Given rising costs and taxes associated with certain payment methods, many shoppers at the Union Square Farmers Market debate which they should use. 

Many of the stands that accept card payments use Square, a transaction service that processes a variety of payment forms. For all payments besides cash, there is an additional service fee that varies from 2.6% to 3.5% of the total price, according to Square. 

Businesses must adjust their prices and strategies to combat this loss of sales taken by using a platform such as Square. 

Luisa Mei, an employee at the Fledging Crow vegetable stand, shared that the company uses Square. Luisa says that there is an even divide between cash and electronic payments in the market. 

“Since we use Square, they take a certain percentage through processing fees,” Luisa says.“It doesn’t seem like a lot, but at the end of the day, we do lose a couple of hundred dollars from the Square fee each time we have a market.”

Companies that use Square are subjected to these fees, and many have implemented a service fee for customers to reflect this additional charge. Lobsang Tseten, an employee of a maple syrup stand, explains how this affects business. 

“We had to implement the charge after we were losing money due to the transaction fees,” Lobsang says. “Every time I mention it to customers, people would rather pay cash. It surely changes their transaction behavior.”

He notes that a majority of payments are card or mobile transactions, and that cash remains the least common form of transaction. Electronic payment has become more and more accessible to shoppers, especially after the Coronavirus pandemic. Many businesses and customers prefer to handle their payment method, even using no-contact forms to purchase commodities, such as Apple and Google Pay. 

 Isadora, 20 and a frequent shopper at the Union Square farmers market, shares her strategy for payment methods. 

Isadora saves her cash for stands that are cash-only and uses her card to cover the cost at stands that accept the payment method.

“The transaction fees don’t bother me since it is much easier to tap to pay when I always carry my phone on me anyways,” Luisa says. “Cash, I have to go out of my way to get it.” 

As electronic payment becomes more and more accessible to shoppers, many depend on this form of payment simply for its convenience. On the contrary, some shoppers stick to cash. This is a dependable form of payment, as most stands at the farmers market accept cash and card – some even are cash-only. Katarina, 40, visits the market each Saturday to get produce. 

“I prefer cash because it is better for the companies at the stands,” Katarina says.” It just makes it easier, and you save money by not having to pay the additional fees.”

An increasing number of security breaches have occurred at residence halls at New York University, leading President Andrew Hamilton to demand an evaluation of current security practices and protocols. 

In November alone, four residence halls saw intruders that made their way past security – including a guard, turnstile, and ID requirement. This included Coral Towers, Alumni Hall, Lafayette, and Third North, as reported by the Washington Square News – a student-run newspaper at New York University. The paper also notes that five additional incidents of trespassing were reported to the Campus Security Department. 

Campus security is an increasingly important measure of safety for students in New York City, especially with many concerned with rising crime rates. According to CompStat, a weekly report by the Police Department of New York City, the 6th Precinct in Manhattan saw a 52% increase in crime this year compared to 2021. This area includes the Washington Square area, where many students spend their time on campus. 

On November 30, Fountain Walker – Vice President of Global Campus Safety – sent an email to students living in residence halls in response to trending security evasions in the dorms. Walker explained that the increase in situations was a cause for concern for the university. 

“The residence halls are your homes while you are at NYU,” Walker says in the email. “We’re not going to forget about or disregard what’s happened.”

The incidents have garnered attention from the New York University community, with many students feeling uneasy and concerned about the increasing number of similar situations. The Washington Square News reports that one situation included an intruder who was not identified by campus security or the New York City Police Department, despite an eight-hour search. The intruder made their way into Third North, which houses approximately 950 first-year students at New York University. 

It is suspected that the intruder gained building access through a secondary entrance, and the search was unsuccessful. Dina Heyward has been a Campus Safety officer at New York University for 22 years and describes how in her experience, there have been various incidents across dormitories where an intruder enters through this kind of secondary entrance.

“For the security to be at its best, everyone needs to be on the same page,” Heyward says. “That is something the department lacks.” 

Heyward describes that security breaches have become incredibly popular since the pandemic, compared to her years of previous experience at NYU. With many dorms having secondary entrances for vendors and other contractors, these exits provide an opportunity for an outsider to gain access to the building. She also notes that Campus Security officers are requested to report a situation, rather than leaving the security desk and becoming involved in a situation. 

Another incident involved the same individual who evaded security at not one, but two NYU residence halls on November 1, including Coral Towers and Alumni Hall. The Washington Square News reports that the man, who is not affiliated with the university, first entered Alumni Hall. The man was apprehended by Campus Safety officers and removed from the building.

Later the same night, the individual evaded security at Coral Towers following his removal from Alumni Hall. New York City police officers responded to the incident and removed the suspect from the scene. Not being affiliated with the university did not stop this intruder from evading security measures at both dormitories. 

Student concern is closely related to the response of the Campus Safety department. Many note that the department is slow to inform residents about an incident, often citing it in an email or text many hours – or even days – later. 

Sahar Bueno-Abdala, a resident at Alumni Hall, expressed concern over the fact that it took an additional two days for the security department to send a note explaining to residents the incident in Alumni Hall and Coral Tower. Students were encouraged to remain alert and keep doors locked at all times. 

“To keep students safe, it should be required that security officers inform us as soon as a situation is reported, so we can all remain safe and be aware of what is happening in the place we live,” Bueno-Abdala said. 

Bueno-Abdala is not a stranger to the reality of a stranger intruding on security at New York University dorms. During her first year at university, she lived in Rubin Hall. In April of last year, a man entered and was out of the building multiple times over many days. Although this situation was reported, the intruder still successfully entered and re-entered the building, according to an article by Washington Square News. 

“It was difficult to be at the center of such a stressful situation, considering I was barely adjusting to my first year in college,” Bueno-Abdala says. 

She explains that last year’s Rubin incident already gave her an uneasy feeling going into this school year, which only heightened following the intruder in her dorm, Alumni Hall. 

“I don’t feel safe going out and about in the city as is, this is the one place where I should always feel comfortable, but I just can’t,” Bueno-Abdala says. ‘It makes it difficult to put my trust in Campus Security when they promise they act in the best interest of their students.” 

Campus safety is important at any school, especially at New York University. Located in the heart of Manhattan, the campus is vulnerable to these situations and is tasked with finding solutions to keep students safe. Lisa Shawver, a parent of a New York University freshman, shares her concerns. 

“I find it absurd that tuition at this school is higher than most, and there is certainly the resources to ensure that all students are safe and protected while on campus,” Shawver said.

She explains that her daughter lives in Third North, and following the security breach in November, Shawver remains concerned for her safety. 

“As a parent, it’s difficult to be in a different state and hear about multiple instances of security evasions,” Shawver said. “It’s troubling.”

President Andy Hamilton called for a review of protocols, including the number of officers on duty, turnstile logistics, and outside vendor entrances into buildings. The layout of building entrances and security protocols will be examined, in light of the increasing number of security evasions in the dormitories. 

“We need to learn from these trespasses, and prevent further unauthorized intrusions,” Walker wrote in the email sent to residents on November 3.