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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

Aarushi Sharma

Aarushi Sharma, Deputy News Editor

Aarushi is a sophomore studying Media, Culture and Communications and Politics. She is from Dubai and will find a way to work that into every conversation. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @aarushisharmas

All content by Aarushi Sharma
Rubin Residence Hall is located at 35 5th Ave. Most students in this facility ended their quarantine period on Sept. 16 after the detection of four asymptomatic COVID cases on Sept. 14. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Rubin Residents Free To Leave Quarantine

Two students shared their experiences quarantining in Rubin Residence Hall. Meanwhile, NYU has changed the format of its COVID-19 dashboard.
Aarushi Sharma and Trace Miller September 17, 2020

Most students living in NYU’s Rubin Residence Hall were cleared to end quarantine on Wednesday night, Sept. 16, at around 8 p.m. The freshman dorm’s residents — all of whom...

The NYU COVID-19 Testing tent is located at Gould Plaza in front of the Stern building. NYU’s public health ambassadors discuss their role during the pandemic. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Student Ambassadors Rep Public Health

A new program aims to help students understand and observe NYU’s changing public health guidelines.
Aarushi Sharma, Deputy News Editor September 15, 2020

NYU launched its Public Health Ambassadors program last month to aid students in comprehending and complying with NYU’s COVID-19 guidelines and to facilitate campus life during...

Washington Square Park, the day after the second consecutive midnight rave. The continual partying, attended by an unknown mix of students and outside community members, raises questions about the long term chances of NYU staying open. (Staff Photo by Jake Capriotti)

Hundreds Gather at Washington Square Park — Again

Washington Square Park saw yet another weekend of people flouting safety guidelines, as fears of spreading COVID-19 surge.
Trace Miller and Aarushi Sharma September 13, 2020

Washington Square Park was the sight of gatherings again, on both Friday and Saturday nights, Sept. 11 and 12. Shaman, an organizer with America’s Peaceful Resolution and Refuse...

Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development is located at 82 Washington Square East. In a school-wide email, the school's Dean Jack H. Knott announced the creation of the Office of Equity, Belonging, and Community Action at Steinhardt, which will be led by Vice Dean E. Kirkland. (Staff Photo by Jake Capriotti)

Steinhardt Dean Reveals Creation of Office of Equity, Belonging and Community Action

In an email sent to Steinhardt students and faculty, Dean Jack Knott announced that the school is creating the Office of Equity, Belonging, and Community Action to help establish an anti-racist academic culture.
Aarushi Sharma, Deputy News Editor September 8, 2020

In a school-wide email sent out on Sept. 4, Steinhardt Dean Jack H. Knott announced the creation of the Office of Equity, Belonging and Community Action at Steinhardt. In a later...

The Edgar Starr Barney building on Washington Square houses NYU’s Steinhardt school. A Steinhardt professor has fallen under scrutiny for discriminatory language in her class syllabus against low-income students who may not be able to afford the supplies. (Photo by Mathilde Van Tulder)

Class Syllabus Features Discriminatory Language Against Low-Income Students

Students enrolled in the American Sign Language II class are demanding action after seeing their syllabi feature exclusionary language against low-income students.
Aarushi Sharma, Deputy News Editor August 30, 2020

Last Friday, CAS sophomore Ron Hall noticed discriminatory language in his syllabus for the American Sign Language II class taught by Steinhardt Professor Carmen King. “If...

NYU is shortly wrapping up their remote spring semester. A recent memo sent to students related expectations for the summer and fall. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

CARES Act Funding ‘Yet to be Received,’ NYU Shanghai Returns and an Uncertain Fall Semester Remains

The email sent by NYU senior leadership announced plans to allocate all of the CARES act funding to the emergency relief fund and for displaced students in the fall.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer May 6, 2020

NYU has yet to receive funding from the CARES Act — a law that provides funding to universities so they can offer emergency grants to students affected by the pandemic — according...

Palladium Hall is an upperclassmen dorm on 14th Street near Union Square and one of the many dorms Tom Ellet oversaw during his time as Senior Associate VP. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

NYU Pledges Housing Refunds If Fall Goes Remote

An email was sent out about housing deposit refunds if in-person classes do not resume in the fall semester as well as other housing information.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer April 29, 2020

As some universities prepare for the prospect of remote operation in the fall semester, the Office of Residential Life & Housing Services sent an email informing students that...

The NYC Department of Correction currently holds between 13,000 and 18,000 inmates. Sanitation in correctional facilities is limited, resulting in a higher risk of infection. (Photo by Marva Shi)

NYU Marron Institute Recommends Prisoners’ Early Release to Prevent COVID-19 Spread

NYU’s Marron Institute of Urban Management issued a report making recommendations to allow the release of at-risk prisoners early to flatten the curve within correctional facilities and aid their transition back to society.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer April 23, 2020

As the number of COVID-19 cases in correctional facilities and jails increases across several states, some states are considering early release of prisoners to allow for greater...

From left to right, Dr. Melody Goodman, Dr. Emanuel Peprah, and Congresswoman Alma Adams spoke during a webinar hosted by NYU School of Global Public Health. The panel addressed how minority groups, especially the African American community, were especially affected by the current health crisis. (Via NYU, Staff Illustration by Chelsea Li)

Panelists Say COVID-19 Has Disproportionate Effects on African American Communities

GPH and NYU’s John Brademas Center organized a webinar discussing the discriminating impact of pandemics on vulnerable communities.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer April 19, 2020

COVID-19 has taken a disproportionate toll on the African-American community, according to experts who spoke at a webinar on Friday, April 17.  The panel — held via Zoom...

NYU’s School of Global Public Health aims to expand across several buildings by 2021. The school has drawn up initial blueprints but have not been able to make progress since the COVID-19 health crisis.
(Staff Illustration by Chelsea Li)

NYU School of Global Public Health Plans to Expand in 2021

The School has begun construction to expand its facilities on 708 Broadway by 2021 to accommodate its growing student body and staff.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer April 16, 2020

NYU will expand the School of Global Public Health across adjoining historical buildings — a project that is planned to be completed by January 2021. The new expansion will...

Tisch students have petitioned tuition refunds, but received a video of Dean Green lip syncing and dancing along with a blanket statement of refusal. Many Tisch students have experienced difficulties continuing their classes remotely, and the extra fees meant for equipment, studios and more are no longer applicable to their study.  (Staff Photo by Jake Capriotti)

Tisch Students Lead Movement for Partial Tuition Refunds

Tisch Partial Refund Effort sent out a mass email laying out its next steps to get students’ demands met after Tisch Dean Allyson Green responded to concerns about partial refunds on students’ tuitions with a video of herself dancing.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer March 30, 2020

As NYU has made the full shift to remote instruction, students at Tisch School of the Arts are demanding partial refunds for their classes, many of which are not easily transferable...

NYU Langone has centers all along the East River, including the Tisch Hospital at the Medical Center. NYU Langone is currently treating a few patients who have tested positive for COVID-19. (Staff Photo by Leo Sheingate)

Coronavirus Cases Rise at NYU Hospitals

Several patients are currently receiving treatment at NYU Langone’s Winthrop, Tisch and Brooklyn hospitals.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer March 12, 2020

NYU Langone reported three confirmed COVID-19 patients in NYU Winthrop Hospital and one confirmed case at the NYU Tisch Hospital in an email to WSN.  Additionally, there are...

Acclaimed author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates was featured in a panel hosted by CAS junior Sakshi Venkatraman. Coates touched on issues dealing with journalism in the current political climate. (Staff Photo by Alex Tran)

Ta-Nehisi Coates Talks Political Writing With Former WSN EIC

The bestselling author and NYU Journalism professor sat down with former WSN Editor-in-Chief Sakshi Venkatraman and spoke to a crowd of NYU community members.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer March 6, 2020

NYU Journalism professor and bestselling author Ta-Nehisi Coates sat down with Washington Square News' former Editor-in-Chief Sakshi Venkatraman on Thursday to discuss Coates’...

A food delivery bike speeds down a Manhattan street. The New York City Council is considering regulatings food delivery apps such as GrubHub and Postmates. (Photo by Richard Chen)

NYC Council May Curb Food Delivery Apps

The New York City Council is considering stricter licensing requirements on food delivery apps amid fears of local businesses going under.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer March 5, 2020

The New York City Council is currently embroiled in a debate on whether or not food delivery apps should be regulated. The pressure faced by restaurants to pay high commissions...

A plastic bag litters the streets of Manhattan. A statewide plastic bag ban will go into effect in New York City on March 1. (Staff Photo by Jake Capriotti)

Wagner Professor Calls for Stricter Waste Reduction Legislation

As New York State prepares for the enactment of the Bag Waste Reduction Law, NYU Wagner Professor Tatiana Homonoff explains why this may not be enough.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer February 27, 2020

#BYOBagNY is trending on Twitter as New York State gears up for the plastic bag ban, effective on March 1, 2020. But one NYU professor says the ban is not enough. NYU Wagner...

There is a growing need for accommodations for hearing-impaired patients. In a discussion at NYU Wagner, professor of Health Policy and Medicine Jan Blustine sparked interests among students with the struggles the disabled have to face. (Image via Pixabay)

Wagner Professor Urges Visibility for the Hearing Impaired

Wagner hosted a discussion with Professor Jan Blustein about the growing need for accommodations for patients with hearing impairment in healthcare.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer February 19, 2020

Professor Jan Blustein settled into conference room 3066 of the Puck Building on a Tuesday afternoon to lead a conversation, guided by her own research, around improvements regarding...

The Arts Center for NYU Abu Dhabi houses several studio spaces, workshops, and classrooms available for student use. NYU Abu Dhabi as a whole recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. (Photo by Meg Nakagawa)

NYUAD Anniversary Riddled With Controversy

NYUAD has launched its milestone project to celebrate the university’s first decade, despite controversy over academic freedom and labor law violations.
Aarushi Sharma, Staff Writer February 18, 2020

NYU Abu Dhabi is brimming with activity as the university prepares to celebrate its 10-year anniversary, but the milestone offers a chance to reflect on its legacy. NYUAD opened...