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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

Liyana Illyas

Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor

Liyana Illyas is a sophomore from New Jersey studying journalism and political science with a minor in data science on the pre-law track. As a proud Sri Lankan Muslim, she is passionate about giving a voice to the underrepresented through her writing and advocacy. In her free time, she enjoys singing, playing guitar and piano, reading, cooking, watching Gilmore Girls and hanging out with her family, friends and five cats. You can find her on Instagram @liyill_.

All content by Liyana Illyas
The glass exterior of the N.Y.U. Langone Health building, with an incomplete circle around the word "N.Y.U." on the signage.

NYU Langone surgical team performs world’s first robotic double lung transplant

Surgeons said the procedure will minimize recovery times and make the procedure less painful for patients.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor November 26, 2024

A team of around 10 surgeons at NYU Langone Health performed the world’s first fully robotic double lung transplant last month. The operation builds on the medical center’s...

Large signs and cutouts of red flowers with photos of people in their centers hang on a fence. The largest sign says “HONOR THE MARTYRS OF PALESTINE” and a smaller sign above says “FREE PALESTINE” in green and “ARMS EMBARGO NOW” in red.

Students read names of Palestinian and Lebanese martyrs at vigil

The group read aloud Palestinian poetry and wrote names of victims of Israel’s ground invasion outside Washington Mews in support of students in mourning.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor November 20, 2024

Dozens of students, faculty and passersby gathered in front of Washington Mews on Monday afternoon to honor the thousands of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians killed in Israel’s...

A building facade where an N.Y.U. flag and a banner with “N.Y.U. Tisch” hang.

Tisch begins search for new dean

The new search committee will hold listening sessions with NYU community members to outline expectations for Allyson Green’s successor.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor November 13, 2024

NYU will soon begin its search for a new Tisch dean, two months after the university announced Allyson Green would be stepping down from the position at the end of the academic...

A group of people in masks hold up various signs that say “VICTORY TO THE N.Y.U. G.S.O.C. STRIKE! INTERNATIONALIST GROUP” and “C.U.N.Y. STUDENTS AND FACULTY IN SOLIDARITY WITH N.Y.U. G.S.O.C STRIKE! CLASS STRUGGLE EDUCATION WORKERS.”

TAs to receive compensation for attending lectures

NYU owes hundreds of student workers from the last four semesters additional payments, with many missing over $1,000 in back pay.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor November 12, 2024

NYU’s graduate student worker union started compensating over 650 teaching assistants for their hours spent attending lectures. The reimbursement, which covers TAs’ back pay...

A black and purple illustration showing a person wearing a suit on a podium speaking on the right, with letters that spell “S.G.A." on the left.

Student gov’t on upholding ‘mutual respect’ on campus post-election

In a statement, the Student Government Assembly directed students to upcoming events where they can “actively engage in the civic process” following the election.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor November 11, 2024

Four days after Donald Trump’s reelection, NYU’s Student Government Assembly announced that it will continue to prioritize open communication within the university community...

An illustration of a wooden box with a person wearing Nike sneakers on top, surrounded by buildings and trees.

The Soapbox: Tamils to be airlifted into the UK, heatwaves in Australia, coalition government collapse in Germany

The Soapbox is a weekly column by WSN covering major news developments at NYU’s campuses and study away sites abroad. Global consciousness for a global university.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor November 8, 2024

In the UK, Sri Lankan refugees to enter after 3 years The United Kingdom will permit 64 Tamil refugees, including 16 children, to enter the country after spending three years...

A person wearing a red shirt that reads “U.A.W. Region 9A” carries a blue circular “U.A.W.” sign.

Contract faculty union concludes initial negotiations with administration

The bargaining session came one day after New York City politicians joined dozens of students and faculty in a rally commending the union’s recognition.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor November 4, 2024

The union representing hundreds of contract faculty at NYU started its negotiations with university administration for a contract at a meeting Friday, where union members presented...

A structure with draped white sheets that has the words “N.Y.U. FUNDS GENOCIDE” painted in black and red paint sits in the middle of a walkway with students confronting university staff.

Anti-Zionist Jewish group criticizes NYU ‘restrictions on movement’ at Gaza Solidarity Sukkah

The on-campus group Jews Against Zionism said Campus Safety officers were “increasingly hostile” toward its members at the Tuesday demonstration.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor October 25, 2024

A group of anti-Zionist Jewish students at NYU said in a statement that the university “was aware of credible threats of violence” around a pro-Palestinian sukkah they had...

An illustration of a wooden box with a person wearing Nike sneakers on top, surrounded by buildings and trees.

The Soapbox: Regime change in Australia, pub-crawl bans in Prague, obstructed aid in occupied Palestine

The Soapbox is a weekly column by WSN covering major news developments at NYU’s campuses and study away sites abroad. Global consciousness for a global university.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor October 18, 2024

In Australia, government to potentially abandon monarchy Debate over Australia’s standing as a constitutional monarchy has resurfaced after King Charles III stated in a letter...

A man reading off a paper in front of people, with “BANNABLE AT N.Y.U.” written on the back of his shirt.

Pro-Palestinian faculty read passages from ‘bannable’ books in Bobst demonstration

The faculty members who organized the demonstration said the books could potentially violate NYU’s updated conduct policies.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor October 11, 2024

Around 10 members of NYU’s chapter of Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine read passages from books “presenting critical analyses of Zionism or Israel” at a demonstration...

A graphic of two square text boxes next to each other against a purple background.

Tisch grad student workers criticize updated conduct policies in letter to admin

Students and alumni from the Department of Cinema Studies claimed that NYU violated its contract with its graduate student worker union by requiring that students complete the “How We Engage” modules on Brightspace.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor October 3, 2024

A group of graduate student workers at the Tisch School of the Arts sent a letter to the cinema studies department and NYU administration, demanding that the university remove...

An illustration of the Washington Square Arch, surrounded by green bushes in front of several pastel-colored buildings. On top of one building is a purple flag reading N.Y.U., and on top of another is a red flag reading W.S.N. The sky is colored with a pastel-pink gradient.

What to do this week: VR flight simulator, a ‘Big Walk’ in the Bronx and more

The Daybook is WSN’s weekly column listing in-person and online events at NYU and across New York City. This week: Sept. 30 - Oct. 6.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor September 29, 2024

People in multi-colored outfits stand in a circle around candles and flags on the ground.

Students hold vigil in Washington Square Park to mourn deaths in Lebanon and Palestine

Dozens gathered under the Washington Square Arch on Tuesday to grieve the hundreds of lives lost in the ongoing conflicts in Lebanon and Palestine.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor September 26, 2024

More than 40 people, including NYU students and faculty members, gathered in Washington Square Park on Tuesday night to mourn the hundreds of lives lost in Israel’s escalating...

A panel of three men sit on a stage with a large screen above them projecting a photo with Celtics basketball players titled “THE ISLAMIC CENTER AT NYU AND THE BLACK MUSLIM INITIATIVE PRESENTS FAITH ON THE COURT.”

NBA star Tacko Fall discusses his ‘Faith on the Court’ in talk at Kimmel

Around 200 students attended the talk held by the Black Muslim Initiative and Islamic Center at NYU.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor September 25, 2024

Around 200 students listened as NBA Boston Celtics player Tacko Fall discussed the intersection of faith and sports during a conversation hosted by the Islamic Center at NYU and...

An illustration of a wooden box with a person wearing Nike sneakers on top, surrounded by buildings and trees.

The Soapbox: Typhoon in China, tightened borders in Germany, youngest person to be sentenced in the United Kingdom

The Soapbox is a weekly column by WSN covering major news developments at NYU’s campuses and study away sites abroad. Global consciousness for a global university.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor September 20, 2024

In China, hundreds of thousands evacuate amid typhoon Typhoon Bebinca hit Lingang New City in the east of Shanghai on Monday — the strongest storm to strike the area in 75 years....

A blonde woman speaks into an N.Y.U microphone in front of a purple N.Y.U. backdrop.

Tisch dean to step down at the end of the academic year

NYU said that Allyson Green, who has served as head of the Tisch School of the Arts for 11 years, will continue her work as a professor after stepping down from her administrative position.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor September 17, 2024

Tisch dean Allyson Green will step down from her role at the end of the academic year after holding the position for over a decade, a universitywide message from President Linda...

A black and purple illustration of a person speaking at a podium with the letters “S”, “G” and “A” inside abstract shapes on the left.

Student gov’t to create new committee for student participation in academic conferences

In its first meeting of the semester, the Student Government Assembly passed a resolution to split its funding for students to participate in academic conferences from the financial support it receives from NYU.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor September 13, 2024

The Student Government Assembly’s university-endowed operating budget and its fund to support students attending academic conferences will now fall under two separate committees,...

The N.Y.P.D. attempt to de-escalate the confrontation.

NYU earns ‘abysmal’ score in annual free speech ranking

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression threatened to submit an accreditation complaint against NYU if it does not respond to a letter criticizing recent policies by Sept. 20.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor September 9, 2024

NYU ranked at the bottom of an annual list evaluating students’ freedom of speech and expression across 251 college campuses in the country, earning a score of “abysmal,”...

An illustration of the Washington Square Arch, surrounded by green bushes in front of several pastel-colored buildings. On top of one building is a purple flag reading N.Y.U., and on top of another is a red flag reading W.S.N. The sky is colored with a pastel-pink gradient.

What to do this week: A club fest at Tandon, Hispanic Heritage Month and more

The Daybook is WSN’s weekly column listing in-person and online events at NYU and across New York City. This week: Sept. 9 – Sept. 15.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor September 8, 2024

A man in a suit speaks in front of a seated crowd, behind him is a large, purple background that reads “N.Y.U. LAW”

Pakistani Supreme Court judge talks environmental justice at NYU Law

The event focused on integrating human rights, environmental policy and the legal field.
Liyana Illyas, Deputy News Editor September 4, 2024

Around 30 students and faculty attended a talk at the NYU School of Law on Tuesday, where Pakistani Supreme Court judge Syed Mansoor Ali Shah discussed the relationship between...

Hundreds of protesters march down a road with signs and Palestinian flags.

Students and faculty join hun​dreds in citywide pro-Palestinian march on Labor Day

As the academic year begins, students and faculty continue to demand that NYU divest from companies with ties to Israel and shut down its study away site in Tel Aviv.
Liyana Illyas and Mariapaula Gonzalez September 3, 2024

Dozens of NYU students and faculty from the People’s Solidarity Coalition and other on-campus organizations joined hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators in a march across...

A group of people wearing purple and pink shirts hold signs with the letters “N,” “Y” and “U” under the Washington Square Arch.

Summer recap: What you missed on campus since May

A student sues roommate for stealing over $50,000 in luxury items, a $6 million donation for artificial intelligence research and more news around campus you missed over the last few months.

As you prepare for the new academic year, here is some news around NYU that you may have missed over summer break.  Student sues roommate for stealing over $50,000 in luxury...