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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

Opinion

The Museum of Chinese in America located at 215 Centre St, was forced into closure after a massive fire. Following the closure, MOCA accepted $35 million in funds from the city as an agreement to De Blasio’s plan to build four borough-based jails, supporting mass incarceration. (Staff Photo by Alex Tran)

The Museum of Chinese in America should not support mass incarceration

MOCA should return funds accepted from the de Blasio administration and apologize to those protesting.
Mariana Trimble, Contributing Writer September 8, 2021

Protests against the Museum of Chinese in America have ensued since the museum reopened after being hit by both the pandemic and a fire. On its website, MOCA says it aims to “make...

The 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 is approaching this year. NYU has not done much to protect its Muslim, Arab, and South Asian students from racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia, many of whom are international students who may now know how to protect themselves. (Staff Photo by Trace Miller)

Opinion: NYU needs to protect Arab and Muslim students on the anniversary of 9/11

As the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 approaches, vulnerable populations are bracing themselves once more for the anniversary of one of the most infamous terrorist attacks. What will NYU do to protect students who are worried about what this anniversary means for their safety?
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor September 2, 2021

The world changed on Sept. 11, 2001. Following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, former President George Bush announced a War on Terror, created the Department of...

NYU continues construction on 181 Mercer Street in SoHo gentrifying the area. Mayor DeBlasio’s plan for affordable housing in the area does not serve the public interest of the surrounding area. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Opinion: De Blasio’s rezoning plan is gentrification in the making

Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged to increase access to affordable housing for SoHo, NoHo and Chinatown residents with a controversial upzoning plan. The plan, however, will likely instead increase gentrification in NYU’s backyard and reduce net affordable housing. The City Planning Commision should reject it outright.
Asha Ramachandran, Opinion Editor September 1, 2021

Last year, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office introduced a rezoning plan targeting much of SoHo, NoHo and parts of Chinatown. The city has emphasized the plan’s potential to create...

WSN is undergoing a regeneration. We are more committed than ever to providing the truth to the students of New York University. (Staff Illustration by Susan Behrends Valenzuela)

Letter from the editor: on regeneration

Welcome to Washington Square News, NYU’s independent undergraduate newspaper.
Ashley Wu, Editor-in-Chief August 25, 2021

Dear Readers, A few weeks ago, I lost my notebook. It was a wire bound notebook from Muji that I wrote in almost every day. Powered by thoughts, drawings and bad jokes, the...

N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace on Aug. 10 after an official investigation confirmed he had sexually harassed at least 11 women. Although public pressure compelled Cuomo to resign, a mere resignation is not sufficient to properly hold him accountable. (Image via Wikimedia Commons, Staff Photo and Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: Cuomo Must Never Hold Office Again

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced his resignation. We must do everything in our power to prevent his political comeback.
Kevin Kurian, Opinion Editor August 25, 2021

Note: This article contains mentions of sexual assault which may be triggering to some readers. Please proceed with caution. A notorious sexual predator left New York’s highest...

The upcoming Fall season brings with it a new Fantasy Football season as well. The classic football fan hobby is full of strategy and jargon. (Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Intro to fantasy football

A crash course on the basics of fantasy football and comprehending its foreign phrases.
Mitesh Shrestha, Sports Editor August 25, 2021

To most, late August represents the start of school or the changing of the seasons. For some, it also marks the start of a new fantasy football season: an opportunity to defend...

NYU announced its plans to return to an in-person semester for the fall of 2021 however, there has been no broad action on addressing class attendance policies. With strict attendance policies along with the increasingly contagious new COVID variants like the delta variant, students worry that they will once again have to prioritize class attendance over their physical health. (Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: Mandatory attendance policies are irrational and ableist

Before the pandemic, some NYU professors and schools were notorious for strict attendance policies. As the pandemic continues with rising cases and dangerous new variants, though, do mandatory attendance policies make sense for NYU’s first in-person semester since the start of the pandemic?
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor August 25, 2021

In spring 2021, NYU announced its plans to return to an in-person semester in the fall. Along with the announcement, the university released a number of requirements to keep students...

New York got its first vaccine passport app which is the first government-issued immunity pass in the country. However, the prospect of widespread use of a vaccine passport has prompted both critics and supporters. (Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: A premature vaccine passport can threaten public health and equity

The vaccine passport has arrived in New York and is being debated around the country. Vaccine hesitancy poses a fundamental challenge to reaching herd immunity – therefore, a vaccine passport is contingent on increased vaccination efforts.
Lucy Yama, Staff Writer May 6, 2021

The stark ideological and political divide between American conservatives and liberals has been considered a proxy for one’s views on pandemic-related mandates, including mask-wearing...

Protestors march in Manhattan as part of a climate strike. Sustainability movements must recognize the need for intersectionality. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Opinion: Let’s include voices of color into the sustainability movement

The sustainability movement needs to take strides to become more intersectional and community oriented.
Batoul Saleh, Staff Writer May 5, 2021

For the most part, Earth Day inspires people to post on social media with calls to action about the climate, the environment and how we, as individuals, can combat these changes....

Although the modern college campus is perceived to be filled with liberal and leftist students, professors, and policies, there is no shortage of young college republicans. Some young conservative activists claim that ideological diversity is under attack whenever their opinions are challenged. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Opinion: When campus conservatives invoke ‘ideological diversity,’ don’t take them seriously

While conservative movements on campus stress the importance of ideological diversity, there's a price to pay for supporting the movement.
Srishti Bungle, Staff Writer May 4, 2021

The modern college campus is perceived to be rife with liberal and leftist students, professors and policies, especially by conservatives. Though this narrative gained traction...

Scott Stringer, Comptroller of NYC is currently running for mayor. Recent sexual misconduct allegations make him unfit for office. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Editorial: Scott Stringer is wrong for New York City

Recent allegations have come to light about New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Scott Stringer sexually harassing a former employee. His conduct makes him unfit for office, and he should resign as comptroller and drop out of the race.
WSN Editorial Board May 3, 2021

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault. Jean Kim held a press conference on April 30. In this conference, Kim alleged that her former boss, Scott...

A community leader speaks out against Asian hate crimes during a protest. The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that attempts to address the rising tide of these hate crimes. (Photo by Suhail Gharaibeh)

Opinion: The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act aids and abets a racist policing system

This bill does not effectively address the recent rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans. It will simply increase harmful policing that most negatively impacts Black and other communities of color.
Srishti Bungle, Staff Writer May 3, 2021

On Thursday, April 22, the U.S. Senate passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. The Act passed 94-1, sweeping the narrowly divided Senate floor in a near-unanimous decision. The Act,...