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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

Victor Porcelli

Victor Porcelli, News Editor

Victor Porcelli is a junior studying Public Policy. He's from Central Jersey, the existence of which he will vehemently defend. Outside of journalism, he likes romcoms and ... he can't think of anything else. He aspires to becoming verified on twitter so follow him @victor_porcelli.

All content by Victor Porcelli
Always in Action, Never in the Spotlight

Always in Action, Never in the Spotlight

Jon Chin is a martial arts instructor, English teacher, poet and computer programmer — but his biggest impact at NYU has been the Share Meals app.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor December 5, 2019

Throughout the winter of 2011, a small, brown cat with black stripes would approach students who entered Brooklyn College and greet them with a rub against their legs and a friendly...

All Student Government meetings take place in the GCASL Colloquium room on the fifth floor. (Staff Photo by Marva Shi)

Student Government’s Semester-in-Review

This semester, NYU’s Student Government Assembly emphasized constituency outreach through town halls, diversity in Alternate Senator at-Large positions and more.
Ishaan Parmar and Victor Porcelli December 2, 2019

Besides letters of support, NYU’s Student Government Assembly did not pass — or even present — a single resolution this semester. Instead, it has focused efforts on enacting...

After a recent health inspection, Upstein’s rating has improved to an A. (Staff Photo by Marva Shi)

Upstein Improves to ‘A’ Final Health Inspection Grade

In October, Upstein Food Court failed a preliminary health inspection, but has since received an A.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor December 2, 2019

Upstein Food Court received an A grade in mid-November after failing an Oct. 21 health inspection, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Upstein’s...

NYU Langone main campus. A Langone doctor accused of soliciting sex from a minor got fired. (Staff Photo by Nina Schifano)

Former Langone Doctor Accused of Soliciting Sex From Minor

A gynecologist at the hospital was fired after being charged with having sex with a 14-year-old boy.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor November 25, 2019

A gynecologist at NYU Langone Medical Center was arrested, and later fired, for allegedly soliciting sex from a minor in October. Aaron Weinreb, who served as the Director of...

NYU's Office of Sustainability is committed to building a healthier and more sustainable future for students and citizens of New York City alike. (Staff photo by Tony Wu)

NYU Is Sustainable, When It Makes Money

Cecil Scheib rides bikes, uses meal swipes (his favorite dining hall is Downstein) and tries to convince NYU administrators that sustainability matters. It works — if sustainability means saving money, too.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor November 25, 2019

NYU’s vegan, bike-riding, meal plan-having Chief Sustainability Officer Cecil Scheib spends his days trying to convince big names in university administration to better NYU’s...

Staff Rants and Raves: Transportation

Staff Rants and Raves: Transportation

We’re all going places in some way or another. Here’s what our staff has to say about it.

Rants On the NYU Airport Shuttle By Bella Gil, Beauty and Style Editor Getting back and forth between JFK airport and campus is one skill I’ve yet to master. If traveling...

Entrance to the NYU Academic Resource Center, one of the NYU Courtesy Meals locations. (Staff Photo by Julia McNeill)

Unexpected Charges Leave Students Distrustful of Courtesy Meals Program

Some of those who used the Courtesy Meals Program found funds from their financial aid redistributed to go toward its costs.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor November 11, 2019

The Courtesy Meals Program, which is supposed to be free, affected some financially vulnerable students’ aid packages this week, leading to confusion and distrust of the program. The...

Dr. Robert I. Grossman and Ken Langone after the renaming announcement. NYU Langone Health is renaming its medical school NYU Robert I. Grossman School of Medicine. (Photo by Jordan Rathkopf. Via NYU Langone)

Med School Renamed NYU Grossman School of Medicine

The college will now be called NYU Robert I. Grossman School of Medicine after NYU Langone Health’s CEO, who is also the dean of the school.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor November 11, 2019

Medical school students will have a mouthful when asked where they attend college from now on, as NYU School of Medicine was renamed after dean of the school and NYU Langone Health...

Bill Tsai is a graduate of NYU Stern who came under fire earlier this year for his participation in insider trading. (Via LinkedIn)

Stern Alumnus Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading

Former Stern Student Council President Bill Tsai, who was charged with insider trading this summer, pleaded guilty to the offense.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor November 11, 2019

One year after graduating, Stern alumnus Bill Tsai was arrested for leveraging his position at an investment bank to illegally make almost $100,000 off the stock market — something...

Staff Rants and Raves: NYU Facilities

Staff Rants and Raves: NYU Facilities

NYU owns a lot of property, from residence halls with no heat to libraries that block out the sun to dining halls that can’t pass inspections. Read what our staff has to say about NYU’s campus.

Rants On Being a Thirsty Gal By Bela Kirpalani, Sports Editor Hydration is key, folks. But the architects of Bobst Library don't seem to understand this ethos, as they...

GSAS student Alysha Kundanmal and other members of the graduate student union continued their call for Avital Ronell to be fired in a protest on Tuesday. (Photo by Mina Mohammadi)

Graduate Students Protest NYU’s Continued Employment of Professor Who Sexually Harassed a Student

The protest was held outside of Bobst Library by NYU’s graduate student union, which has continued to demand that NYU fire German and comparative literature professor Avital Ronell.
Victor Porcelli and Mina Mohammadi November 5, 2019

Calling on NYU to fire Professor Avital Ronell — who returned this semester after a year-long suspension for sexually harassing a student — around 20 graduate student workers...

Upstein Dining hall recently received 40 deficiency points, scoring a "C" letter grade from the NYC Department of Health due to the positioning of their equipment. (Staff Photo by Marva Shi)

Upstein Fails Preliminary Health Inspection for Mostly Non-Food Violations

In a press release listing dining halls that received A’s on their inspections, NYU failed to mention Upstein’s 40-point C.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor November 1, 2019

Upstein received 40 points on an Oct. 21 health inspection — 13 points over the threshold for a C, the worst grade possible — due to the location of its equipment and having...

After more than a decade in prison, Omar Padilla has been released since graduating from PEP. Padilla is a published poet and writer and an advocate for marginalized communities. (Photo by Victor Porcelli)

Often A Barrier, Incarceration Led These Six Students to NYU Degrees

For the third year in a row, students from Wallkill Correctional Facility graduated with associates’ degrees from NYU through its Prison Education Program.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor October 29, 2019

Omar Padilla never received a high school diploma. He dropped out after his junior year and joined a gang. But on Monday, he received an associates’ degree in Liberal Studies...

The Courtesy Meals Program can be accessed through various campus buildings, including the Kimmel Center. (Photo by Katie Peurrung)

More Meals, Fewer Dining Dollars, Same In-Person Request System Following Food Insecurity Program Change

The Courtesy Meals Program is set to go from providing 75 Dining Dollars to 25 Dining Dollars and five meal swipes to students struggling to afford consistent meals.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor October 23, 2019

A program meant to help students unable to afford their next meal will provide five meal swipes and 25 Dining Dollars, instead of no meal swipes and 75 Dining Dollars, according...

Palladium received a B rating after its recent inspection. (Photo by Max Lerner)

Palladium Health Inspection Grade Improves From C to B

Palladium Food Court failed a health inspection in September. After a Department of Health tribunal review, its grade improved to a B.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor October 21, 2019

Palladium Food Court’s grade has improved from a C to a B following a failed health inspection in late September, but filth flies and improperly refrigerated food are still...

NYU international students have been having trouble with visas including delayed processing and losing job opportunity because people don't want to sponsor them. NYU wrote a letter to New York Congress representatives on this issue. (Photo by Alan Tran and illustration by Jorene He)

International Students Face Increasing Difficulties Staying in the US, NYU Says in Letter to Congress

NYU and 57 other New York colleges signed a letter to the state’s congressional delegates asking for help in dealing with visa processing delays and other issues international students are facing.
Julia Santiago and Victor Porcelli October 21, 2019

Gallatin senior Gleb Shcherbakov, who is originally from Russia, reapplied for his student visa last summer. When he submitted the application, he was told that his visa would...

A truck bearing the Correction Department of New York logo is parked near iconic Chinatown buildings. The Student Government Association has released a statement demanding de Blasio (as an NYU alumnus) close Rikers. (Staff Photo by Marva Shi)

Student Government Urges Mayor to Close Rikers Island, Open No New Jails

Student government released a statement in solidarity with No New Jails NYC, a prison abolitionist group.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor October 4, 2019

NYU’s student government released a statement on Thursday urging the city to close Rikers Island — a jail infamous for its neglect and use of brutal force against inmates —...

Palladium Food Court failed a health inspection last week. (Photo by Polina Buchak)

Palladium Fails Health Inspection

Less than a month into NYU’s first semester with new dining provider Chartwells, a dining hall has failed an inspection.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor October 1, 2019

Flies and improperly refrigerated food at Palladium Food Court resulted in a failed health inspection last week. New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is...

The Graduate Student Organizing Committee urged NYU to fire Professor Avital Ronell, who sexually harassed a student she advised. (Photo Courtesy of GSOC)

Graduate Student Union Claps Back at NYU on Return of Professor Who Sexually Harassed Student

The Graduate Student Organizing Committee said NYU provided an inadequate response to its demands that the professor be fired.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 30, 2019

NYU and its graduate student union have been embroiled in a back-and-forth over whether or not the university should fire Professor Avital Ronell, who was found to have sexually...

238 Thompson Rooftop Garden, one of NYU’s landscaping projects, sits on top of the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life. (Staff photo by Tony Wu)

Administrators and Students to Work Together Toward Sustainability

A student government committee was created at the end of last semester to continue the work of NYU’s Sustainability Working Group.
Miliana Bocher and Victor Porcelli September 30, 2019

A new committee within NYU’s student government will seek to work with, rather than against, university administrators in reaching its sustainability goals. In previous semesters,...

The shots were fired on the same street as the NYU Bookstore.

Shots Fired Near Broadway and West 3rd, No Injuries Reported

Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 27, 2019

Updated 12:25 p.m. Shots were fired near Broadway and West 3rd St. — a few minutes away from the NYU Bookstore, NYU’s 194 Mercer St. and the Washington Square Park campus...

The logo of NYU's Student Government. (Courtesy of NYU Student Government)

Student Government Address Diversity Through Alternate Senator at-Large Positions

The Student Senators Council has reached out to clubs and organizations representing minorities to encourage students to apply.
Ishaan Parmar and Victor Porcelli September 27, 2019

NYU’s student government is making efforts to increase diversity through their Alternate Senator at-Large applications, which are due Monday. The Student Senators Council...

Shots were fired today near 6 MetroTech at Tandon. (Photo by Alana Beyer)

Shots Fired Near Tandon, No Injuries Reported

One suspect is in custody and another is at large.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 26, 2019

Shots were fired near 6 MetroTech, which is on the campus of Tandon School of Engineering — no injuries have been reported, according to NYU Public Safety. Senior Vice President...

NYU's Board of Trustees. (via NYU)

First Public Document on Board of Trustees Meetings Released

Months after their last meeting, the Board of Trustees published its summary, which is intended as an act of good faith towards greater transparency.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 19, 2019

The most powerful body within NYU, the Board of Trustees, said in March it would start publishing summaries of its private meetings. Three weeks after a university spokesperson...

Lauren Duca taught a journalism course at NYU over the summer (via NYU).

Students of Controversial Journalist Lauren Duca File Complaint to NYU

Lauren Duca’s meditation breaks, oversharing and tweet requirements were not well-received by the students of her six-week summer course.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 17, 2019

Students who took Lauren Duca’s NYU journalism course over the summer filed a complaint against the prominent feminist and journalist for acting unprofesionally, as reported...

Protestors fill the streets in Hong Kong (Staff photo by Kate Lowe).

Hong Kong Unrest Arouses Anger, Fear in Students Away From Home

Massive protests, some of which have turned violent, have been going on in Hong Kong for months — students from the city have different feelings on the matter.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 16, 2019

While millions have taken to the streets of Hong Kong to protest a bill that would give China more power over the mainly autonomous region, students who call the city home are...

Student Government Assembly Chairperson Jakiyah Bradley leads a November 2018 town hall on food insecurity. (Photo by Sam Klein)

Student Government’s To-Do’s: Improve Resources, Help Connect Students With Them

New Student Government Assembly Chairperson Jakiyah Bradley said she wants SGA to be more accessible to students this academic year.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 16, 2019

Student Government Assembly’s new chairperson will seek to circumvent some of the university’s unnecessary bureaucracy in an effort to provide and connect students with more...

Steinhardt flags fly above its Washington Square East building. (Staff Photo by Alana Beyer)

Steinhardt Name to Stay Despite Allegations of Sexual Harassment

Michael Steinhardt was accused of sexual harassment in May, and a university investigation found he had made inappropriate remarks to members of the NYU community.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 12, 2019

NYU will not change the name of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development despite several women having accused its namesake — philanthropist and NYU trustee...

Staff Rants & Raves: Textures

Staff Rants & Raves: Textures

Some things are fun to touch, and some things aren’t — it’s not too complicated. Let our staff tell you why.

Staff Rants On Manicures By Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor Let me preface this by saying I love getting my nails done. I love not being able to use my phone for thirty...

(Staff Illustration by Sophia Di Iorio)

Some Students Welcome Ronell’s Return, Others Denounce It

Despite a Title IX investigation finding Professor Avital Ronell sexually harassed a student — for which some have called on NYU to fire her — many students sought out her first class back from a one-year suspension.
Lisa Cochran and Victor Porcelli September 9, 2019

NYU Professor Avital Ronell — who a Title IX investigation found guilty of sexually harassing a graduate student  mentee — returned on Friday to a crowd of students and one...

The Graduate Student Organizing Committee is calling for NYU to fire professor Avital Ronell, who was suspended last year for sexual harassment. (Photo courtesy GSOC)

NYU Responds to GSOC Petition that Avital Ronell be Fired

The graduate student union called on NYU to fire the professor who was found to have sexually harassed a student.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 6, 2019

NYU defended its response to Avital Ronell’s harassment of a graduate student in an open letter to the graduate student union on Thursday. The union had called for the professor’s...

NYU introduced several changes to its dining halls this year, including new meal stations in Weinstein food court. (Staff Photo by Marva Shi)

Cheaper Sushi, No More Burger Studio and Other Dining Changes

After 43 years of Aramark as its dining service provider — and dealing with controversies associated with the company — NYU has switched to Chartwells, and the new company is changing things up.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 5, 2019

NYU Dining’s name change to NYU Eats marks the end of Aramark’s over-40-year era as its dining service provider; it also marks many more substantial changes, from dining hall...

A truck bearing the Correction Department of New York logo is parked near iconic Chinatown buildings. (Staff Photo by Marva Shi)

NYU Center Finds Chinatown Jail Proposal Puts Seniors’ Health at Risk

A study done by NYU’s Center for the Study of Asian American Health found that construction of a jail as part of a 10-year plan to close Rikers Island could seriously harm the health of local seniors.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor September 3, 2019

One of four jails set to be built in order to close the infamous Rikers Island Prison Complex is facing opposition from locals, some of whom are pointing to a study by an NYU center...

“Bodak Yellow” gets a group of first-years dancing at Bed, Bath and Beyond After Dark in 2018, an annual Welcome Week event. (Photo by Sam Klein)

First-Years Feel Unprepared for NYU Academics After Welcome Week

One week into their NYU careers, first-years told WSN that Welcome Week’s emphasis on events designed for mingling left them unsure of what to expect from their upcoming classes.
Victor Porcelli, Claire Jones and September 3, 2019

With Welcome Week complete for the class of 2023, some first-years have found community through the programming, but feel unprepared going into classes on Tuesday. Welcome Week...

A view of Villa Natalia, on NYU Florence’s campus. (Photo by Lisa Cochran)

Italian Princess Sues NYU For Billion-Dollar Art Collection

The granddaughter of Sir Arthur Acton, who, along with his wife, owned an extensive art collection left to NYU by their son, is now suing the university for it.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor August 24, 2019

NYU is in a legal battle over its billion-dollar art collection — currently held at its study away site in Florence — with a woman whose mother was the illegitimate daughter...

The LinkedIn profile of Bill Tsai. (Profile via LinkedIn)

2018 Stern Grad Arrested for Insider Trading

A former Stern Student Council President was recently arrested after using non-public information to his advantage in the stock market.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor August 24, 2019

An NYU alumnus was arrested for insider trading earlier this month after allegedly leveraging private information to make almost $100,000 off the stock market, according to court...

An aerial view of Shanghai. (Photo by Tony Wu)

NYU Shanghai to Double Size With New Campus in 2022

A campus will be built at NYU Shanghai that will allow for an additional 4,000 students to enroll at the global site.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor August 24, 2019

A lab, library and athletic center are a few upgrades that will be included in a new campus at NYU Shanghai planned for 2022, according to a press release by the university. Located...

The Graduate Student Organizing Committee is calling for NYU to fire professor Avital Ronell, who was suspended last year for sexual harassment. (Photo courtesy GSOC)

Graduate Student Union Demands NYU Fire Professor Who Sexually Harassed A Student

Professor Avital Ronell was suspended for a year for sexual harassing a student and is set to come back to NYU this fall. The Graduate Student Organizing Committee does not think a one-year suspension was enough and is calling for NYU to fire Ronell.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor May 27, 2019

Graduate students have demanded NYU fire Professor Avital Ronell, who was suspended for a year in August 2018 for sexually harassing a student and is set to return this fall. The...

Journalist Steven William Thrasher speaks at the GSAS doctoral convocation on Monday. (via NYU)

President Hamilton Denounces GSAS Commencement Speaker’s Praise of BDS

A speaker at the Graduate School of Arts and Science commencement applauded efforts by student groups NYU Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice For Peace to boycott Israel. NYU President Andrew Hamilton released a statement condemning the speaker’s choice to do so.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor May 24, 2019

A speaker at NYU’s Graduate School of Arts and Science doctoral commencement advocated for the boycott of Israel during his speech on Monday. “I am so proud of NYU’s chapters...

NYU President Andrew Hamilton speaks at a "Fireside Chat" event. At his Presidential Welcome to the Class of 2023, Hamilton made alluded to a rivalry with Columbia University, which some first-years felt was unnecessary. (Photo by Sam Klein)

Hamilton Recaps NYU’s Progress in Science

In a letter to the NYU community, President Andrew Hamilton announced a new Department of Bioengineering and went over ways the university’s science programs have improved.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor May 9, 2019

NYU President Andrew Hamilton detailed efforts by the university to emphasize science and engineering in a letter sent out to the NYU community on Thursday. Hamilton has a background...

Ahead of the Uber IPO,  rideshare workers protest for better working conditions (Emily Mason)

Uber and Lyft Drivers Strike Over Poor Working Conditions

At a rally outside of the ride-hailing companies’ Long Island City offices, drivers demanded fare regulation and employee rights ahead of Uber’s IPO on Friday.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor May 9, 2019

Uber and Lyft drivers rallied to protest poor working conditions outside of the companies’ headquarters in Long Island City on Wednesday. The rally was part of a nationwide...

Seniors' names on the steps of the Kimmel Center for University Life. (Photo by Akshay Prabhushankar)

Transgender Students’ Deadnames Placed on Kimmel Steps, NYU Begins to Address the Issue

The names were placed on Kimmel’s stairs to thank seniors who donated to the 1831 fund. After complaints by transgender students, the university has offered to replace the names of any affected seniors.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli May 8, 2019

After an effort to recognize seniors who donated to the 1831 Fund by placing their names on the stairs of the Kimmel Center for University Life, some transgender students and allies...

The beach at Tel Aviv's waterfront. (Staff Photo by Julia McNeill)

Over 2,000 People Sign Petition Against Boycott of NYU Tel Aviv

An NYU rabbi started a petition voicing opposition to a resolution by the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis pledging noncooperation with the study away site.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli May 6, 2019

A petition condemning the Social and Cultural Analysis Department’s resolution of noncooperation with NYU Tel Aviv has amassed over 2,000 signatures from students, alumni, faculty...

Plated meal from Harvest Table at Third North Residence Hall. (Staff Photo by Jorene He)

Use of Program for Food-Insecure Students Spikes This Academic Year

Almost 2,000 students used a food insecurity program this year, up from a few dozen in previous semesters.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor May 6, 2019

Last academic year, the Courtesy Meals Program — which provides 75 Dining Dollars to students unable to afford their next meal, no questions asked — was used by 30 to 40 students...

A beach near the NYU Tel Aviv campus. (via NYU)

Department of Social and Cultural Analysis Pledges Noncooperation With NYU Tel Aviv

Citing entry restrictions imposed by the Israeli government, the SCA department voted to boycott NYU Tel Aviv on Thursday.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli May 2, 2019

NYU’s Department of Social and Cultural Analysis has pledged noncooperation with the university’s study away site in Tel Aviv. The move was due to entry restrictions imposed...

NYU President Andrew Hamilton speaks at a "Fireside Chat" event. At his Presidential Welcome to the Class of 2023, Hamilton made alluded to a rivalry with Columbia University, which some first-years felt was unnecessary. (Photo by Sam Klein)

President Hamilton in WSJ Op-Ed: ‘Had It Been up to Me, SJP Would Not Have Received the Award’

Hamilton wrote in response to another Wall Street Journal op-ed, which claimed the university allowed anti-Semitism on its campus.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor April 30, 2019

After not attending the President’s Service Awards earlier this month at which Students for Justice in Palestine was honored, NYU President Andrew Hamilton wrote in an op-ed...

A fight broke out in Washington Square Park during a rave for Israel’s Independence Day in April 2018. Supporters of Israel clashed with pro-Palestine protestors. (Courtesy of Ido Siman Tov)

Student Allegations of Anti-Semitism at NYU Gain National Attention

In a complaint filed to the Department of Education, Gallatin senior Adela Cojab alleges that NYU has allowed anti-Semitism to spread on campus.
Victor Porcelli and Meghna Maharishi April 29, 2019

A complaint filed against NYU to the Department of Education alleging that the university has enabled anti-Semitism on campus has received national attention after articles appeared...

LS is announcing a First Year Away Program site in Madrid. (via NYU)

LS Expands First-Year Away Program to Madrid, Steinhardt Adds FYA Program in Paris

In an interview with WSN, LS Dean Julie Mostov discussed the college’s plans to add another first-year away site in Madrid and how Steinhardt plans to start the program, as well.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli April 26, 2019

Liberal Studies will be expanding its first-year away program to Madrid by 2020, and the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development will begin its own first-year...

Colloquium Room at Kimmel is where Student Government meets. A Socially Responsible Investment resolution failed to pass the University Senate on Thursday. (Staff Photo by Jorene He)

‘Human Rights at NYU’ Resolution Narrowly Struck Down in University Senate

The resolution, originally inspired by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, called for NYU to divest from companies associated with human rights violations.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli April 25, 2019

A resolution that would aim to implement a socially responsible investment policy at NYU narrowly failed to pass at a University Senate meeting on Thursday. When it came to...

Steinhardt first-year Abe Konick (center) teaches a group of students how to cook spaghetti sauce at the first Open Kitchen event of the semester. (Photo by Victor Porcelli)

Photo: Program Teaching Students to Cook on a Budget Finds Funding to Start Again

April 25, 2019

A student cuts a green pepper to be used in the spaghetti sauce. (Photo by Victor Porcelli)

Colloquium Room at Kimmel is where Student Government meets. A Socially Responsible Investment resolution failed to pass the University Senate on Thursday. (Staff Photo by Jorene He)

Over Half of Student Government Candidates Ran Unopposed

In the recent student government elections, more candidates ran unopposed than not. The newly elected presidents of Tisch and Stern told WSN this may be due to a lack of participation in and awareness of student government.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor April 22, 2019

Over half of the candidates who ran for positions in the Student Government Assembly ran unopposed, according to SGA’s Elections Commission. SGA, the university’s main representative...

The facade of the Leslie eLab. (WSN file photo)

Tech Week Starts With the Question: Is AI Ethical?

Hosted by Tech@NYU, Tech Week’s first event on Monday discussed how Artificial Intelligence can feed into systematic discrimination, while Tuesday’s event delved into how product management led to the creation of an app for first responders to disaster-stricken areas.
Victor Porcelli and Mansee Khurana April 19, 2019

Tech@NYU’s Tech Week kicked off with events on the Ethics of AI and Women in Product Management. Tech@NYU is a community of students interested in technology who host public...

NYU President Andrew Hamilton answers questions at a town hall in November regarding the Being@NYU survey results. (Photo by Sam Klein)

President Hamilton Didn’t Attend President’s Service Awards

In a deviation from previous years, President Hamilton did not attend the President’s Service Awards, where several students and groups, including SJP, were being honored.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor April 17, 2019

President Andrew Hamilton did not attend the annual President's Service Awards, at which he was expected to recognize selected students and student groups. He attended the event...

Co-founder of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement Omar Barghouti was slated to speak at NYU on Monday. Instead, he was detained by U.S. Immigration at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and will phone in to speak. (Photo by Katie Peurrung)

BDS Movement Co-Founder, Set to Speak at NYU, Denied Entry to US

Student activists are urging the university to condemn the U.S. government’s actions.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli April 15, 2019

A prominent Palestinian rights activist, scheduled to speak at NYU, was denied entry to the U.S. on Wednesday. Omar Barghouti, slated to give a talk on Monday, is the co-founder...

Leslie eLab, located at 16 Washington Place, is where NYU students who work to combat food insecurity Skype their counterparts at other universities. (Photo by Calvin Falk)

University Student Leaders Share Ways to Combat Campus Food Insecurity

In the fifth edition of the Virtual Hunger Dialogues, leaders from universities across the country talked food insecurity coalitions, surveys and awareness.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor April 11, 2019

Students and faculty leaders from universities in Alabama, New Jersey and New York discussed how to better address food insecurity on their campuses via Skype on Wednesday. Steinhardt...

Elizabeth Alexander is a poet, educator, cultural advocate, and president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. (Photo by Djeneba Aduayom, Courtesy of NYU)

NYU Names Poet Elizabeth Alexander as 2019 Commencement Speaker

The poet who spoke at former President Barack Obama’s inauguration will speak at the 2019 commencement ceremony.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor April 8, 2019

Celebrated poet and Yale University Professor Elizabeth Alexander will speak at NYU’s all-university commencement on May 22 at Yankee Stadium, university spokesperson John Beckman...

Students walking on NYU’s Abu Dhabi campus.(Staff Photo by Sam Klein)

What It Means for NYUAD to Be Fully Funded by the UAE

WSN explains the most important facts found in the last nine years of NYU Abu Dhabi’s tax returns.
Victor Porcelli and Meghna Maharishi April 7, 2019

Public information on NYU Abu Dhabi is limited — to say the least. From labor abuses involved in building the campus to professors who have been denied entry, much about the...

Panelists at the town hall discuss wellness resources for students. (Photo by Victor Porcelli)

Hamilton Highlights International, Study Away Wellness at Town Hall

Student and administrator panelists discussed wellness at NYU, focusing on the difficulties students experiencing different cultures may face.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor April 2, 2019

Administrators and students discussed the added difficulty for international and study away students attempting to access wellness resources due to cultural and language differences...

NYU alumnae and current editor in chief of OUT Magazine, Phillip Picardi, references his time covering LBGT rights at Teen Vogue at an NYU Stonewall Talk. (Staff Photo by Alana Beyer)

Continue the Fight 50 Years After Stonewall, Activists Urge

A variety of LGBTQ activists said it is important to maintain an adversarial relationship with those in power who do not support equality.
Victor Porcelli and Meghna Maharishi April 2, 2019

LGBTQ activists discussed the legacy of the Stonewall Riots and the need to continue fighting those in power at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on Monday. The event...

The logo of NYU's Student Government. (Courtesy of NYU Student Government)

Student Government Elections, Explained

Starting Monday, an election portal for certain positions in student government will open — here’s a guide to what that means.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor March 31, 2019

Elections for student government positions will be underway in the coming weeks, so WSN broke down how students can vote and what they are voting for. How to Vote Students...

The acceptance rate for the NYU Class of 2023 has dropped to 16 percent, the lowest in university history. (WSN File Photo)

NYU Acceptance Rate Drops to 16 Percent for the Class of 2023

The Class of 2023 will be the most selective and diverse class yet.
Victor Porcelli and Meghna Maharishi March 28, 2019

The acceptance rate for the Class of 2023 fell to 16 percent according to admissions decisions released Thursday, making the class the most selective in university history. Of...

Director of the Veterans Future Lab James Hendon congratulates graduates of a 12-week entrepreneurship program. (Photo by Victor Porcelli)

Veterans Graduate 12-Week Tandon Entrepreneurship Class

Forty-one veterans and spouses of veterans have completed a class designed to help them pursue self-owned businesses.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor March 28, 2019

Veterans know how to innovate, how to do a lot with little and how to thrive in difficult situations. Teaching them how to apply this knowledge to entrepreneurship was the goal...

Chartwells, a division of Compass Group, will replace Aramark as NYU's dining service provider starting this summer. Recently, Aramark revamped Third North Courtyard Cafe (pictured above) to Harvest Table in its attempts to continue its contract. (Photo by Tony Wu)

University Confirms Aramark Out, Chartwells In

The university will be prioritizing continuing employment, among other things, as it looks to transition to the new dining service provider.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor March 27, 2019

NYU will begin negotiations with Chartwells, a division of Compass Group, to take over on July 1 as the university’s dining service provider, according to university spokesperson...

An Aramark truck in Tampa, Fla. NYU will not renew its contract with Aramark, according to multiple NYU Dining employees. (Photo by Sam Klein)

Aramark Will Not Be NYU’s Dining Service Provider After July, Employees Say

The controversial food service provider’s contract has not been renewed, according to multiple employees of the company.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli March 25, 2019

Aramark — NYU’s current food service provider — will not have its contract renewed, according to multiple NYU Dining employees who were notified by their managers over the...

As reported on by Fox News, NYU hires Talia Lavin to teach the undergraduate course “Reporting on the Far Right." (via Twitter)

Journalist Harassed by Far-Right Will Teach How to Report on It

Talia Lavin, who has received death threats from members of the far-right for a past tweet, will teach a course at NYU in the fall.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor March 24, 2019

Starting in the fall 2019 semester, a journalist who has been attacked online by members of the far-right will teach a course detailing ways to report on white supremacists and...

Prospective students survey the the Brofman Center, NYU's Center for Jewish Life. (Alana Beyer)

Jewish Students Push for Religious Holidays Off

In a letter to the university — with the support of the Student Government Assembly — a student asked for the days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur off.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor March 24, 2019

During holidays such as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, some Jewish students restrict themselves from using electricity or writing. A letter sent to the university backed by student...

NYU Athletics Received $338,379 from Charity Linked to College Admissions Scandal. (Photo byAlex Muhawi-Ho)

NYU Athletics Received $338,379 From Charity Linked to College Admissions Scandal

The university’s athletic department received donations from the charity associated with the recent college admissions scandal.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli March 15, 2019

Wealthy celebrities and parents have been accused of sending bribes to influence college decisions in favor of their children in a nationwide college admissions scandal — and...

(Photo by Alana Beyer)

Students Hold Silver Accountable in Wake of Racist Email

The Silver School of Social Work will be adding training for faculty and incoming students and hiring an external consultant to address issues of racism in the school.
Lachlan Hyatt and Victor Porcelli March 11, 2019

After a student’s tweet about a racist experience went viral on Twitter, a group of students has made a list of demands that includes making curriculum changes and establishing...

NYU's Board of Trustees. (via NYU)

Board of Trustees to Publish Summaries of Meetings in 2019

The most powerful body within NYU has made steps towards greater transparency.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor March 6, 2019

It is known that NYU’s Board of Trustees has the final say on financial matters and on resolutions passed in the University Senate and that they appoint the president and oversee...

The man pitched a tent outside of Alumni Residence Hall. A giant scroll next to it detailed his experiences with homelessness. (Photo by Jared Peraglia)

Homeless Man Removed From Outside Alumni

A man experiencing homelessness who had pitched a tent and laid out a scroll near a residence hall was forcibly taken to a psychiatric facility by police.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor March 4, 2019

Less than one month after the NYPD was criticized for cleaning an area used by the homeless outside of an NYU building, a man experiencing homelessness was forcibly removed from...

Why Haven't Students Heard of the University Senate?

Why Haven’t Students Heard of the University Senate?

The University Senate passed 31 resolutions in the last eight years, minutes from their meetings show.
Victor Porcelli and Mansee Khurana March 4, 2019

You know how graduation is held at Yankee Stadium every year? Well, that’s decided by the University Senate — a 137-person body made up of students, faculty and administrators...

The facade of Rubin Residence Hall. (Photo by Alana Beyer)

NYU Student Takes Own Life in Residence Hall

Victor Porcelli, News Editor March 3, 2019

A student died in an apparent suicide late Saturday night, according to the university. The 18-year-old student was found early Sunday morning in university housing on 5th Avenue...

Students walking on NYU’s Abu Dhabi campus.(Staff Photo by Sam Klein)

A Look at the Terms That Built NYUAD

A 2007 provost’s report offered an in-depth look into the initial negotiations between NYU and Abu Dhabi.
Victor Porcelli and Meghna Maharishi February 25, 2019

A 2007 provost’s report offering an overview of the university’s current and potential global sites resurfaced on Twitter last week when English Professor John Archer tweeted...

The “Carceral Crisis: Race, Class and Punishment in America” course in the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute focuses on providing students with an in-depth understanding of mass incarceration. (Photo by Victor Porcelli)

NYU to Offer New Journalism Minor

NYU’s journalism program announced that it will soon offer a minor in journalism, with tracks in print and online as well as broadcast and multimedia journalism.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli February 22, 2019

NYU announced in an email on Friday that the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute undergraduate program will offer two journalism minors, one in print and online and one in...

Citizens gather in Long Island City to protest the movement of Amazon into the area. (Staff Photo by Julia McNeill)

Amazon Backs Out of Long Island City Deal

One student, a native of Queens, had conflicting feelings about the deal that would directly impact his decision concerning post-graduation housing.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor February 20, 2019

NYU administrators and faculty expressed excitement when Amazon announced in November that it would open a Long Island City headquarters. But after protests by activists and public...

Matthew Hedges, a British doctoral student who was imprisoned last year in the UAE, and his wife, Daniela Tejada, at their wedding. (Courtesy of Matthew Hedges and Daniela Tejada)

Hedges Encourages Reflection on NYUAD

WSN spoke with formerly imprisoned U.K. academic Matthew Hedges and his wife Daniela Tejada over academic freedom in the UAE and at NYUAD.
Victor Porcelli and Meghna Maharishi February 19, 2019

British doctoral student Matthew Hedges was tortured last year during a months-long interrogation period and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment in the United Arab Emirates...

(via twitter.com)

Silver Releases Statement Addressing Racist Email

Following scrutiny after a graduate student tweeted a racist email a classmate sent, Silver School of Social Work issued out a statement condemning the incident.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli February 15, 2019

After a first-year graduate student's racist experience went viral on Twitter, Silver School of Social Work sent out a statement acknowledging institutional racism at the school...

Graduate students are raising concerns over taxation for being a member of GSOC. (WSN File Photo)

Letter In Support of Graduate Students Passes on Student Government Floor

Student Government came out in support of graduate students whose healthcare costs were affected by a university decision to consolidate two plans.
Victor Porcelli and Jared Peraglia February 15, 2019

A letter presented at the Student Senators Council last week in support of graduate students affected by NYU’s consolidation of healthcare plans passed before the Student Government...

Posters Vandalized at Second Street

Posters Vandalized at Second Street

A breakdown of crimes reported to NYU Public Safety from Feb. 2 to 6.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor February 11, 2019

From Feb. 2 to 6, the Department of Public Safety received one report of burglary/harassment, two reports of criminal mischief, one drug law violation, two reports of larceny,...

The Graduate Student Organizing Committee is calling for NYU to fire professor Avital Ronell, who was suspended last year for sexual harassment. (Photo courtesy GSOC)

Unpacking the Graduate Student-NYU Healthcare Conflict

NYU explained in a recent statement to WSN why it lied about needing to consolidate graduate student healthcare plans.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor February 11, 2019

One week after WSN reported on NYU lying to its graduate students about a requirement to consolidate healthcare plans, the implications and extent of this misrepresentation of...

NYU consolidated the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan with its Comprehensive plan, and now some graduate students have higher co-pays and less coverage on its insurance plans. The New York State Department of Financial Services told WSN that this was not a requirement, even though the university informed graduate students multiple times that it was. (Photo by Victor Porcelli)

NYU Lies to Graduate Students About Healthcare Plan

NYU repeatedly claimed a State agency required them to consolidate two healthcare plans, a claim refuted by the agency in a statement to WSN.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor February 4, 2019

Last summer, over 1,000 students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences were notified that they would face higher co-pays and less coverage under NYU’s Comprehensive Health...

Law professor Melissa Murray speaks with renowned journalist and author Ta-Nehisi Coates about mass incarceration, the #MeToo movement and 2020 presidential candidates. (Staff Photo by Victor Porcelli)

Ta-Nehisi Coates Talks Politics at NYU Law

Journalist and author Ta-Nehisi Coates compared his newfound understanding of the #MeToo movement to white people’s’ understanding of civil rights issues after reading his writing.
Victor Porcelli and Meghna Maharishi February 1, 2019

Renowned author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates discussed mass incarceration and the #MeToo movement with law professor Melissa Murray in Vanderbilt Hall on Thursday. NYU’s...

 Student smokes a lit cigarette. (Staff Photo by Alina Patrick)

Legal Weed Won’t Reach NYU

Despite state politicians suggesting that marijuana reform may come to New York, NYU will not change its current policy against the drug, the university says.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor January 30, 2019

New York state is likely to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over, but if you’re an of-age student, don’t break out your bong yet — NYU will continue to...

EMT Professor Greg Coleman (left) interviews Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban about one of his first start-ups, Broadcast.com, an early audio streaming service he began in 1995 before selling it to Yahoo for $5.7 billion. (Photo by Victor Porcelli)

Photo: ‘Shark’ Mark Cuban Bites Into Stern Entrepreneurs

January 30, 2019

EMT Professor Greg Coleman (left) interviews Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban about one of his first start-ups, Broadcast.com, an early audio streaming service he began...

NYU's mock trial team canceled their annual invitation because of the government shutdown. (Courtesy of Mock Trial)

Government Shutdown Forces Mock Trial to Cancel Invitational

NYU’s mock trial team hosts a prestigious invitational every year — except this one.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor January 29, 2019

NYU’s mock trial team invests in the world of fictional cases and courts, but earlier this month they were notified of a very real issue with their annual invitational, The Downtown:...

(Illustration by Sophia Di Iorio)

NYU Discusses Dining Providers, Food Insecurity Before Winter Break

The bidding committee heard Aramark’s and Compass Group’s presentations and discussed food insecurity in December.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli January 28, 2019

Multiple groups of NYU students and administrators met in December to discuss which company will become the university’s food service provider as well as how NYU can better address...

Entrance to the NYU Academic Resource Center, one of the NYU Courtesy Meals locations. (Staff Photo by Julia McNeill)

Food Insecurity Program Assisted Over 1,000 Students Last Semester

After the end of the fall semester, WSN obtained data on the usage of the courtesy meals program.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor January 28, 2019

Over 1,000 students were helped by NYU’s Courtesy Meals Program last semester, according to data released to WSN. The program seeks to aid students facing temporary food shortage...

An NYU building. (Photo by Anna Letson)

Government Shutdown Could Affect Over 1,000 Students’ Financial Aid

Due to the government shutdown, students who are required to provide additional verification to receive financial aid may have a harder time.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor January 22, 2019

Over 1,000 students may have trouble verifying their income in order to receive federal financial aid, as the Internal Revenue Service may not be able to provide official tax transcripts...

2009 NYU Law graduate Jason Spindler.

NYU Graduate Killed In Kenya Terrorist Attack

A terrorist attack on a hotel complex in Nairobi resulted in the death of over a dozen people, including an NYU alumnus.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor January 20, 2019
A terrorist attack on a hotel complex in Nairobi resulted in the death of over a dozen people, including an NYU alumnus.
The entrance to Vanderbilt Hall, which houses NYU School of Law. (Photo by Tony Wu)

NYU Law Faces Backlash After Eliminating Alumni From Listserv

A petition by an NYU Law alumnus to keep the current listserv has garnered over 180 signatures from students and alumni.
Victor Porcelli and Meghna Maharishi January 16, 2019
A petition by an NYU Law alumnus to keep the current listserv has garnered over 180 signatures from students and alumni.
Applications to NYU have increased for the 13th year in a row. (Photo by Justin Park)

University Receives Over 84,000 Applications for Class of 2023

Applications to the university have increased for the 12th year in a row.
Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli January 7, 2019

NYU received over 84,000 applications for first-year admission into the Class of 2023, according to a university press release. The number of applications has climbed every...

At a public town hall in April, NYU President Andrew Hamilton denounced the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement as against the principles of academic freedom.

University Releases Statement Opposing BDS Resolution

NYU spoke out against a resolution less than a week after it was passed by student government and before it reached the University Senate.
Victor Porcelli, Deputy News Editor December 11, 2018

Thirty-two votes in favor were needed for the “Resolution on the Human Rights of Palestinians” to make it out of the student government assembly; on Dec. 6, it received 35...

Outside the room where Student Government voted on the BDS resolution, students voice frustration over not being allowed entry.

Student Government Passes BDS Resolution After Shouts, Screams and Snaps

Student Senators passed a resolution that would have NYU divest from three companies associated with the Israeli government and institute a “socially responsible” investment policy.
Victor Porcelli, Deputy News Editor December 6, 2018

A resolution that would have NYU divest from companies associated with Israel and institute a socially responsible investment policy passed on Thursday. Of the 63 members of...

The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement hopes to end support for Israel until the country ends occupation of Palestinian territory. (via bdsmovement.net)

Student Government to Vote on BDS Resolution Today

Six students for and against the resolution will voice their thoughts before a vote by secret ballot.
Victor Porcelli, Deputy News Editor December 6, 2018
Six students for and against the resolution will voice their thoughts before a vote by secret ballot.
A screenshot of the video published by Realize Israel. (via facebook.com)

Realize Israel Video Says Jewish Students Feel ‘Threatened, Attacked’

With an upcoming vote in NYU’s student government on a resolution that has been associated with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, pro-Israel feels under attack.
Victor Porcelli, Deputy News Editor December 5, 2018
With an upcoming vote in NYU’s student government on a resolution that has been associated with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, pro-Israel feels under attack.