NYU School of Engineering Changes Its Name To NYU Tandon
In October, the school briefly known as the Polytechnic School of Engineering received a $100 million donation and changed its name to NYU Tandon in honor of its new benefactors, Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon. The name change was met with mixed reactions, particularly from upperclassmen who worry that the new name will not carry the same weight as the old one on job applications.

Pharrell To Spend Year As An Artist-In-Residence At Tisch
Coinciding with the Tisch School of the Arts’ 50th anniversary, producer and R&B artist Pharrell Williams announced that he would spend the next year as an artist-in-residence at Tisch. Williams will also be teaching a class as part of his residency.

Images Of Suicide Prompted Outrage From Law School Students
The NYU School of Law was criticized harshly after decorating its Halloween party with offensive images of a man committing suicide. The reactions to the controversy were mixed, with some students feeling that the images were disrespectful and triggering, while others felt that, in the context of Halloween, the decorations were not particularly problematic.

Burial Vaults Unearthed On Campus
Less than a month into the semester, construction began on Washington Park East to replace a water main. Shortly after Halloween, the construction crew hit a snag when they discovered a vault filled with human remains, only to find a second vault a few days later. The plot thickened further when a week later, an NYU professor and their class discovered that the city should have known the vaults were there.

The NYU Community Came Together Following International Terrorist Attacks
Terrorist attacks in Paris on Nov. 13 which saw 130 lose their lives resulted in New Yorkers gathering in Union Square for a vigil commemorating those who died. Supporters also gathered the next day during a rally in Washington Square Park. Hundreds of people from all over the city congregated, framed by the Arch and the Freedom Tower, while Parisians sang the national anthem.

Official Coles Closing Date Was Announced
The university released a closure date of Jan. 22 for the Coles Sports Center in an email to alumni members of the gym, but did not make a formal announcement to the larger NYU community. NYU 2031 called for the destruction of the gym to make way for a new facility that will include an updated gym, academic space and student and faculty housing.

Widespread Conversation Surrounding Race and Diversity Sparks On Campus
Following incidents at campuses around the country, NYU administrators organized a forum in which NYU students aired their grievances on how they thought NYU treated its students of color. In response, the university unveiled a series of initiatives designed to increase inclusion of students of color on campus. In the wake of the talks, an NYU White Students Union Page appeared on Facebook to mass outrage, which was later denounced by many as a hoax, although the page still remains active.

Masked Assailant Threatens Professor With A Knife In Tandon Classroom
An unidentified assailant threatened an NYU professor with a seven inch knife at Tandon Rogers Hall on Dec. 2. The attacker fled from the building after the professor screamed and has yet to be identified. NYU Public Safety and the NYPD are still investigating the incident while university administrators are working the keep the student body and faculty members safe.

A version of this story appeared in the Monday, Dec. 7 print issue. Email the News Team at [email protected].