritaniaMauritaniaMauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
, and a political investigative trip to six countries in the Balkans. Notably, YIRA members participated in an election-monitoring trip to Honduras during the Honduran general election, 2009Honduran general election, 2009The Honduran general election, 2009 was held in Honduras on 29 November 2009, including presidential, parliamentary and local elections. Voters went to the polls to elect:*A new President of Honduras to serve a four-year term starting January 27, 2010....
, where they met with leading presidential candidate Bernard Martinez and members of the Tribunal Supremo Electoral. In 2010, YIRA members went to HaitiHaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
for an election monitoring trip and met with the major presidential candidates, including Michel Martelly, Mirlande ManigatMirlande ManigatMirlande Manigat is a Haitian politician and candidate in the 2010 presidential election. She is the wife of former president Leslie Manigat.-2010 presidential election:...
, and Wyclef JeanWyclef JeanWyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
. They were often the only international press in the cities they visited, and upon returning to the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, presented their findings in a widely-reviewed gallery opening..
- The Yale Review of International Studies (YRIS) is an undergraduate publication that publishes both opinion and long-form scholarship on contemporary global issues, with the goal of sparking debate across campus. YRIS covers topics in foreign policy and international affairs spanning 600 to 2500 words in length, with contributors hailing from Yale faculty and students.
- The International Relations Symposium at Yale (IRSY) is an annual conference for high school students that features prominent experts in international affairs, complimentary college admissions consultations, and a higher internship recruitment fair. All of the opportunities provided at IRSY are free of charge to all attendees, which is possible due to the generous support of numerous Yale University departments and corporate sponsors. It was founded by the YIRA 2010-2011 Executive Director and is administered by the YIRA Board of Strategy and Operations.
Past Programs and Initiatives
- The Yale International Speaker's Committee (YISC) was established in 1998 as a method of attracting students who weren't interested in Model UN but still wanted to keep abreast of international affairs. The committee met with and organized events with foreign dignitaries, who would often hold small dinner discussions after their speech. YISC also worked closely with the YMUN and SCSY secretariats to find keynote speakers for the conferences. The committee was disbanded in 2009, and the former role of YISC was redistributed amongst the Board of Strategy and Operations, an organ of the Executive Director position on the Board of Directors.
YIRA's programs and initiatives are run entirely by undergraduate students.
Model UN Affiliation
Model United NationsModel United Nations
Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
is involves the simulation of proceedings within the actual United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Participating delegates are asked to accurately represent countries or NGOs during four days of committee sessions. Model UN provides an open forum for educating students about international affairs, critical thinking and negotiation skills, and promote the learning and reinforcement of good public speaking and inter-personal skills. Behind the scenes of Model UN usually lie several hundreds of staffers, as well as members of dais teams and Secretariats who aim to organize the conferences. Each Conference is run by a Secretariat, which is responsible for coordinating all the organizational and logistical aspects of the conference, as well as overseeing all the committees. Each Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General
Secretary-General
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
, and is made up of either one or two Director-Generals, as well as several Undersecretary-Generals, who are each responsible for particular aspects of the conferences. Each Undersecretary-General is often also assigned an Assistant-Secretary General, who is a junior member of the Secretariat and is often a freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
or new member of the organization. Committees are run by dais teams, which include Directors, Moderators, Crisis Managers, and staffers; altogether, some 150 undergraduates work on each of YIRA's primary conferences, SCSY and YMUN.
- The Security Council Simulation at Yale (SCSY) is a collegiate Model UN conference specializing in small, crisis-based committees. The first SCSY took place in 1977 and consisted of only two committees, and has since maintained its focus on crisis-saturated committees with a roughly 4:1 staffer to delegate ratio. SCSY takes place each October, and attracts roughly 400 - 500 delegates to Yale's campus. The conference is known for its creative and unusual committees, which in the past have included simulations of the Salem Witch TrialsSalem witch trialsThe Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693...
:1692, the Conclave of the College of CardinalsCollege of CardinalsThe College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
, and the Elizabethan Privy Council, alongside more traditional committees such as the Arab LeagueArab LeagueThe Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
, Paradise Lost: Angels versus Demons, and the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy AgencyInternational Atomic Energy AgencyThe International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
. Past keynote speakers have included Gillian SorensenGillian SorensenGillian Martin Sorensen is a Senior Advisor at the United Nations Foundation, and is a national advocate on matters related to the United Nations and the United States-United Nations relationship, addressing audiences as diverse as Rotary International and the United States Air Force Academy;...
, a Senior Advisor to the United Nations FoundationUnited Nations FoundationThe United Nations Foundation started up in 1998 with a $1 billion grant from Ted Turner in order to support the United Nations in executing its programs worldwide. The creation of the Foundation was intended to encourage other donors to also support the UN in its activities...
. SCSY is currently in its 34th session.
- The Yale Model United Nations Conference (YMUN) is a highly-regarded conference on the high-school Model UN circuit. The first YMUN was held in 1974 and consisted of only an International Court of Justice and a Security Council. Held every January, the conference attracts roughly 1,200 delegates from all over the world, and like many Model United NationsModel United NationsModel United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
simulations offers committees in 3 categories: committees of the General AssemblyUnited Nations General AssemblyFor two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
, committees of the Economic and Social CouncilUnited Nations Economic and Social CouncilThe Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
and regional bodies, and Specialized Committees. The Yale International Relations Association makes particular effort to recruit students from the local New Haven area, where Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
is located. Friday is traditionally Yale Day, wherein delegates are allowed to attend classes, participate in organized events and tours, and try out new activities. Saturday night is the Delegate DanceDanceDance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, usually held at one of the surrounding New Haven hotelHotelA hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
ballrooms. Opening and closing ceremonies feature speakers and awards, respectively. Past keynote speakers have included John NegroponteJohn NegroponteJohn Dimitri Negroponte is an American diplomat. He is currently a research fellow and lecturer in international affairs at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs...
, then-United States Ambassador to the United NationsUnited States Ambassador to the United NationsThe United States Ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is more formally known as the "Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador...
, then-UN General Assembly PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Julian Hunte, as well as Thomas FingarThomas FingarCharles Thomas Fingar is a professor at Stanford University. In 1986 Fingar left Stanford to join the State Department. In 2005, he moved to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis and concurrently served as the Chairman of...
, then-Chairman of the National Intelligence CouncilNational Intelligence CouncilThe National Intelligence Council is the center for midterm and long-term strategic thinking within the United States Intelligence Community . It was formed in 1979...
. YMUN is currently in its 38th session.
- The United Nations Crisis Simulation at Yale (UNCSY) is a one-day intramural conference organized solely for Yale students to discuss and debate the most salient international issues. Committees are usually drawn from the upcoming SCSY conference. UNCSY is meant to provide a general, early introduction of the workings of Model UN at Yale. . The conference is normally followed by a well-attended evening social. Past committees from UNCSY have included PepsiCoPepsiCoPepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
Executive Board, Spanish Reconquista, Ad HocAd hocAd hoc is a Latin phrase meaning "for this". It generally signifies a solution designed for a specific problem or task, non-generalizable, and not intended to be able to be adapted to other purposes. Compare A priori....
Committee on the Financial CrisisFinancial crisisThe term financial crisis is applied broadly to a variety of situations in which some financial institutions or assets suddenly lose a large part of their value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with banking panics, and many recessions coincided with these...
, and War of the Roses. The Secretary-General of UNCSY is traditionally the Executive Director of the YIRA Board of Directors, and is also administered jointly by the Chief Operations Officer and Chief Communications Officer of the YIRA Board of Strategy and Operations. Registration for UNCSY normally opens in September, about a month before the conference occurs.
- The Model United Nations Team at Yale (MUNTY) is an award-winning, traveling collegiate Model UN team, representing Yale and YIRA at national and international conferences. While originally operating as a relatively-unknown team in mainly northeastern conferences, after a 1997 implementation of rigorous auditions and training programs, MUNTY is now considered to be the top-ranked team in the nation, having consistently won top awards at the World Model United Nations Conference, the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
Model United Nations Conference, and the Harvard National Model United Nations Conference, hosted by the Harvard International Relations CouncilHarvard International Relations CouncilThe Harvard International Relations Council is a non-profit organization that promotes awareness of International Relations. It is composed as several semi-independent but centrally funded programs, which each promote awareness of international relations in different ways...
. In 2011, select members of MUNTY traveled to SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and won Best Small Delegation at World MUN. While there, MUNTY spearheaded efforts to engage their Singaporean student counterparts. In 2001, MUNTY also won World MUN, then held in Istanbul, Turkey. Each team member received an award for Best Delegate, an unusual feat given their 16-member delegation representing the small country of New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. At any given time, MUNTY has roughly 25 - 35 delegates, who are selected on a competitive basis through trials held at the beginning of each semester. In the 2010-2011 season, MUNTY accepted 11 new members from 133 who tried out, garnering an acceptance rate of 8.2% for the year.MUNTY won Outstanding Large Delegation at the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
Model United Nations Conference, Best Large Delegation at the Harvard National Model United Nations Conference, and Best Small Delegation at the World Model United Nations Conference during the 2010-2011 season.
Members and Staff
YIRA is one of the largest and most diverse student organizations at Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, with an email list reaching over 1,000 members (nearly a quarter of all undergraduate students), and some 200 active members. Members hail from 30 countries and virtually all courses of study.
YIRA is run by a Board of Directors composed of 10 members, which include a President, Vice-President, Executive Director, Treasurer and Secretary, as well as the Directors of each of the organization's constituent programs. The President, Vice-President, Executive Director, Treasurer, and Secretary positions are selected through an election process in the spring. The Hemispheres director is selected through a rigorous application process led by the current Hemispheres director. The SCSY and YMUN Secretaries-General must also undergo an application and interview process in the winter and spring before being admitted to the board. Incoming board members officially assume their positions on May 1st of every school year. The current Board includes:
- President: Frank J. Costa Jr. (Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
) - Vice-President: Sibjeet Mahapatra (Montvale, New JerseyMontvale, New JerseyMontvale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,844.Montvale was incorporated as a borough on August 31, 1894, from portions of Orvil Township and Washington Township, at the height of the "Boroughitis" craze then...
) - Executive Director: Nikolaos Efstathiou (Athens, Greece)
- Treasurer: James Q. Lu (Melbourne, Australia)
- Secretary: Larissa A. Liburd (Port-au-Prince, Haiti)
- MUNTY Head Delegate: Victoria A. Buhler (Potomac, MarylandPotomac, MarylandPotomac is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, named for the nearby Potomac River. The population was 44,822 at the 2000 census. The Potomac area is known for its very affluent and highly-educated residents. In 2009 CNNMoney.com listed Potomac as the fourth...
) - SCSY Secretary-General: Mimi Wu (Wuhan, China)
- YMUN Secretary-General: Marj A. Berman (Reading, PennsylvaniaReading, PennsylvaniaReading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
) - Director of Hemispheres: Eileen Shim (Seoul, Korea)
The duties of the President of the Yale International Relations Association include providing a face and voice for the organization, recruiting new members into the organization, and managing the Board of Directors. The Vice-President is responsible for overseeing international trips, recruitment, and alumni relations, while assisting the President in developing a broad vision for the organization. The Treasurer is the architect of the organization's financial operations, managing investments and budgets pertaining to all YIRA-affiliated activities. The Secretary is responsible for keeping comprehensive minutes, producing newsletters for the organization's membership, and updating online material. The Executive Director executes on-campus events such as guest speakers, banquets, and happy hours. Additionally, the Executive Director leads the YIRA Board of Strategy and Operations, a team of YIRA members selected by application that screens independent initiatives and implements organizational strategy. YIRA's intramural Model UN conference and the International Relations Symposium at Yale also take place under the purview of the Executive Director.
Staffers for conferences obtain YIRA membership, whose benefits includes access to trip subsidies, as well as entrance to YIRA happy hours and banquets. Staffers must apply one-two months before YMUN and SCSY, although acceptance for positions tends to act on a rolling basis up to two weeks before the conference to allow time for training. Staffers are often exposed to the workings of Model UN for the first time during their time at conferences. Secretariat and dais team members are often more experienced members within the organization, although qualified freshman have also held these positions.
Social Activities and Traditions
YIRA members form a close-knit community, and many social activities and events are held throughout the year. A Fall and Spring banquetBanquet
A banquet is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of someone....
occur yearly and are well-attended. The banquets are usually formal dress and require an RSVP. All members in good standing are invited to attend. Graduating seniors are toasted and give farewell speeches during the Spring Banquet. Each month, YIRA also hosts happy hours, which are popular among members. Happy Hours are generally themed and are good aids for facilitating inter-organization bonding. During each of YIRA's primary conferences, SCSY and YMUN, all members are also invited to a Staff Dinner, which brings together all who have worked on or staffed the conferences. Furthermore, before each conference, dais teams and their staffers participate in bonding days where games of Jeopardy with international themes are played for a prize. Food and drink is provided for all those attending. Typically, each department or Conference Secretariat will also host its own social activities; for instance, the Model UN Team, MUNTY, hosts an annual "Seniors' Roast" to toast graduating seniors, while each of the Conference Secretariats host regular Secretariat dinners. Secretariats as well as MUNTY hold initiations and retreats, as well as weekly meetings. A popular tradition is also the Monday dinner series. YIRA members gather in the Calhoun College
Calhoun College
Calhoun College is a residential college of Yale University.-Early history:In 1641, John Brockston established a farm on the plot of land that is now Calhoun College...
dining hall at 6pm to eat with the Board of Directors and other YIRA members.
In the early 2000s, YIRA would hold Wednesday night movie, TV, or toasting sessions to foster bonding between members. In 2007, YIRA co-sponsored an International Week (iWeek) with the International Students' Organization (ISO). The week consisted of shows held by coalitions of cultural groups, speakers, tournaments, and talks by professors. In 2002, YIRA held a United Nations week. Prominent visitors included Jung Sun-Yong
Jung Sun-Yong
Jung Sun-Yong is a female South Korean judoka.At the age of 14, she was the youngest judoka ever to represent South Korea in 1985....
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
's ambassador to the United Nations, Canadian UN ambassador Paul Heinbecker
Paul Heinbecker
Paul Heinbecker is a retired Canadian career diplomat and a former Canadian ambassador to Germany and permanent representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York....
, and British UN ambassador Stewart Eldon. The week was aided in part by support from the Academic Council of the United Nations System
Academic Council of the United Nations System
The Academic Council of the United Nations System was founded in June 1987 at a conference held at the American Dartmouth College, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, with the purpose to create a new organization to stimulate and support research and teaching on the role of the United Nations.-UN...
, and the United Nations Association of Connecticuthttp://www.una-connecticut.org/.
Related
- Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
- Model United NationsModel United NationsModel United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
- Yale Political UnionYale Political UnionThe Yale Political Union , a debate society now the largest student organization at Yale University, was founded in 1934 by Professor Alfred Whitney Griswold , to enliven the university's political culture of the time. It was modelled on the Cambridge Union Society and Oxford Union...
- List of Yale University student organizations
External links
- Website of the Yale International Relations Association
- Website of the Security Council Simulation at Yale
- Website of the Yale Model United Nations Conference
- Website of the United Nations Crisis Simulation at Yale
- Website of the YIRA Board of Strategy and Operations
- Website of the Yale Model United Nations in Korea Conference