As you may have well heard, the student occupation of New York University (NYU, NYC, NY) ended earlier today with NYU security guards rounding up members of Take Back NYU! (the student organization responsible, and yes they like their exclamation point so don’t take it away from them). NYU admin also served the students with suspension papers and is booting them from student housing. While there’s plenty more to the story (NYU has offered them amnesty as long as they don’t get into more trouble, etc.) it’s pretty clear right now that TBNYU! lost their battle. But there was one winner during the whole debacle: NYULocal.

NYULocal is the official blog of NYU, and it takes a more conversational approach than its more traditional newspaper counterpart, Washington Square News. But the aim is the same: keep students informed — and NYULocal took that to the next level. While other news outlets relied on secondary information and info passed from TBNYU! and NYU administration, NYULocal had one of its writers, Charlie Eisenhood, on the scene. Barricaded in with the protesters, Eisenhood offered frequent and — as much as they could be given his location — uncensored accounts of the goings on.

Eventually Eisenhood was barred from talking about and even listening to TBNYU!’s meetings, but his presence still served a purpose: readers got a more objective look into the events as they happened and discussion was sparked. His posts greatly complimented NYULocal’s coverage of events outside the Kimmel Center and statements made by officials and TBNYU!ers.

If you have time, I suggest going back through their archives and reading about the TBNYU! occupation from the very beginning. It’s not the whole story, but it’s a better look than some media will or can give you.

*Image courtesy of NYULocal.

– Genevieve M. Blaber