University Senate Campaign Interviews: Daniel Shneider CC ’26
The native New Yorker wants to protect free speech, promote dialogue, and strengthen the power of student government.
Mr. Shneider is a junior at Columbia College studying art history and biology. He is currently campaigning to be a Columbia College Representative to the University Senate. Sundial editor-in-chief Alex Nagin sat down with Shneider to discuss his policy platform, strategy for governance, and thoughts about the unprecedented level of division among students on campus over the past year.
Interview lightly edited for clarity.
Alex Nagin (AN): I’d like to begin by working backwards. First, I want to ask about some things you put on Instagram about your campaign. You wrote on your story: “I hope to represent the student body and defend us from the consistent oppression and sacrifice that we've had to endure.” Can you elaborate on what oppression and what sacrifice you're referring to?
Daniel Shneider (DS): Absolutely. I think the end of last year was a really scary time for everyone. The campus was closed. We lost access to our community, our classrooms, our dining halls. This is not normal. This was done in response to a student action that was met with undue force. It's very scary to have the New York Police Department called to Columbia’s campus for the first time in, I think, 50 years of our history. And it was done over the objections of the Senate, which I think has become a pattern: Student voices, wherever they might be, as part of class council, as part of the Senate, are being ignored by the administration, and I think this results in dangerous situations. We had student lives endangered.
In general, there is no communication between student voices and the administration. Student voices are being repressed, whether that's on sort of a grand level, trying to shut down or ignore student protests as they occur to even, or more simple concerns such as lack of transparency for students. Where do I look for resources? Where do I get food? Where do I turn to when I need support or answers from my community and administration?
That is something that I really think the Senate has a role in preventing by creating transparency and creating this community support in moments where the administration decides to go over our collective heads and ignore this model of shared governance that we have here at Columbia that's really so extraordinary. The Senate holds them accountable, making sure that students are listened to and cared for.
AN: You just mentioned that the University Senate can be overridden by the administration. If this is the case, then how will you try to keep the administration accountable? What will you do to defy their overriding of the Senate's powers?
DS: I think that what we have at Columbia is really special. Many universities don't have a Senate. It's not something that you typically hear about in the context of a university administration. We have this incredible vision of shared governance here at Columbia, where there's not unilateral executive power. We, the students, are supposed to have a voice. This voice is reflected in many of the statutes that we have here as part of the bylaws of the University. I think first and foremost, there are many bylaws that can curtail the power of the administration that our Senate leaders are currently choosing not to express.
I don't know if you've attended any of the Senate open houses, but I did, and it was actually a really frustrating experience. There's very little transparency, very little contact with the admin, and little enforcement of even basic principles like no filming, which I think creates this unsafe environment. So I think it's really important both to pressure the administration with the power that the Senate does actually have and has not used, but also to be more of a figurehead for the student body to provide clear, transparent answers.
AN: I want to pivot now to a more specific topic. Columbia is a very ideologically diverse school, and much of your potential role will have to do with guiding campus through continued tensions over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. How as a leader in the Senate are you going to ensure that you’re representing the collective interests of the students? How are you going to tread the balance between listening to and leading on behalf of pro-Israel and pro-Palestine students? Are you interested in treading this balance? Or will you be more focused on the demands of the perceived majority?
DS: We should do our best to function as a democracy. So when the student body overwhelmingly votes for something, I think that should be listened to.
AN: [interrupting] How does low turnout with student referendums play a factor in this?
DS: That’s a difficult question. How do you magically get students to turn out? I think the more engagement and discussion we have, the better. It’s through these dialogues that we can figure out a way forward that works for everyone. I’m worried that those dialogues aren't happening. I think the more dialogue, the more engagement, the better. And everyone, even if it's one percent against 99 percent, should be heard and feel like they have a place. I'm incredibly sympathetic to people on both sides of this debate.
I myself am a Jewish student, and I understand that it's been a very difficult year to be a Jewish student. But I'll argue in part, that in many ways that's been because of this label that's been thrust upon us. There's a lot of these policies that the Trump administration is doing in my name as a Jewish student, and there're so many Jewish students who feel like we aren't being listened to as well. If you really wanted to listen to Jewish students, I think you'll find many of them. We're not a monolith, of course, there's people on every side of the debate, and everyone should have the space to be heard and listened to.
The administration should be speaking every single day to any student that wants to talk about, you know, what is the path forward? What are the concerns? But basic dialogues like that are not happening, and I think that's something for the Senate to really step in.
I think every student should feel very uncomfortable with having their campus experience legislated by the federal government. So if you're a Columbia student, I want you to feel heard no matter what your opinions are. And I hope it's important that we all recognize that in a time of crisis we need to be listening to each other. There's a lot of emotions, and a lot of, I think, very valid concerns.
AN: Let’s zoom back out. Why are you the most qualified student for this position?
DS: I'm very privileged to occupy a very well connected position within the student body. I feel like I have friends in so many places. And I feel like I can be someone who is very accessible and transparent, and completely honest.
I feel I am unique to the degree that I have really emphasized community engagement and transparency. I feel like there's just a basic trust in the Senate that needs to be rebuilt, and I have some great policies on how we can do that to make Columbia a more resilient place. I have experience now working in many levels of the Columbia governance: our class council, our health administration. I'm really eager to bring those experiences to the table.
I want to rebuild some basic values of dialogue, communication, trust, and safety that have been eroded in this past year.
Voting is open now for Columbia College students until Monday, April 21 at 5pm EST. Registration is not required. See more information about the candidates for CC Representative to the University Senate on the student elections webpage.
Mr. Nagin is a junior in the Trinity College Dublin Dual BA program studying political science. He is the editor-in-chief of Sundial.