USAC Recap – Nov. 10

The Undergraduate Students Association Council discussed community service funding denials and approved a letter supporting people affected by immigration enforcement at its Nov. 10 meeting.

USAC is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Council meetings are open to all students and usually take place Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the Bruin Viewpoint Room and on Zoom. Students can find meeting agendas on the USAC website and watch meetings on the USAC Live! YouTube channel.

Public comment

• Lily Aung – a co-director of Khmer Outreach, Retention, and Education, a student program that provides mentorship and college preparation services to Khmer and other underrepresented young people in Long Beach – said nearly 25 campus organizations have supported a statement challenging USAC’s denial of KORE’s annual funding.

Funding

• The council approved $8,538.33 from the Contingency Programming Fund for 30 non-USAC entities in an 11-0 vote.
• The council allocated $3,393.24 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to two USAC entities and 12 non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $1,073.66 from the Student Wellness Programming Fund to two non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $35,707.52 from the Arts Restoring Community Fund to 30 non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $26,318.42 from The Green Initiative Fund to one USAC entity and five non-USAC entities.

Special presentations

• Kara Haj, a second-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student and On-Campus Housing Council representative, presented plans for Bruinsgiving, a Thanksgiving-themed event organized with USAC. Haj said the event will include desserts, giveaways, crafts and opportunities for students to learn about OCHC and USAC resources. Community Service Commissioner Maya Gheewala said after the presentation that she would help coordinate volunteers for USAC’s table and that President Jayha Buhs Jackson would speak at the event.

Officer reports

• Buhs Jackson said she met with Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Monroe Gorden Jr. about the chancellor’s new task force that would produce a public report on sexual violence at UCLA. She added that she plans to speak at a Nov. 17 rally for the University Council-American Federation of Teachers – a union representing UC lecturers, librarians and other educators – and attend a December bargaining session.
• Internal Vice President Gabi Trujillo said administrators would continue to opt for temporarily funding for the Latinx Success Center following a meeting with her office about establishing permanent funding. Trujillo also said a sexual violence prevention town hall will take place Nov. 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Bruin Viewpoint Room. The town hall will include presentations from representatives for campus sexual violence resources and a discussion of what actions administrators and USAC should take to address the issue.
• External Vice President Cecilia Choy said her office is taking a 15-person group to the November UC Board of Regents meeting at UC San Francisco to oppose the consideration of standardized testing in admissions. Choy is collecting public comment from students on the issue, she added. Choy also said her office’s basic needs farmers market is scheduled for Dec. 1.
• General Representative Evan Salazar said he met with Counseling and Psychological Services about his office’s Safer Westwood initiative, which includes plans to train his staff to respond to situations students may encounter at night. Salazar said he also met with Swipe Out Hunger, a student organization that seeks to address food insecurity through meal swipe donations and advocacy, about a potential collaboration. Salazar added that his office is contacting student organizations about hosting a potential town hall about protections for undocumented students.
• General Representative Pranaya Vijay said her office plans to promote its safety classes at the sexual violence prevention town hall. She added that her office is planning a workshop with the LGBTQ Campus Resource Center and is gathering student input on possible topics for the event, including general safety, restraining orders and interactions with law enforcement.
• General Representative Susie Turner was absent from the meeting. Turner said in her written report that her office is partnering with the Afrikan Student Union for a Tuesday event and will hold poster-making at the Black Community Center on Monday. Turner also said she is working with JusticeLA – a coalition advocating for reduced incarceration and investment in community services – to use data to develop policy recommendations addressing deputy gangs in law enforcement.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Angela Ledesma-Grattarola said she is meeting with professors about the SAT and contacting STEM departments to gather faculty perspectives. She added that she plans to join the external vice president’s delegation to give public comment opposing the test’s use in admissions at the Nov. 17-18 regents meeting.
• Campus Events Commissioner Salem Walsh said Amaria will headline a Friday concert at 7 p.m. in Kerckhoff Grand Salon. Walsh also said she will interview vanillamace – a content creator and livestreamer – at a Wednesday event at 7 p.m. in Schoenberg Hall.
• Gheewala said her office’s applications to travel to the IMPACT Conference – a national conference focused on college student community service and advocacy – will close Nov. 22. She said the commission expects to take approximately 10 to 15 participants to the February conference in Kentucky.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said the Indigenous Expressions Gallery will open Nov. 19 and is accepting artist submissions until Friday. Trewick added that the commission is planning a Nov. 20 event about the intersection of politics and pop culture and a Nov. 30 event focused on sustainability.
• Facilities Commissioner Paige Zwerner said she met with UCLA Transportation about problems with the app used for BruinAccess, UCLA’s transportation service for students and employees with mobility limitations. She asked students to submit screenshots documenting app problems or long waits to her office. Zwerner also said her office is collecting feedback on campus water fountains through a survey and will hold an event with therapy dogs Monday of finals week.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Corea Kim said lab coat returns will begin next week and continue through finals. She added that she is developing a new rental agreement for future quarters.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Daniela Castro said the commission had received more than 200 responses to its basic needs survey and hopes to reach approximately 400 to guide future projects. Castro added that her office is preparing hygiene kits for distribution and has completed a guide to the UC Student Health Insurance Plan that it plans to print and distribute.
• Transfer Student Representative Ashley Ma said she met with transfer representatives from other UC campuses to discuss their priorities. She also said her office will hold a pizza and resource event Friday.
• International Student Representative Charbel Chehade said his office plans to table at Bruins Around the World, an annual event celebrating international students, Tuesday. He added that he plans to meet with international student representatives from other UC campuses through the International Student Alliance.

Agenda items

• The council discussed community service funding denials with Community Activities Committee representatives and KORE. Aung said KORE is preparing an appeal after transportation costs for its on-campus events pushed its application above the committee’s funding limit. Buhs Jackson said she would organize a follow-up meeting with council members, the funding committees and student organizations.
• The council approved a letter supporting people affected by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a 12-0 vote. Trujillo said she drafted the letter after a UC Berkeley student was detained by the agency, adding that the letter supports access to higher education regardless of citizenship or immigration status. She added that she plans to meet with affected communities and student organizations before developing a resolution with specific demands to UCLA and the UC.
• The council removed a proposed divestment bylaw change from its agenda and added a closed session on ASUCLA and divestment bylaws. Buhs Jackson said the session would not involve a vote. At the end of the public portion of the meeting, she announced the council would move into the closed session.