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 purple sketch illustration of a sad girl. In the background are the words “Meal Swipes: 0” written repeatedly.

Opinion: NYU must stop heavily relying on student generosity to provide food security

Instead of depending on Swipe it Forward, the university should take responsibility for addressing food insecurity on campus.
Mehr Kotval, Contributing Writer April 17, 2024

NYU’s meal swipe donation program, Swipe it Forward, is at best a token gesture toward solving food insecurity. The program, which relies on students with meal plans to...

A white and purple N.Y.U. flag and a purple banner that says N.Y.U. Steinhardt is placed side by side on a building wall.

Guest Essay: Steinhardt USG launches food pantry

Tanisha Thakkar is the president of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development’s Undergraduate Student Government.
Tanisha Thakkar, Guest Contributor February 29, 2024

Guest essays reflect opinions from writers beyond WSN. If you’d like to submit a guest essay for consideration, please email [email protected]. Imagine juggling classes,...

Ten students holding a banner that reads “N.Y.U. FEED YOUR STUDENTS” standing side by side in a lobby.

Students demand food security measures in petition to Mills

NYU’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America called for the university to change its approach to food insecurity in a petition delivered to administrators.
Gabrielle Panelo, Contributing Writer February 27, 2024

Around 10 students from NYU’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America gathered at Bobst Library on Monday to deliver a petition addressed to NYU president Linda...

A student’s hand holding an N.Y.U. I.D. card up to a dining hall entrance scanner.

Swipe it Forward expands to include 4 additional dining halls

Bruna Horvath and Adrianna Nehme January 26, 2023

Students can now donate meal swipes at four additional dining hall locations through Swipe it Forward, the Student Government Assembly’s meal swipe donation program. The program...

In front of multiple wooden doors there are four low-rise beds with four males laying down on them.

New York City’s only refugee shelter is out of space

I sat down with We Are Not Afraid staff member Stephanie Gaitan to talk about the state of New York City’s only refugee shelter.
Blake Salesin, Staff Writer December 14, 2022

A seasonably cold and misty day gripped the city early Sunday afternoon. As I looked out my East Village window, I was preparing my desk to conduct an interview, opening my laptop...

A hand holding an N.Y.U. identity card up to a dining hall entrance scanner.

Swipe it Forward meal donation returns, undeterred by red tape

The student-led initiative seeks to combat food insecurity, but its launch has seen NYU Eats struggle to cooperate with the student government.
Yezen Saadah, Staff Writer October 28, 2022

Swipe it Forward, NYU's dining hall meal swipe donation program, returns today. The Student Government Assembly, which runs the program, struggled to work with NYU Eats, the organization...

An illustration of a gray facade which reads “NYU School of Global Public Health”, with a purple banner that reads “NYU” on the right side, all against a pale background.

Women with disabilities more likely to report food insecurity, NYU study finds

A recent NYU School of Global Public Health study found that adult women with disabilities are twice as likely to report poor diets and food insecurity in the United States.
Nina Huang, Contributing Writer September 29, 2022

Female adults with disabilities are more than twice as likely to experience food insecurity in comparison to those without disabilities, according to a recent study from the NYU...

A New York City street in the winter. A pile of garbage covered in snow on the side of the street.

Opinion: Get involved with community service around New York City

Don’t continue romanticizing what the city offers without contributing to making it a better place to live.
Molly Koch, Contributing Writer September 12, 2022

A boy and two girls stand side by side smiling at the camera. Each holds different styles of food shopping bags. Behind them, the green trees of Washington Square Park.

Gallatin first-years mobilize students to donate meal swipes to mutual aid

XR University NYC, revived in March, is challenging students to address issues ranging from climate change to food insecurity.
Tori Morales, Staff Writer May 2, 2022

It’s no secret that NYU has a food insecurity problem. The university’s Swipe it Forward program, which allows students to donate meal swipes that would otherwise go to waste,...

At the Kimmel Center for University Life, a girl sits at a table with a purple tablecloth and a sign that reads “NYU Student Government”. She holds two thumbs up, and behind her there are cardboard boxes and the Commuter Lounge is visible in the background.

Student gov’t distributes 80 meals in 30 mins at V100 food drive

Student Government Assembly members hope the food drive, held as part of NYU’s V100 spirit week in partnership with the Minetta Creek Collective and Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, will push NYU to offer more resources for students facing food insecurity.
Tori Morales, Staff Writer April 21, 2022

Student Government Assembly members handed out prepackaged bags of nonperishable food to students during a food and basic needs drive on Tuesday, April 19. The event, which took...

On an easel, a poster with a dark purple background reads in pink font: “Donate up to 3 meal swipes per day at the following dining halls.” Below in white font, one under the other, it reads: “Downstein, Jasper Kane Cafe, Kosher Eatery, Marketplace at Kimmel, NYU Eats at Lipton, Peet’s Coffee, Palladium, NYU Eats at Third North.” Next to the easel the door of Kimmel Marketplace is open and a dining hall worker is seen in the back.

Opinion: NYU’s Swipe it Forward meal donation program could be great

The meal swipe donation program aims to combat food insecurity in our community, but its inconsistency and confusing logistics are hindering its potential.
Holly Kase, Contributing Writer April 7, 2022

We live in an expensive city, which means eating doesn’t come cheap. A 2019 NYU study surveyed 257 NYU students and found that 41% were experiencing food insecurity. That’s...

A portrait of Eric Adams wearing a gray suit, white collared shirt and navy blue printed tie. He is sitting at a conference table and speaking in front of a royal blue background.

Confronting food insecurity is the key to improving NYC’s health

Mayor Eric Adams has made nutrition a key component of his platform. However, to make lasting improvements to New Yorkers' health, he must address the issue of food insecurity.
Gabby Lozano, Dining Editor March 4, 2022

Despite a brief affair with fish at Rao’s, Mayor Eric Adams is bringing his passion for plant-based foods to city hall and embarking on a quest to improve the health of New Yorkers....