Skip to Main Content
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

Opinion

A purple uniform patch with the logo of the NYU Department of Public Safety on the shoulder of a Public Safety Officer.

Guest Essay: Campus Safety dept. ‘a ship without a captain,’ officer says

An officer describes arrogant, disrespectful leadership and low morale among staff in NYU’s Department of Campus Safety.
an anonymous Campus Safety officer, Guest Contributor April 25, 2022

The author is an NYU Campus Safety officer. Their identity has been verified by WSN. As a longtime employee of the Department of Campus Safety, I am disheartened to see what...

A person in Washington Square Park wears a yellow shirt that reads “Ukraine” and holds a sign above their head reading “Putin get your,” then two red handprints, “off Ukraine.” In the background, people hold Ukrainian flags at the park.

Guest Essay: The despair of anti-war Russians

It is important to not conflate the actions of the Russian government with Russian people. Here at NYU, many Russian students oppose the war in Ukraine.
Alexandra Azarova, Guest Contributor April 22, 2022

Alexandra Azarova is a Russian CAS sophomore. I am writing on behalf of the community of Russians at NYU against the war in Ukraine. Pro-peace Russian students at NYU want to...

An illustration of a woman wearing a teal blouse sitting on one of several green chairs below a clock on the wall. Floating text reads "internship limbo."

Off-Third: Student excited at internship rejection: ‘I got a reply!’

Applying to one company in your job search is just not enough. Beware of the eight-letter word!
Shaina Vora, Contributing Writer April 22, 2022

G-H-O-S-T-I-N-G. For the past few months, almost every NYU student I know has participated in the rat race of sending out job and internship applications in bulk.  Note,...

An illustration of a pink background with pink outlines in the shape of hearts, with a comma inside of a larger heart outline in the middle of the illustration.

Off-Third: Give the Oxford comma a break

One little mark is a helpful, clarifying, and necessary breath of fresh air. Stop getting rid of it. 
Matthew Franco, Contributing Writer April 21, 2022

I know, I’m late to the conversation. It's been years since debating the Oxford comma was quirky, edgy or indicative of genius-level IQ. But WSN gives me an outlet nonetheless,...

A close-up image of a blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag. In the blue part, the word “Ukraine” is written in Ukrainian in yellow text. In the yellow part, the country’s name is written in English in blue text. On the right, a person’s arm extends into the frame. They are wearing a red-and-black flannel.

Guest Essay: The war in Ukraine and the danger of World War III

Oppose Putin’s regime without supporting U.S. imperialism and oppose U.S. imperialism without supporting Putin, IYSSE President Karsten Stoeber writes.
Karsten Stoeber, Guest Contributor April 21, 2022

Karsten Stoeber is the president of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality chapter at NYU. Millions around the world are shocked by the war in Ukraine. The...

An illustration shows a figure of a person with a blue shirt and blue pants crossing their arms as they stand among a group of four silhouetted people talking. Illegible speech bubbles representing their thoughts float in the air above them.

Off-Third: Why everyone at NYU is more talented than you are

Imposter syndrome doesn’t exist. You’re just not the smartest or the most talented or even the nicest person at NYU. (Off-Third is WSN’s satire column.)
Abe Shapiro, Contributing Writer April 19, 2022

First-year NYU students, plagued by insecurity and inexperience, often doubt their merit as members of the Violet community. In fact, a large portion of these first-years claim...

A crowd of police officers, legal personnel, reporters and civilians dressed in dark blue congregating on a sidewalk in the East Village.

Opinion: Coverage of Brooklyn shooting ignores lessons of previous mass shootings

Mainstream media coverage following last week's Brooklyn shooting has failed readers on multiple counts, focusing on the alleged attacker rather than the victims and failing to use trigger warnings.
Steph Wittstruck, Contributing Writer April 18, 2022

Content warning: This opinion piece discusses gun violence and trauma. When I opened Instagram on Tuesday morning, I was met with a barrage of unsolicited images of people bleeding...

Three NYPD officers in their dark blue uniforms congregating in the middle of the road appear to be discussing something. The officers are flanked by legal personnel dressed in suits on each side.

Editorial: Don’t throw more money at the failing NYPD

The NYPD’s response to the Brooklyn subway shooting showed once again that they don’t keep us safe. It’s time to pursue other options.
WSN Editorial Board April 18, 2022

Tuesday’s tragic shooting in a Brooklyn subway car stoked anxiety and fear in many New Yorkers who rely on the subway system to travel across the city. After a gunman detonated...

A green outdoor dining structure on the street. Inside, three people are eating at a table.

Opinion: Despite its flaws, the city council’s outdoor dining proposal deserves to pass

As the City Council calls for permanent open restaurant stalls, city planners should focus on enhancing the street culture with regulated structures and more walkable streets.
Blake Salesin, Contributing Writer April 15, 2022

On April 12, I sat outside at one of the many cafes in Greenwich Village that offer temporary structure seating. I was outlining my argument for this piece, where I planned to...

Students in line in front of the Cantor Film Center building. Illustrated on top of the picture, in front of the students in line, is a red-and-gold stanchion and a yellow table that reads “drinks” with coffee cups on top of it.

Off-Third: NYU should provide refreshments to students waiting in Cantor line

We’ve all seen the line spilling onto the sidewalk at Eighth Street and University Place. It’s about time we pass out some refreshments to the poor students outside of Cantor.
Vinith Yedidi, Contributing Writer April 14, 2022

It’s 9:30 a.m. It’s cold and slightly misty outside, partially due to the exhaust from cars zooming down Eighth Street and partially due to the breath coming from the students’...

An illustration divided vertically into two sections. The left side shows two men and three women in suits against a gray background. The vertical right side has the words “NYU Publishing Panel Event” and “Learn More” against a purple background.

Opinion: NYU’s publishing program needs to diversify 

Representation matters in all avenues — including the professors and guest lecturers in the classroom.
Mika Chipana, Contributing Writer April 14, 2022

I am sure that all NYU students feel this way, but I honestly believe that I am in the best program offered by the university. NYU’s Masters in Publishing program lets us learn...

An illustration of a person, seen from the knees down, walking while wearing black heeled boots and blue jeans against a gray background.

Opinion: In praise of the Hot Girl Walk

The No. 1 thing to take advantage of in New York City is your own two feet.
Alexandra Cohen, Deputy Opinion Editor April 13, 2022

I was recently gifted an Apple Watch, which means I have been forced to adopt a new personality to overcompensate for the not-so-chic addition to my wrist that peer-pressures me...