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

Srishti Bungle

Srishti Bungle, Opinion Editor

Srishti Bungle is a junior at the College of Arts and Science majoring in history and minoring in creative writing and politics. She loves reading, crocheting and using WSN's opinion section as her own personal soapbox. When she's not busy prepping for the LSAT, you can find her plotting her grand escape — and eventual permanent move — to the the mountains.

All content by Srishti Bungle
People hold signs at an abortion rights protest at Barclays Center. Signs read Codify Roe v. Wade, Fuck this, and Its not just abortion: Right to privacy equals gay marriage, gay sex, contraception and interracial marriage.

Opinion: Community abortion funds need your help right now, not Planned Parenthood

Small abortion funds and community-based reproductive organizations are in urgent need of financial support as reproductive rights are under attack. To help those most in need, donate to local funds instead of Planned Parenthood.
Srishti Bungle, Opinion Editor May 6, 2022

An initial draft majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was leaked to Politico on...

The facade of the City of New York graduate building, as seen from the corner diagonally across the street. On the left side of the building, a row of nine flags hangs above the entrance.

Opinion: New York, invest in CUNY

As New York state lawmakers finalize budgeting for the 2023 fiscal year, we must urge them to increase support for the City University of New York system.
Srishti Bungle, Opinion Editor Mar 30, 2022

The City University of New York public university system desperately needs more funding. It currently offers an amazing education — whether it be through their four-year bachelor’s...

The exterior of the Manhattan Detention Complex. A skyway bridge connects both sides of the brown building. On the ground below, cars are parked in parking spots marked with yellow lines on the right side, and a van with the New York Police Department logo and the text “NYCD Correction” on the back is parked on the left side.

Opinion: Anti-Asian hate crimes are not a reason to bolster policing

Asian American communities across the country are being targeted in anti-Asian hate crimes. While these communities deserve to feel safe, an increase in policing is not the answer.
Srishti Bungle, Opinion Editor Mar 10, 2022

Seven students were attacked on NYU’s campus between Feb. 2 and Feb. 25. At least three of the students assaulted were Asian. These blatantly targeted assaults are part of the...

On Aug. 24, 2021, Kathy Hochul was sworn in as New York’s first female governor. Hochul is now planning to cut $250,000 from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture during Black History Month. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Opinion: Hochul’s budget cut to NYPL Black culture center is shameful

Gov. Kathy Hochul is planning to cut $250,000 from the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The timing of this horrible decision, the start of Black History Month, only makes it more offensive.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Feb 11, 2022

“Happy Black History Month! Governor Kathy Hochul wants to cut $250,000 in funding from the [Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture] and $75k from the Langston Hughes...

“Euphoria,” first released in 2019 on HBO, stars Zendaya and Hunter Schafer as Rue Bennett and Jules Vaughn, respectively. (Photo by Eddy Chen/HBO, courtesy of Warner Media)

Opinion: For what ‘Euphoria’ gains in drama, it lacks in genuine representation

Despite the popularity of Euphoria, the HBO show suffers for its lack of non-exploitative representation. This is fuelled by a glaring absence of diversity in writers and creative directors.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Feb 1, 2022

Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault. Sam Levinson is, among other things, an egomaniac. He is the sole writer and creator of the hit HBO television series...

A plan calling for an artificial 1,760-acre expansion of Manhattan below the Financial District has gained undeserved popularity. (Staff Photo by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: NYC needs more affordable housing, not more land

A plan to solve the city’s housing crisis by extending the island of Manhattan southward gained popularity after a recent New York Times op-ed. Instead of investing millions of dollars into this project, the city needs to focus on fixing its existing affordable-housing system.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Jan 26, 2022

A plan to artificially extend the island of Manhattan went viral last week. The plan, originally proposed by Rutgers professor Jason Barr, calls for a 1,760-acre expansion...

Despite the surge in cases of the omicron variant, NYU announced that classes will be held in-person. However, the omicron variant can be fatal for disabled and immunocompromised students, whose health and safety continue to be overlooked. (Staff Photo by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: NYU’s reopening is ableist

NYU’s decision to start the spring semester with in-person instruction demonstrates a gross disregard for its most vulnerable students.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Jan 17, 2022

NYU’s recent announcement that the university will hold in-person instruction during the spring 2022 semester included a revealing concession. “To be clear, in all likelihood,...

On Tuesday, Nov. 30, a school shooter shot 11 people at Oxford High School in Michigan. In light of this, it is important to reject attempts to blame bullying for mass murders. (Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: Stop blaming school shootings on bullying

In light of the tragic school shooting in Michigan, it is important to reject attempts to link bullying to mass murder.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Dec 8, 2021

A 15-year-old sophomore school shooter committed a senseless act of violence at Oxford High School on Tuesday, Nov. 30. Eleven people were shot, three students died from their...

Travis Scott fans need to stay away from his shows. His concerts pose a serious danger to his own fans. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Opinion: Don’t go to Travis Scott concerts

Following the death of 10 people and injury of hundreds more, we cannot trust musician Travis Scott and his fans to foster a safe concert environment.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Nov 15, 2021

No one expects to die while attending their favorite artist’s concert. But for Travis Scott fans, death and injury became their grim reality when Scott’s Astroworld festival...

Student parents often face more financial hardships than their non-parent peers. NYU should offer free childcare services to provide more support to their student parents. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Opinion: NYU should provide free child care for student parents

NYU should offer more support to student parents, including free child care facilities on campus.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Nov 11, 2021

NYU’s support for its students with children is paltry. The university dedicates only one webpage for student parents that offers nothing more than a list of support groups and...

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments about a 108-year-old New York state gun law. If the conservative court strikes it down, Black and brown people will continue to be targeted. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Opinion: Striking down New York’s gun law could harm Black and brown people

If the Supreme Court makes a conservative decision in NRA v. Bruen, Black and brown people in New York City could be harmed.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Nov 5, 2021

On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard NRA v. Bruen, a case about the New York state Legislature’s 108-year-old gun law. The law requires that anyone trying to obtain a license...

In the search for Gabbie Petitio, nine other bodies were found, many of whom were women of color. The media should start reporting the stories of women of color who go missing and bring an end to “missing white woman syndrome.”
(Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: Put an end to ‘missing white woman syndrome’

Considering the fact that nine other bodies were found in the high-profile search for Gabby Petito, we should treat missing cases involving people of color with increased importance.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Oct 29, 2021

On Sept. 1, Brian Laundrie returned alone to his home in Florida in the white van he and Gabby Petito had shared during their cross-country road trip. By Sept. 19, authorities...

The new Merck COVID-19 treatment pill is currently awaiting FDA approval. Though the pill is effective at treating early-stage COVID patients, vaccines are still our best chance at ending the pandemic. (Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: The COVID-19 vaccines remain the best weapons against the pandemic

A new antiviral medication developed by Merck is awaiting FDA approval. The potential approval and widespread use of this new medication could help save thousands of lives, but the vaccine remains the best deterrent to the pandemic. 
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Oct 19, 2021

On October 11th, the pharmaceutical company Merck requested that U.S. regulators approve their pill for use in treating COVID-19. Merck’s antiviral pill, named molnupiravir,...

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez changed her vote on the development of the Iron Dome missile defense system in Israel from “no” to “present.” Ocasio-Cortez is not the only progressive politician who abandoned their campaign ideologies. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Opinion: Don’t take progressive politicians at their word

Progressive politicians such as AOC and Jamaal Bowman have repeatedly abandoned their stated ideologies. It’s time we question if they truly champion the change we are looking for.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Oct 5, 2021

In the last few years, the United States has seen a marked rise of progressive politicians like U.S. Reps. Jamaal Bowman, Ilhan Omar and — most famously — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez....

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Met Gala dress was seen as tone-deaf by many. The controversy raises the question of whether or not NYU students are ignorant of their own class privilege. (Illustration by Bridget Harshman)

Opinion: AOC’s Met Gala stunt and the frivolous performance of class solidarity

AOC’s Met Gala dress was tone-deaf, but what do the surrounding arguments reveal about NYU students’ own ignorance regarding class and privilege?
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Sep 23, 2021

On the evening of Sept. 13, the Met Gala was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Among the many distinguished guests were acclaimed actors, renowned artists,...

In light of Texas passing a law banning abortions after six weeks, many memes comparing the law to the novel The Handmaid’s Tale have been posted on social media. These memes ignore the people most historically impacted by reproductive rights — people of color. (Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: White women, Texas is not your personal ‘Handmaid’s Tale’

In response to a Texas law banning abortions after six weeks, many white women posted memes comparing the law to Margaret Atwood's novel “The Handmaid's Tale.” But these memes ignore the history of those most affected by this new law: people of color.
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor Sep 9, 2021

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law in May banning all abortions past the six-week mark and allowing private citizens to sue abortion providers, abortion seekers and those enabling...

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 Sep 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 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 Aug 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...

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...

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,...

NYU Senior Leadership has announced mandatory vaccinations for all students returning in-person for the Fall 2021 semester. This is expected to most negatively impact international students, who may come from countries with low vaccine availability. (Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: Mandatory vaccine policy for Fall 2021 overlooks international students

NYU administration has announced that all students must be vaccinated — with the exception of those unable to due to health and religious reasons — before returning to campus in the fall. How will this impact NYU’s international student body in the Global South?
Srishti Bungle, Staff Writer Apr 26, 2021

On April 19, senior NYU administrators sent out an email notifying the student body that NYU students returning to the city must be vaccinated for the fall semester. NYU leadership...

Gun control has a racist past

Gun control has a racist past

The March 22 shooting in Boulder, Colorado, reignited conversations around gun control. However, many of these conversations overlook how gun control legislation has been used as a tool to suppress Black revolutionary movements.
Srishti Bungle, Contributing Writer Apr 5, 2021

The United States has a glaring problem: mass shootings. From Columbine to Aurora to Parkland to Boulder, mass shootings briefly grasp the nation’s attention before joining the...

Dont trust Biden to handle immigration better than Trump

Don’t trust Biden to handle immigration better than Trump

During his campaign, Joe Biden promised immigration reform. If we look at the policies of his predecessor, Obama, we understand that this promise will likely remain unfulfilled.
Srishti Bungle, Contributing Writer Apr 1, 2021

During his campaign, President Joe Biden promised to build a “fair and humane” immigration system. A little over a month after taking office, the Biden administration reopened...

It’s time to address anti-Black appropriation in Asian activism

It’s time to address anti-Black appropriation in Asian activism

The activism resulting from the recent rise in hate crimes against East and Southeast Asians must remain consciously against the appropriation of Black activists’ labor.
Srishti Bungle, Contributing Writer Mar 25, 2021

In response to the tragic shooting at Atlanta on March 16, 2021, media company 88rising posted a neon green-yellow square on Instagram. Captioned, “Enough is enough. Heartbroken...

$15 an hour is not enough, especially in New York

$15 an hour is not enough, especially in New York

Srishti Bungle, Contributing Writer Mar 15, 2021

The fight for the $15 minimum wage started in 2012. Adjusted for inflation, $15 in 2012 is worth $17.41 today. This January, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) led the Democratic Party...

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