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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Education

Opinion: Politics should not dictate research funding

Opinion: Politics should not dictate research funding

President Donald Trump has announced sweeping measures that’ll change the face of how research is conducted in the United States — and at NYU.
Serin Lee, Guest Contributor March 6, 2025

Ignorance and stigmatization defined the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States during the 1980s, contributing to the deaths of over 100,000 people, and leaving many more...

(Kyra Reilley for WSN)

Opinion: Tandon’s diversity statistics don’t tell the whole story

Despite nearly equal gender enrollment, the engineering school must promote more mentorship and diversity programs for minorities.
Antonia Ang, Staff Writer March 4, 2025

Despite being in the second semester of my junior year, I still have never taken an engineering course taught by a female professor. At NYU Tandon School of Engineering, out of...

(Kiara Mujica for WSN)

Opinion: Gen Z might never get the American Dream

With rampant inflation, rent prices and student debt defining the lives of Gen Z, it is important to consider how NYU can help its students navigate their financial future.
Shanay Tolat, Deputy Opinion Editor February 28, 2025

Older generations often tell us that if we work hard enough we can achieve the American Dream — the stereotypical suburban house with a white picket fence, a spacious backyard...

(Danny Arensberg for WSN)

Opinion: LGBTQ+ mental health is under attack

As President Donald Trump targets LGTBQ+ freedoms, it is important for local governments to do more to protect their LGBTQ+ citizens and their mental health.
Sam Kats, Contributing Writer February 27, 2025

Content warning: This article includes mentions of suicide. Shortly after President Donald Trump won the 2024 election, LGBTQ+ crisis lines were flooded with an unprecedented...

(Kiara Mujica for WSN)

Off Topic: The alt-right is lying about free speech

Despite its supposed commitment to freedom of speech, the Trump Administration’s actions reveal its commitment to stifling political opposition and controlling narratives.
Noah Zaldivar, Opinion Editor February 26, 2025

One of the biggest talking points of the alt-right has been the so-called destruction of free speech, which they often blame on the rise of politically correct speech, or wokeness,...

(Kiara Mujica for WSN)

Guest Essay: At NYU, we cannot afford to be passive in the face of fascism.

President Donald Trump’s blitzkrieg of executive orders threatens international students, trans rights, diversity initiatives and our core values.
NYU College Democrats February 20, 2025

Guest essays reflect opinions from writers beyond WSN. If you’d like to submit a guest essay for consideration, please email [email protected]. We have always known who...

(Krish Dev for WSN)

Guest Essay: NYU is right to suspend students for rule violations

Faculty & Staff Against Antisemitism is a group of faculty, staff and administrators aimed at combating antisemitism on campus.
Faculty & Staff Against Antisemitism February 12, 2025

The fundamental right to free expression must be balanced with every student's right to safely access their education. Since the Oct. 7 massacre of Israeli civilians and Israel’s...

(Illustration generated with DALL-E, edited by Samson Tu)

Opinion: ChatGPT’s environmental destruction outweighs its benefits

While much of the discourse surrounding artificial intelligence concerns plagiarism, the significant environmental costs often go overlooked.
Serin Lee, Contributing Writer February 4, 2025

Artificial intelligence platforms have taken the world by storm. AI — referring to any technology that can process information and superficially mimic human thinking —...

An illustration of seven people standing at purple podiums. One of the podiums has a spotlight on it, with a person raising their hand under the light. There is another spotlight that highlights the words “UP FOR DEBATE”.

Up for Debate: Should NYU adopt institutional restraint?

Following a recent trend of universities adopting institutional neutrality, NYU has expressed commitment to practicing “institutional restraint” in order to give “respect to the diverse experience and backgrounds at NYU.”
Mehr Kotval, Noah Zaldivar, Omar Drissi and Naisha Roy November 26, 2024

Naisha Roy, Editor-at-Large: The concept of institutional neutrality is inextricably linked to freedom of speech. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which gave...

An illustration of Donald Trump on the left of the drawing pointing his finger, and on the right are a crowd of different colored hands raised and three signs in the middle with the letters “D.E.I.”

Opinion: Will DEI survive another Trump presidency?

Trump’s second term promises a shutdown of all diversity, equity and inclusion programs — here’s what’s at stake for higher education and what NYU should do in response.
Mehr Kotval, Opinion Editor November 20, 2024

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his second term, his administration’s renewed attack on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives could mark a turning point for...

A three person panel sitting in front of a crowd. The left person has a blue spotlight on them, the person in the middle has a red and blue spotlight and the person on the right has a red spotlight.

Opinion: Student activism in the age of Trump

President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed policies and rhetoric surrounding protests on college campuses threaten the safety of protestors and the efficacy of the First Amendment.
Leila Olukoga, Deputy Opinion Editor November 14, 2024

Many Americans have grown weary of the impending threats to their rights in the days following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory. Trump’s notoriety for impeding on various...

Opinion: NYU should reduce the amount of CAS core requirements

Opinion: NYU should reduce the amount of CAS core requirements

Core requirements at the College of Arts & Science may be helpful — to an extent — but the sheer abundance of them only holds students back.
Amanda Chen, Contributing Writer November 12, 2024

During my first two years of college, I spent countless hours reading philosophical texts, writing pages after pages of essays, making sense of equations and memorizing names,...