NYC NOW - April 24, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: April 24, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: Columbia University president Minouche Shafik is facing calls to resign from supporters of both sides of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Meanwhile, Staten Island City Councilmember Kamillah Hanks is urging the MTA to ensure the borough gets its fair share of OMNY vending machines. Plus, the New York State budget makes completing the FAFSA mandatory for all New York high school seniors.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Wednesday, April 24th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. Columbia University President Manu Sheffig is facing calls to resign from both sides of the Israel-Gaza conflict as you've been hearing. WNYC's Ramsey-Khalifa reports on the challenges facing the first woman to lead the New York City's only Ivy League University. Some faculty members at Columbia University say Shafiq's got to go. She has forfeited the privilege to leave this great university.

That's Christopher Brown, a professor of history who supports the pro-Palestinian protesters. Shafiq has fared better than other Ivy League leaders since the October 7th attack by Hamas militants in Israel, in that she's still in her role despite criticism. Last week's mass arrest did not fare well for her reputation. Some, like John Goodkin says, Shafiq's time is up because she is not aggressively fought anti-Semitism. He's been protesting outside Colombia. She's a disgrace and she should resign in disgrace. The university says Shafik is focused on de-escalating the rancor on campus. As you've been hearing, Columbia had set a midnight deadline for student protest is to clear

an ending encampment on the university's west lawn, but students remain there this morning as talks with university are still underway. Has Staten Island City Council members urging the MTA to ensure the borough gets its fair share of Omni vending machines. Councilmember Camilla Hanks called on the transit agency to ensure all five boroughs have at least 30 machines each. The MTA has been installing Omni vending machines at subway stations across the city and its campaign to phase out metro cards as New York City's transit fairs payment system. An MTA's spokesperson says not needing the machines is part of the benefits of the Omni

system. They say those who don't have machines. near them can buy them in stores throughout the city. This year's New York State Budget makes completing the FAFSA Universal for all New York High School seniors. The push comes after the launch of the new federal FAFSA form, which led to delays for many students and families and for schools to assemble financial aid packets. The FAFSA is a free application for federal student aid that can help students pay for

college. State officials say New York high school students left more than $200 million in federal aid unclaimed by not filling out the FAFSA last year. Governor Hoke was also launching a public awareness campaign for social media to encourage students to complete the FAFSA application. 52 with clouds out there now. Scattered showers mainly this afternoon, mostly cloudy and 67 and gusty today. This is WNYC.

Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day, your top news headlines and occasional deep dives and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.