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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

Leena Ahmed

Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor

Leena Ahmed is a senior studying international relations with a minor in French. When she’s not on her most used app on Screen Time, Gmail, she’s probably holed up somewhere on the fourth floor of the GCASL. During her free time, she enjoys reading autobiographies of absolutely anyone who’s written one, rewatching her favorite shows and hanging out with her family. You can email her at [email protected].

All content by Leena Ahmed
(Owen Correll for WSN)

Students join hundreds in citywide Oct. 7 protest

The demonstration called for divestment from Israel and follows two years of heightened protest at NYU and across New York City.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor October 8, 2025

NYU students joined over 1,000 demonstrators in a citywide protest Tuesday evening that marked the second year of escalated conflict in Gaza, calling attention to the climbing...

(Courtesy of Arild Vågen)

Students walk out of Berlin safety training

A police officer reportedly discouraged students from using pro-Palestinian phrases and presented racially stereotyped imagery at the mandatory event.
Leena Ahmed and Amanda Chen October 7, 2025

Over a dozen students walked out of a mandatory safety training at NYU Berlin when a local police officer reportedly advised against the use of pro-Palestinian phrases and spread...

(Maryam Lootah for WSN)

City Scoop: Protesters shut down Brooklyn Bridge, and other top stories across NYC

City Scoop is WSN’s weekly column reviewing major New York City news across all five boroughs.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor October 6, 2025

Dozens arrested protesting on Yom Kippur At least 56 pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested last Thursday, when over 1,000 protesters blocked traffic in a march across the...

(Alex Woodworth for WSN)

NYU Law cancels pro-Israel speaker due to ‘security concerns’

The Oct. 7 event was reportedly called off because of an “increased likelihood of demonstrations and protests,” and will now take place off campus.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor October 3, 2025

An Oct. 7 discussion featuring a pro-Israel activist was moved off campus after NYU Law administrators told students to postpone it as a preemptive measure against potential protest...

(Lauren Sanchez for WSN)

NYU ‘well prepared’ for gov’t shutdown, admin says

Administrators said a government shutdown will have no immediate impact on research, financial aid or visa and passport applications.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor September 30, 2025

Senior administrators said that while they are closely monitoring federal developments, they do not expect NYU to face “immediate or significant” fallout from the looming government...

(Krish Dev for WSN)

NYU drops 2 spots in US News rankings

The university is now ranked No. 32, sharing a spot with the Georgia Institute of Technology, University of California, Davis and University of California, Irvine.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor September 23, 2025

NYU fell two spots in the latest university rankings from U.S. News & World Report, placing it at No. 32 out of 436 four-year institutions across the country.  Last year,...

A white and purple Campus Safety vehicle.

‘The wrong solution’: Black student groups claim NYU withheld information during shooting threat

President Linda Mills responded to student criticism in a Sunday email and said the university will hold an information session to address further concerns this week.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor September 15, 2025

Black student advocacy groups, including NYU’s Black Student Union and Black Law Students Association, criticized the university for a “lack of transparency” when informing...

(Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

French mathematician, longtime NYU professor to head Courant

The transition comes as NYU prepares to consolidate its computer science and data science programs under the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor September 15, 2025

Courant professor of nearly 15 years Gérard Ben Arous will intermittently lead the school as it expands to encompass NYU’s Center for Data Science and the Tandon School...

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

‘Hoax’ shooting threat not deemed credible by law enforcement

An email sent to administrators this morning threatening to fatally target NYU’s Black students and faculty is under investigation by the New York City Police Department and FBI. Campus Safety is on "heightened alert" but university operations are not changing at this time.
Leena Ahmed, Amanda Chen, Eva Mundo and Dharma Niles September 11, 2025

NYU administrators received an alias email at 10:43 a.m. on Thursday threatening to open fire at the university, targeting its Black students and faculty. The threat has not been...

Ebtesham Ahmed leads a chant during rally in Garibaldi Plaza (Alex Woodworth for WSN)

Students rally for ‘no compliance’ with Trump administration in Washington Square Park

Members of NYU’s Students for a Democratic Society called for greater resistance to federal policies on immigration and transgender rights at its first protest of the semester.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor September 11, 2025

Over a dozen students gathered in Washington Square Park Wednesday evening, calling for NYU to declare itself a “sanctuary campus,” publicly pledge to protect transgender rights,...

(Kevin Wu for WSN)

Jewish nurse sues NYU Langone, claiming revoked bonus over pro-Israel posts

Leviah Ehrlich said the medical center forced her to apologize and return a recent pay raise after she posted content ‘wrought with bias and hatred’ a few days after Oct. 7, 2023.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor September 8, 2025

A Jewish nurse is suing NYU Langone Health after hospital administrators told her to apologize for posting pro-Israel content on her private Instagram days after Oct. 7, 2023,...

(Lauren Ng for WSN)

City Scoop: Adams rejects offer from Trump, and other top stories across NYC

City Scoop is WSN's weekly column reviewing major New York City news across all five boroughs.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor September 8, 2025

Eric Adams remains in mayoral race after Trump job offer  Incumbent mayor Eric Adams allegedly turned down a job in the Trump administration offered in exchange for dropping...

(Alex Woodworth for WSN)

Kimmel staircase ‘seating pods’ open to students, nearly 2 years after closure

The new seating spaces, announced last semester, were part of a plan to renovate the staircase due to concerns of protest activity, inaccessibility and security.
Leena Ahmed, Deputy News Editor September 5, 2025

The Kimmel Center for University Life unveiled long-awaited seating pods built into its Grand Staircase just ahead of this academic year, nearly two years after the university...

Summer recap: What you missed at NYU over the past few months

Summer recap: What you missed at NYU over the past few months

A new degree program with the London School of Economics, a petition signed by more than 1,600 alumni and more summer news to get you up-to-date.

As NYU returns to its regular schedule, catch up on all of the on-campus news you’ve missed since May. During New York City’s second-hottest summer on record, NYU Langone Health...

A Film and Television student receiving their symbolic diploma silently protests by raising their hands to reveal “NO JUSTICE” and “NO PEACE." (Julia Smerling for WSN)

Protests persist across Tisch, law school graduations

Faculty members tied their mouths shut with cloth and students held signs advocating for free speech and divestment from companies with ties to Israel.
Leena Ahmed, Contributing Writer May 22, 2025

Dozens of graduates and faculty quietly called for expanded free speech policies and divestment from companies with ties to Israel at NYU’s school-specific graduation ceremonies,...

David Krieger the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life on Thursday, May 1. (Alex Woodworth for WSN)

‘Civil rights warrior’: Title VI coordinator talks neutrality at student gov’t meeting

NYU’s inaugural Title VI coordinator defended his resume and discussed his approach to tackling heightened on-campus tensions.
Leena Ahmed, Staff Writer May 2, 2025

David Krieger, NYU’s inaugural Title IV coordinator, addressed students for the first time at a Student Government Assembly meeting on Thursday and spoke about stepping into...

An NYU administrator said that all affected students' legal statuses have been restored. (Renee Yang for WSN)

Deans hold info sessions on recent visa revocations

Only NYU affiliates with recorded misdemeanors have seen changes to their visa statuses, according to administrators from the Office of Global Services.
Amanda Chen and Leena Ahmed April 18, 2025

Over the past week, deans across NYU schools held in-person sessions for students and faculty after President Linda Mills confirmed that “some” members of the community had...

Nurses fired at NYU Langone rehired after 2-year legal battle

Nurses fired at NYU Langone rehired after 2-year legal battle

The nurses were terminated in 2022 after the medical center’s Brooklyn hospital accused them of failing to assist a woman who gave birth in a hallway.
Leena Ahmed, Contributing Writer February 19, 2025

NYU Langone Health reportedly rehired nine nurses earlier this month after an arbitrator asserted that it had wrongfully terminated them in 2022, when the medical center claimed...