In celebration of The Gazelle’s 150th Issue, we have decided to re-publish a number of archived articles we consider critical to the contemporary NYU Abu Dhabi student experience. Searching through The Gazelle’s archives, we were struck by how many of NYUAD’s most historically contentious and pressing issues remain as relevant today as when they were originally published.

In line with The Gazelle’s original mission – “giving a public voice to the student body at NYUAD” – we published an editorial last semester encouraging the community to utilize The Gazelle as a platform for bringing campus debates onto a more structurally formal and nuanced platform than Facebook. Since then, we have come to realize that despite the number of passionate, proactive students who are educated about issues on campus these groups often meet institutional limitations or a lack of support. Although community members are invited to express their opinions at forums and meetings, few consequential steps or actions are taken to change policies or processes despite clear student advocacy.

Some critical past examples include articles about the alarming inadequacy of sex education on campus, uncertainty about the limits of academic freedom and the relationship between NYU, NYUAD and NYUAD’s external partners. While some laudable efforts and programming have been undertaken in these areas, they remain salient.

However limited, in order to continue a culture of student activism on important issues, students must have access to consequential and comprehensive information from the beginning of their experience at NYUAD. Equipping students to actualize change is dependent on having a fully informed student body. Moreover, applicants should know the realities of life at NYUAD and in the UAE in order to make an informed decision about whether or not to attend. During their time here, students need to be clearly informed about this institution and its relation to external stakeholders. Without transparency, students cannot fully understand the actionable steps that can be taken. While many rightly point to the transiency of students as an obstacle, the free availability of information concerning NYUAD’s institutional positions and policies prevent students from fully educating themselves.

The first few classes of students came to this university due in part to the prospect of building something. While NYUAD’s reputation grows and student’s reasons for applying change, this project is far from over. We hope that the articles published over the course of this semester will reflect not only the voices of students, but also report on instances where the issues raised by The Gazelle are acted upon as result of administrative and student collaboration.