
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
All content by Yezen Saadah

Filmmaker Mona Benyamin’s dark humor expertly analyzes Palestinian suffering
A series of three short films will screen at Metrograph on Sunday as part of the “Screen Memories” exhibition co-presented by Abrons Arts Center and Artists Alliance Inc.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• March 15, 2025

NYU appoints Title VI coordinator as Trump cracks down on Columbia
The appointee, who served as a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Education, has previously drafted letters referencing complaints that alleged religious discrimination, disability discrimination and sexual harassment against the university.
Dharma Niles and Yezen Saadah
• March 11, 2025

Photo: Opinion: NYU must be more accommodating for Ramadan
March 10, 2025

Alum Sean Baker snags 4 Oscars for ‘Anora,’ including best picture
Five alumni took home a total of seven Academy Awards last night, including best picture, best director, best costume design and best animated feature film.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• March 3, 2025

NYU Langone silent after denying gender-affirming care to 2 children
The medical center, a leading institution for transgender health care, cancelled appointments for children in the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive order earlier this week.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• February 2, 2025

The Soapbox: Housing tax in Spain, the UK to join pan-European agreement, raids 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.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• January 24, 2025

‘Collective punishment’: NYU suspends 13 students after pro-Palestinian sit-in
Multiple students told WSN that the charges misrepresented the December demonstration and criticized the university’s escalated crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• January 23, 2025

Letter from the editor: A reflection on WSN’s mission
It’s my last semester leading the publication, and all I can think about is how proud and hopeful I am for the future of student journalism.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• January 22, 2025

Protesters condemn NYU sanctions against students and faculty, demand divestment
Multiple students and faculty are unable to access university buildings following two pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Bobst Library last week.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• December 19, 2024

2 faculty members arrested at Bobst demonstration
The New York City Police Department arrested at least eight protesters, including faculty, since they began demonstrating outside the library’s entrance early this morning.
Aashna Miharia, Dharma Niles and Yezen Saadah
• December 12, 2024

NYU Law admin threatens pro-Palestinian students with disciplinary action
The student group alleged that the administrator disrupted a silent demonstration, where law students displayed signs accusing NYU of funding “genocide” amid the war in Gaza.
Aashna Miharia and Yezen Saadah
• December 5, 2024

Books beyond Bobst: 2 collections of feminist essays, a critique of U.S. foreign policy and more
Books beyond Bobst is a book-rec column highlighting what NYU students are reading now, outside of their classes. If you’re in need of a new read, look no further.
Alexa Donovan, Mehr Kotval, Yezen Saadah and Eva Mundo
• December 2, 2024

The Soapbox: Farmers protest in France, party dissolution in the UK, pro-democracy leaders arrested in Hong Kong
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.
Anna Baird-Hassell and Yezen Saadah
• November 22, 2024

Staff recs: Men’s beauty products
From Q-tips to home remedies, WSN has you covered with men’s beauty essentials.
Noah Zaldivar, Logan Holland, Jonathan Mak, Yezen Saadah, Dani Biondi, Eleanor Jacobs and Annie Emans
• November 19, 2024

Photo: Opinion: Student activism in the age of Trump
November 14, 2024

Admins talk Trump win at University Senate, while students protest NYU ties to Israel
As members of NYU’s administration discussed how Donald Trump’s victory could impact higher education, dozens of pro-Palestinian students protested the university’s ties to Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• November 8, 2024

Staff Rants: Post-election feelings
WSN staff shares their feelings in light of the 2024 presidential election results.
Yezen Saadah, Alexa Donovan, Kiran Komanduri, Krish Dev, Naisha Roy, Noah Zaldivar, Dani Biondi, Sidney Snider, Anna Baird-Hassell, Dharma Niles and Leila Olukoga
• November 8, 2024

Student gov’t expresses concern over NYU silence on Lebanon
NYU’s student government issued a statement condemning the loss of life in Lebanon and criticizing the university for its “lack of acknowledgment” of the ongoing violence.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• November 1, 2024

Jewish students set up Gaza Solidarity Sukkah in Schwartz Plaza
Campus Safety officers barricaded the plaza soon after a group of students and faculty put up the sukkah, which was built in protest of NYU’s ties to Israel and the war in Gaza.
Aashna Miharia, Dharma Niles and Yezen Saadah
• October 22, 2024

NYFF 62 Review: ‘Blitz’ finds humanity and horror in wartime London
Steve McQueen’s latest — the New York Film Festival’s closing night selection — opens at Film at Lincoln Center on Nov. 1.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• October 15, 2024

NYFF 62 Review: Patriarchy, repression and routine in ‘The Sealed Soil’
Iranian writer-director Marva Nabili’s debut film will be holding an encore at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 9.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• October 7, 2024

The Soapbox: Medical crisis in the Middle East
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.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• October 4, 2024

From Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief:
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• September 30, 2024

NYFF 62 Review: ‘No Other Land’ harrowingly documents displacement
The documentary, created by a Palestinian-Israeli collective, captures just one example of Israel’s systematic assault on occupied Palestinian territories.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• September 30, 2024

Meta suspends NYU PSC’s Instagram account
A university spokesperson said that while NYU did not request the suspension of the account, it did alert Instagram of a post by the People’s Solidarity Coalition which listed armed struggle as an anti-colonial tactic.
Krish Dev and Yezen Saadah
• August 27, 2024

Faculty group to begin service strike on Labor Day
Members of NYU’s Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine will “refuse various forms of labor” until the university fulfills the group’s demands — an ultimatum an NYU spokesperson called “unproductive.”
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• August 26, 2024

Letter from the editor: Welcome to the Washington Square News
As you embark on your academic journey at NYU, trust the Washington Square News to be your most reliable source of all news and culture on and off campus.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• August 7, 2024

NYU reaches ‘confidential settlement’ with students in antisemitism suit
The agreement, which includes the creation of a new Title VI coordinator, marks an end to a nine-month-long lawsuit accusing the university of being indifferent to incidents of antisemitism on campus since the start of the war in Gaza.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• July 9, 2024

Georgina Dopico appointed NYU’s next provost after 2 years as interim
The appointment marks the end of a seven-month international search for a new provost.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• June 18, 2024

NYU Langone CEO Robert Grossman and board chair Kenneth Langone to retire next year
The medical center will conduct a national search for a new CEO, who will succeed Grossman in August 2025.
Dharma Niles and Yezen Saadah
• June 14, 2024

NYU Langone terminates nurse after speech about ‘current genocide in Gaza’
The labor and delivery nurse was fired after saying women in Gaza are “going through unimaginable losses” in an acceptance speech for a compassionate care award.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• May 29, 2024

Faculty group threatens NYU with service strike if demands are not met by fall
A representative for Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine said the university has until Aug. 1 to fulfill the group’s demands, which include the removal of police from campus and pardoning students and faculty facing disciplinary action for their involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• May 24, 2024

Human rights scholar Martha Minow on civil rights, race and gender at commencement
Martha Minow, the former dean of Harvard Law School, delivered this year’s commencement address, during which she highlighted the importance of fighting social injustice and inequality.
Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief
• May 15, 2024

2024 commencement exercises begin at Yankee Stadium
The ceremony comes amid heightened tensions between the university’s administration and pro-Palestinian protesters, and follows cancellations of commencement ceremonies at Columbia University and the University of Southern California.
Bruna Horvath, Carmo Moniz, Dharma Niles and Yezen Saadah
• May 15, 2024

NYU allegedly drops charges against protesters arrested at Gould Plaza
A legal representative for student and faculty protesters also challenged NYU’s report of the number of arrests carried out by police at the encampment.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• May 13, 2024

9 students facing suspension after Bobst demonstration, PSC says
The NYU Palestine Solidarity Coalition also said two students were given persona non grata status on campus after pro-Palestinian demonstrators chanted and held up signs in the library’s lobby.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• May 12, 2024

Hundreds call for cease-fire in Gaza at citywide march
The march preceded the arrests of protesters at the Fashion Institute of Technology’s pro-Palestinian encampment, the last such demonstration on a campus in New York City.
Dharma Niles and Yezen Saadah
• May 8, 2024

Pro-Palestinian groups say disciplinary charges brought against student protesters
The NYU Palestine Solidarity Coalition, along with several other pro-Palestinian groups on campus, said the university had begun disciplinary hearings for student protesters.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• May 7, 2024

Over 5,000 alumni demand NYU remove police from campus, meet protesters’ demands
The group of alumni criticized President Linda Mills’ decision to involve police at two pro-Palestinian encampment protests on campus in the last few weeks.
Dharma Niles and Yezen Saadah
• May 5, 2024

Postdoc terminated after taking down hostage posters
Dozens of faculty have signed open letters criticizing the university’s decision to fire Darren King, a postdoctoral instructor at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences.
Adrianna Nehme and Yezen Saadah
• April 30, 2024

Protesters set up Gaza Solidarity Encampment outside Paulson Center
The encampment is the second to be organized on campus, after the first was swept by police Monday evening.
Adrianna Nehme, Carmo Moniz, Mariapaula Gonzalez and Yezen Saadah
• April 26, 2024

Mills avoids topic of encampment arrests at University Senate
At the University Senate’s most recent meeting, student leaders also suggested an alternative way forward for the student government’s resolution on protecting pro-Palestinian speech, which President Linda Mills appeared to dismiss.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• April 26, 2024

Faculty condemn NYU response to encampment in letters to admins
Dozens of faculty in multiple university departments and at NYU’s School of Law signed letters criticizing the university’s authorization of arrests at Monday’s Gaza Solidarity Encampment.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• April 25, 2024

‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ becomes site of mass arrest at NYU
WSN photographers documented protest and police activity from early morning to late in the evening on Monday, the day the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” was set up in Gould Plaza.
Krish Dev, Manasa Gudavalli, Emily Genova, Yezen Saadah, Matt Petres, Julia Smerling, Lianna O’Grady, Jason Alpert-Wisnia and Samson Tu
• April 23, 2024

Mills breaks silence 15 hours after start of ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’
NYU president Linda Mills criticized protesters in her first statement regarding the encampment, issued alongside Campus Safety head Fountain Walker.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• April 23, 2024

Dozens arrested after NYU authorizes NYPD to sweep Gould Plaza
NYU asked the New York City Police Department to remove protesters from Gould Plaza and take action “accordingly up to and including arrest” in a letter on Monday.
Carmo Moniz and Yezen Saadah
• April 23, 2024

Students and faculty set up pro-Palestinian encampment at Gould Plaza
The demonstration follows similar encampments at Columbia University and Yale University, where student protesters have been arrested.
Adrianna Nehme, Carmo Moniz, Mariapaula Gonzalez, Yezen Saadah and Dharma Niles
• April 22, 2024

‘Symbolic and celebratory’: NYU places No. 1 in D-III winter standings
Following a rather successful winter season, the university is now at the top of the 269 Division III programs across the country.
Jonathan Mak and Yezen Saadah
• April 18, 2024

Former employee suing NYU Langone for disability discrimination
The employee said she was fired after requesting leave due to a breast cancer diagnosis.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• April 11, 2024

Photo: NYU Law drops to No. 9 in U.S. News rankings
April 10, 2024

Photo: Ramadan through the eyes of NYU students
April 1, 2024

Inside the Boxd: ‘Maestro,’ ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ ‘Valhalla Rising’ and ‘Mulholland Drive’
Inside the Boxd is a weekly column documenting WSN staffers’ recent film reviews on Letterboxd. Grab some popcorn and get that watchlist ready!
Anna Baird-Hassell, Emily Genova, Mick Gaw and Yezen Saadah
• March 29, 2024

Review: Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ is rough, buddy
The live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” rarely ever excels as a shot-for-shot remake of the popular cartoon, ultimately frustrating longtime fans of the original.
Carmo Moniz and Yezen Saadah
• March 15, 2024

NYU Langone lawsuit over use of purple in competing advertisements dismissed
A New York court dismissed NYU Langone Health’s “confusing” lawsuit against Northwell Health, which accused the medical center of deceiving patients by using a similar shade of purple in its advertisements.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• March 5, 2024

Off the Radar: Feminism, race and gender in ‘The Big City’
Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “The Big City” is available to stream on Kanopy and Max.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• February 16, 2024

The Soapbox: Agriculture in Europe
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.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• February 9, 2024

Staff Rants: New beginnings or old complaints?
WSN staff shares their thoughts on the beginning of the 2024 spring semester.
Julia Diorio, Molly Koch, Abi Rivera, Yezen Saadah, Ania Keenan, Mick Gaw, Carmo Moniz and Krish Dev
• January 30, 2024

Faculty member robbed near Washington Square Park
A professor was punched and robbed by two individuals near Washington Square Park, after attempting to run away from the suspects.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor
• January 27, 2024

Clerical and technical workers deliver petition for higher wages to Mills
Dozens of NYU’s clerical and technical staff met at Bobst Library yesterday to deliver a petition to President Linda Mills, calling for higher wages and increased benefits in their union’s new contract with the university.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• December 14, 2023

FJP claims NYU ‘forced’ pro-Palestinian students to relocate teach-in
In a letter to administrators, NYU’s chapter of Faculty for Justice in Palestine accused the university of “shutting down” a teach-in planned by a group of graduate students.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• December 11, 2023

Student sexually assaulted outside Alumni Hall
The student was walking into the residence hall when an unidentified suspect “grabbed their buttocks,” according to a Campus Safety email sent to the NYU community earlier this evening.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• December 10, 2023

GSOC accuses NYU of canceling pro-Palestinian events, criticizes disciplinary action
NYU’s graduate student union claimed the university has targeted students and workers for promoting pro-Palestinian speech in a statement in response to the university’s recent student conduct report.
Adrianna Nehme and Yezen Saadah
• December 5, 2023

NYU releases report on student conduct since start of Israel-Hamas war
In a universitywide email sent yesterday, NYU announced that there have been several student conduct cases since the start of the war, with some students being suspended in cases “related to current concerns.”
Bruna Horvath and Yezen Saadah
• December 1, 2023

NYU facing discrimination lawsuit from conservative legal group
An anonymous first-year student at NYU Law filed a lawsuit against the university, accusing the school’s Law Review of discriminating against students on the basis of race and sex, and violating federal law.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• December 1, 2023

Israeli alumni suspend ‘any cooperation’ with NYU over handling of antisemitism on campus
In a letter sent to President Linda Mills and Board of Trustees chair Evan Chesler on Tuesday, the NYU Alumni Club of Israel announced it will suspend “any cooperation or affiliation” with the university until it takes specific action against antisemitism on campus.
Adrianna Nehme and Yezen Saadah
• November 23, 2023

Doctor sues NYU Langone for unlawful termination after Israel-Hamas war-related posts
The lawsuit, filed by the former director of NYU Langone Health’s Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, also accused the medical center of religious discrimination.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• November 20, 2023

NYU to establish center for antisemitism studies with million-dollar donation
The university announced it will establish a Center for the Study of Antisemitism, set to open in the fall 2024 semester. The announcement comes amid heightened tensions over the Israel-Hamas war on campus.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• November 16, 2023

Student gov’t proposals call on NYU to condemn on-campus support for terrorism and protect pro-Palestinian speech
The two resolutions were proposed at a student government meeting, with one demanding that NYU leadership protect pro-Palestinian speech and another condemning on-campus support for terrorism amid the Israel-Hamas war.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• November 10, 2023

Lockdown lifted after shots fired near Tandon
The university reported that shots were fired near its Brooklyn campus Monday afternoon before issuing an all-clear in an emergency alert to the NYU community. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Carmo Moniz and Yezen Saadah
• November 6, 2023

Dorm intruder caught at Third North, escorted to nearby hospital
A trespasser unaffiliated with NYU bypassed security and entered an unlocked dorm at Third Avenue North residence hall Sunday night before being removed from the scene by police and Campus Safety officers.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• October 30, 2023

Staff Rants: Spooky season
Our staff shares their thoughts on Halloween.
Molly Koch, Krish Dev, Julia Diorio, Yezen Saadah, Kevin Wu, Nikkala Kovacevic, Abi Rivera, Naisha Roy and Ania Keenan
• October 27, 2023

NYU announces uptick in Campus Safety and NYPD presence, addresses safety concerns
In an email to students yesterday morning, NYU president Linda Mills announced an increase in Campus Safety and police presence on campus to combat students’ safety concerns amid growing tensions over the Israel-Hamas war.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• October 26, 2023

Students and faculty hold sudden pro-Palestine demonstration in Bobst
The protesters, who are members of Students for Justice in Palestine and the recently-formed Faculty for Justice in Palestine, also called for NYU’s study abroad site in Tel Aviv to be shut down.
Carmo Moniz and Yezen Saadah
• October 20, 2023

The Soapbox: Journalism crisis in the Middle East
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.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• October 20, 2023

Students call on Mills to publicly address Palestinian deaths in Israel-Hamas conflict
On-campus student groups wrote a letter in response to NYU president Linda Mills’ recent universitywide statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict, saying it neglected Palestinian students.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• October 16, 2023

NYFF 61 Review: ‘Poor Things’ comedically and hauntingly explores self-liberation
Yorgos Lanthimos’ newest film is a dark comedy featuring breathtaking production design and stellar ensemble. “Poor Things” is screening at the 61st New York Film Festival on Oct. 12 and Oct. 15.
Mick Gaw and Yezen Saadah
• October 12, 2023

Mills responds to recent Hamas and Israeli attacks
Students at NYU’s Tel Aviv program sheltered amid recent airstrike and rocket attacks from the Israeli military and a militant group in the Gaza Strip, before embarking on a trip to Abu Dhabi.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• October 8, 2023

NYFF 61 Review: The intersection of masculinity and dispossession in ‘The Dupes’
A restoration of “The Dupes” by Egyptian filmmaker Tewfik Saleh will hold its North American premiere at the 61st New York Film Festival on Friday, Oct. 6.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• October 6, 2023

NYU facing gender discrimination lawsuit, upcoming trial
A gender discrimination case brought by a former physician against NYU is slated to go to trial in the next few months.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• October 5, 2023

Chief investment officer steps down after 8 years
NYU’s chief investment officer of eight years officially resigned on Saturday to pursue “another opportunity” outside the university.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• October 2, 2023

NYFF 61 Review: ‘The Boy and the Heron’ and the relationship between loss and discovery
Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film recently premiered at the 61st New York Film Festival in Film at Lincoln Center.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• October 2, 2023

Staff Rants: School-life balance
As the semester starts to kick in, the WSN staff shares their experiences with balancing — or at least trying to balance — their academic and social lives.
Molly Koch, Abi Rivera, Nikkala Kovacevic, Valentina Plevisani, Andrea Lui, Krish Dev, Yezen Saadah and Naisha Roy
• September 29, 2023

Course assistants to receive $1.7 million in missing back pay
NYU recently finalized a yearslong grievance with its graduate student union, which demanded over $1 million in backdated hourly pay for hundreds of course assistants.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• September 21, 2023

Off the Radar: ‘Bicycle Thieves’ blurs the lines between fiction and reality
Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “Bicycle Thieves” is available to stream on Max and Kanopy.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• September 15, 2023

Photo: NYU Grossman buys luxury apartment building for $210 million
September 11, 2023

NYU Langone facing disability discrimination lawsuit
A former NYU Langone patient accused the hospital and another medical center of unlawfully failing to provide her a sign language interpreter while she was in labor.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• September 8, 2023

Review: Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ terrifyingly depicts human ingenuity
The science fiction masterpiece recently screened at the Paris Theater as a part of its “Big & Loud” series.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• September 7, 2023

New School student workers fighting for union recognition
Hundreds of non-unionized student workers at the university are calling for recognition under its student worker union.
Yezen Saadah, News Editor
• September 6, 2023

Photo: NYU leading initiative for migrants seeking asylum
September 6, 2023

Summer recap: What you missed at NYU over the last few months
Linda Mills’ appointment as university president, the U.S. Supreme Court’s strike down of race-sensitive college admissions and more news you missed from over summer break.
Adrianna Nehme, Bruna Horvath, Krish Dev, Maisie Zipfel and Yezen Saadah
• September 5, 2023

Yezen Saadah, Editor-in-Chief • March 15, 2025

Lekhya Kantheti, Deputy News Editor • March 14, 2025

Dylan Henschen, Contributing Writer • March 14, 2025

Levi Langley, Deputy Sports Editor • March 14, 2025

Kaleo Zhu, Contributing Writer • March 14, 2025