Graphic by Sana Amin/The Gazelle

NEW YORK CITY, USA — On Feb. 4, Andrew Hamilton sat down with a group of NYU student journalists to discuss the plans he has for his presidency. In January 2016, Hamilton took his position as the President of NYU after leaving his role as Vice Provost of the University of Oxford.

Hamilton began his educational career as an assistant professor of chemistry at Princeton University, and has continued on an upward trajectory in university administration while maintaining his position as an academic. At NYU, he will continue to participate in research and teach in the chemistry department.

Dressed neat in a business suit and purple tie, Hamilton described his plans for the first weeks of his presidency.

“I’m trying to meet as many faculty, staff and students as I can to hear what their view of NYU in 2016 is and not to go back and rehash what happened in 2013 but to look forward,” said Hamilton referring to the vote of no confidence that was passed against John Sexton, NYU’s last president, during his tenure.

Hamilton reiterated his support for the growth of NYU Abu Dhabi.

“Abu Dhabi is in a very much startup phase, the number of students has not reached even a thousand yet and we know that the newly built campus has a capacity for more,” said Hamilton. “One of my main priorities with NYUAD is to ensure that the progress that has been made will continue on.”

Hamilton stated that his first priority as president is to integrate the voices of NYU's three campuses. Throughout the conference, Hamilton reiterated the importance of connecting the main campus in New York to the portal campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai through research initiatives and communication with faculty committees.

Other issues brought up during the conversation focused on the renovations to the presidential penthouse, which are estimated to be at 1.1 million USD. During Sexton’s period, tuition hikes and student debts were major concerns among NYU students. News of the penthouse renovation was met with widespread critique.

“I had no role in this decision, which was made by the Board of Trustees,” explained Hamilton.

“The article quite rightly laid out that the renovation of the Presidential apartment would be used by the incoming president and all future for the kind of official functions that take place in every university.”

Hamilton emphasised the need for efficient use of university resources and the importance of making NYU more affordable for students.

“I will be prioritizing fundraising for financial aid. I am very pleased that NYU, in the past couple years, has highly focused on the Momentum campaign to tackle financial aid to those who need it most,” said Hamilton. “This will continue on.”

Hamilton additionally commented on academic censorship, an issue both NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai have been criticized for in U.S. media.

“I will seek to maintain academic freedom as a very critical part of the way in which all of the campuses at NYU function,” said Hamilton. “My discussions with all of those involved in Shanghai and Abu Dhabi at the present time give me confidence that the teaching mission and the research mission at the portal campuses is open and is free and there has not been outside interference to inhibit the choice of research topics or the way classes are taught.”

He stressed upon the fact that academic censorship comes in various forms and that these issues are also prevalent within the U.S.

“There are some very troubling issues of academic freedom in the U.S. itself,” explained Hamilton. “Where congressional interference in the funding of research projects by the National Science Foundation, particularly in the area of the social science, interference by politicians in the choice of topics to be researched. So, issues of academic freedom arise in many centers and we must always remain vigilant.”

Hamilton will be visiting NYUAD in March to attend one of the candidate weekends for NYUAD’s Class of 2020.