This past academic year has been an unprecedented and challenging one for many in the NYU Abu Dhabi community as well as for the world as a whole. As we prepare to embark on a new chapter, the News Desk takes a retrospective look on the ten most pivotal pieces from last year.

Amid chaos wrought by the pandemic, NYU Abu Dhabi students received word right before the start of the new academic year that the format of stipend disbursement would change from cash to a combination of campus-only Falcon Dirhams and special provisions. A result of government policy, this change prompted widespread discussions related to financial inequality and NYUAD’s commitment to student support. With stipend distribution changing once again this year, these conversations are becoming more relevant than ever.

A catastrophic explosion rocked the capital of Lebanon on Aug. 4, killing hundreds and injuring many more. A year later, much of the trauma and responsibilities surrounding the blast remain unresolved. With inadequate government response and support, Beirut and its people are still hurting.

In response to changes in stipend distribution, many students turned their eyes to the student assistantship program. While the university announced that hourly wages would increase and students would be paid timelier, many thought the change was inadequate when compared to their peers at NYU New York. Assistantship wages have been further increased this year, but students continue to bemoan the lack of financial freedom due to stipend changes.

After spending their first semester of college online, around 400 members of the Class of 2024 finally arrived on Saadiyat Island. Although classes continued to take place remotely, first year students were able to get a taste of the campus community and see the friends that they had long been interacting with online. As other members of the class as well as incoming first years arrive this fall, it will be another season of adjustments and new beginnings.

Caught between the crossfires of university administration and the student body, Student Government members bore the brunt of pent-up frustration against administrative policies. Acting as a bridge between both parties, representatives lamented their lack of ability to exert influence over administration and other students’ anger. As NYUAD continues to tout how much resilience and solidarity its community has, perhaps it is high time to extend a little bit more empathy to others.

When the Myanmarese military seized power in a coup, two NYUAD students living in the country found their worlds turned upside down. Speaking to The Gazelle under pseudonyms, they revealed how their lives were wrecked by fear and unrest. The Southeast Asian nation continues to be plagued by political uncertainty and pandemic woes, leaving the students with heavy burdens back home as they finally head to campus.

Despite offering mental health and counseling services on campus, several students found their encounters with NYUAD counselors less than helpful and, in some cases, even harmful. Interviewees recounted how they did not feel supported or cared for during these counseling sessions, prompting conversations about the quality of psychological support offered by the university. More students than ever are now experiencing stress from the pandemic, academics and other issues, making these concerns all the more pressing as we head into another academic year.

After more than a year of remote learning, NYUAD students were finally allowed back in classrooms for limited in-person activity. Many of them expressed a sense of surrealness and gratitude upon returning to physical classes, albeit with stringent testing and virus control measures in place. As the university expects to resume full in-person operations this fall, many students will be returning to in-person instruction after a long time. With precautionary measures such as assigned seating and social distancing, it is safe to say that it will not be the same as pre-pandemic classes.

A group of NYUAD students and alumni published an open letter under “Voices of NYUAD,” criticizing a general lack of tolerance for different voices in the university. Written with the help of right-wing pollster Frank Luntz, the letter specifically called out The Gazelle for not accommodating conservative voices. In a letter from the editors, we affirmed our commitment to engagement while centering marginalized voices, condemning all forms of oppression.

Despite implementing a nation-wide lockdown early on during the pandemic, the Covid-19 situation in India became ever so dire, with cases increasing at an exponential rate and many patients being left without access to oxygen. Members of the Indian community at NYUAD were profoundly affected, from losing family members to the virus to being unable to return home in a precarious time.