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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

A white flag with a purple N.Y.U. logo outside a building.

Ex-NYU finance director pleads guilty in $3.5 million fraud scheme

Cindy Tappe, who worked as an administrator for the university until 2018, will face five years of probation and pay restitution for embezzling around $3.5 million in New York state grants.
Aashna Miharia and Maisie Zipfel February 28, 2024

A former NYU finance director pleaded guilty to diverting around $3.3 million in state funds to fictitious companies and using some of the money — around $660,000 — to pay...

The exterior of N.Y.U. Langone’s Tisch Hospital and the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Pavilion.

Air quality ‘hazardous’ in North Brooklyn, says NYU study

The Grossman School of Medicine recently conducted a study with a neighborhood nonprofit, and found that the air in North Brooklyn contains high levels of hazardous chemicals.
Max Getty, Contributing Writer March 8, 2023

Levels of air contamination in North Brooklyn are “higher than desired for public safety,” according to a recent study conducted by the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and...

The New Jersey side tower of the George Washington Bridge.

Opinion: New York housing programs shouldn’t exclude immigrants

One New York state assemblymember is introducing a bill that would help keep families out of overcrowded shelters, terrible conditions and in homes, regardless of their immigration status. The bill should be passed.
Blake Salesin, Staff Writer December 6, 2022

Many of the families staying at The Hotel Wolcott on West 31st Street in Manhattan’s Midtown are not in the Big Apple for a holiday vacation. They aren’t some of the thousands...

An illustration of a boy looking into an oven. In the oven is a cake shaped like New York state, with alternating blue and red patterns to represent the political party that is in the majority of each electoral district.

Opinion: The red wave did hit New York. Is this the new normal?

New York Republicans made immense gains during the midterm elections. But the results are far from the country’s status quo, where Democrats staved off a greater Republican takeover of congressional seats.
Blake Salesin, Staff Writer November 23, 2022

If you are the type of person who says “My vote doesn’t matter in New York,” consider yourself wrong. It seems that as the dust settles following this year’s midterm elections,...

An illustration of a white voting ballot with a pen writing in black ink. Behind the ballot is the Empire State Building and the larger New York City skyline.

Opinion: New York, make it easier to get on the ballot

New York state lawmakers’ efforts to reform ballot access laws highlight the need to make running for office more accessible.
Michelle Han, Opinion Editor March 4, 2022

Over at New York’s capital, two Democratic state leaders are pushing for legislation to reform the complicated ballot access laws that deter many potential candidates from running...

Gov. Hochul’s administration ended the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The state needs to resume this program with state funding until federal funding can be secured. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Editorial: Hochul should continue funding rent assistance

The New York state government decided to end the Emergency Rental Assistance Program because federal funds are running out. Gov. Kathy Hochul should exhaust state funding while requesting federal assistance to protect the housing insecure.
WSN Editorial Board November 22, 2021

For the past several months, New York has provided rental assistance to state residents struggling during the pandemic. With the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, the state...

New York state Democrats failed to pass initiatives intended to expand voting rights. As a result, barriers to electoral participation will continue to be reinforced. (Photo by Katherine Chan)

Editorial: New York Democrats failed to protect voting rights

New York Republicans launched a well-funded campaign to defeat voting rights ballot initiatives. Democrats did not respond with the same effort or coordination. As a result, barriers to electoral participation, particularly for young people, will be upheld.
WSN Editorial Board November 15, 2021

New York Democrats failed to launch a coordinated campaign to protect voting rights through ballot Proposals 3 and 4 this November, leading to their rejection by voters. As New...

On August 24, Kathy Hochul was sworn in as New York’s first female governor after the resignation of Andrew Cuomo due to sexual harassment reports. Her governorship is historic for women in New York state politics. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Cuomo’s fall, Hochul’s rise: Sexual harassment scandal brings New York its first female governor

After corroborated sexual harassment allegations that led to Andrew Cuomo’s resignation, Kathy Hochul’s ascent to the governorship marks a new era for women in N.Y. state politics.
Gianna Jirak and Rachel Fadem September 2, 2021

Kathy Hochul, New York’s first female governor, was sworn in on Aug. 24. She succeeds fellow Democrat Andrew Cuomo, who resigned after a report by the state attorney general’s...

The Fund Excluded Workers Coalition set up a strike at Judson Memorial Church. Workers deemed ineligible for NY unemployment benefits enter the fourth week of a hunger strike. (Staff Photo by Arnav Binaykia)

Workers enter fourth week of hunger strike, protesting lack of unemployment benefits

Undocumented and recently incarcerated workers barred from accessing New York state unemployment benefits have been on an indefinite hunger strike since March 16.
Arnav Binaykia, Deputy News Editor April 6, 2021

Workers excluded from government financial assistance during the pandemic completed their 21st day of an indefinite hunger strike on April 5. The group of strikers, which includes...

There are many ways to smoke weed, including rolling a joint. Marijuana is now legal in New York. (Photo by Alina Patrick)

New York state bill legalizes recreational marijuana

Activists say that the bill, which will also expunge convictions for marijuana possession, aims to address some of the havoc wreaked by the war on drugs.
Rachel Fadem, Staff Writer April 2, 2021

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law to legalize the use of recreational marijuana for individuals aged 21 and older on March 31. The bill also expunged the records of those...

New Yorkers Don’t Deserve Petty Politics

New Yorkers Don’t Deserve Petty Politics

The recent feud between Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio shows disunified leadership only hurts coronavirus efforts.
WSN Editorial Board April 12, 2020

On Saturday, April 11, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio closed public schools for the remainder of the academic year due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus as...

Survivors of Abuse Are Not Safe in Quarantine

Survivors of Abuse Are Not Safe in Quarantine

As New York has issued stay-at-home orders, it has simultaneously endangered survivors of domestic violence, trapping them at home with no means of escape. The government needs to take urgent action to protect survivors, not subject them to more trauma.
Asha Ramachandran, Deputy Opinion Editor April 9, 2020

Content warning: this article contains mentions of domestic violence. The coronavirus pandemic and government-imposed lockdowns have made surviving increasingly difficult and...