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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

All content by Serin Lee
(Alex Tey for WSN)

Opinion: NYC needs to invest in its community, not in a Cop City

Mayor Eric Adams’ Cop City plan will not meaningfully improve public safety — it's time for a different approach that centers social services and housing support.
Serin Lee, Staff Writer April 4, 2025

The New York City Police Department is the largest and most funded police department in the country, with roughly 36,000 officers and over $671 per capita in annual funding. But...

(Kevin Wu for WSN)

Opinion: Federal funding cuts will exacerbate NYC’s homelessness crisis

The Trump administration’s cuts to federal agencies and programs that combat homelessness will worsen the homelessness crisis and overburden local governments and nonprofits.
Serin Lee, Staff Writer March 19, 2025

Last Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order eliminating seven critical government agencies “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” Among the...

(Alisia Houghtaling for WSN)

Up for Debate: Is college worth the debt?

With tuition costs and student loan debt at record highs, many are questioning whether a college degree is still a worthwhile investment. Is the cost of a college education justified by its benefits?

In 2024, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found a strong positive relationship between level of education and income. The same chart showed a 1.7% difference in the unemployment...

(Kiran Komanduri for WSN)

Opinion: Women-dominated sports deserve NCAA recognition

The NCAA’s refusal to recognize several women-dominated sports creates funding disparities and reinforces harmful stereotypes.
Serin Lee, Contributing Writer March 12, 2025

Women have long been excluded from the world of professional sports — from not being allowed to run in the Olympic marathon until 1984 to the NCAA not recognizing women-dominated...

Opinion: Politics should not dictate research funding

Opinion: Politics should not dictate research funding

President Donald Trump has announced sweeping measures that’ll change the face of how research is conducted in the United States — and at NYU.
Serin Lee, Guest Contributor March 6, 2025

Ignorance and stigmatization defined the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States during the 1980s, contributing to the deaths of over 100,000 people, and leaving many more...

(Allina Xiao for WSN)

Opinion: A new generation of leaders is long overdue

As our political system ages, young voices are necessary for our nation’s progress.
Serin Lee, Contributing Writer February 27, 2025

Despite being affected the most by today’s political decisions, younger people have long been sidelined in the political arena, where older people continue to dominate. This...

(Illustration generated with DALL-E, edited by Samson Tu)

Opinion: ChatGPT’s environmental destruction outweighs its benefits

While much of the discourse surrounding artificial intelligence concerns plagiarism, the significant environmental costs often go overlooked.
Serin Lee, Contributing Writer February 4, 2025

Artificial intelligence platforms have taken the world by storm. AI — referring to any technology that can process information and superficially mimic human thinking —...