The Undergraduate Students Association Council approved a resolution for Support of Safe Parking and Recognition of Students Experiencing Homelessness. The council appointed several committee members to the Finance Committee and other groups. The council also discussed political party controversy on campus as well as COVID-19 prevention software.
Allocations:
- The council allocated $228.85 to Students for Community Outreach, Promotion, and Education, an organization that provides service in education and health care, for the All Brains website.
- The council allocated $300 to the Biomedical Engineering Society, a bioengineering club, for the BMES career fair.
- The council allocated $312 to the Healthcare Administration Student Association, an organization that teaches students about health care administration, for the Leaders in Health Care panel.
- The council allocated $300 to Samahang Pilipino for its website.
Special Presentations:
- USAC President Naomi Riley presented the USAC Seat at the Table Initiative, which aims to bring student organizations to USAC. The initiative provides an opportunity for student organizations to participate more in the council, know of resources available in the council, and promote full transparency, Riley said. Those who sit at the table will be given an opportunity to speak through the president’s power, Riley added.
- Evan Farrar, the president of Bruin Democrats and a third-year public affairs student, requested $2,000 from USAC funding to donate directly to progressive grassroots initiatives and groups. He added that the Bruin Republicans, an organization that represents the Republican Party, has sparked conflict with Bruin Democrats through racism, transphobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and sexism. Bruin Republicans and America First Bruins at UCLA, a conservative campus group, both pose a physical threat to students on this campus through hateful speech and actions, Farrar said.
- Jong Hyeon Lee, general representative 1, and Po-Shen Loh, a member of the NOVID development team, presented the NOVID app, which is an app that reveals if COVID-19 cases are coming close to the user as time progresses through providing the number of degrees of separation from an infected person. While most COVID-19 information apps protect others from the user, the NOVID app protects users from others, Loh said. Contact tracing typically involves a tedious process and digital tracing is automatic but may allow companies to take your information, Lee said. NOVID utilizes bluetooth tracing and cryptography, which can securely read other users’ COVID-19 exposure levels without taking their personal information, Lee added.
Agenda:
- The council approved updated Supplemental Fund for Service guidelines that reflect COVID-19-specific funding through cancelling in-person events and transportation funding as well as providing care packages.
Appointments:
- The council appointed Brittany Montaño, a fifth-year history and labor studies student to the Transportation Services Advisory Board.
- The council appointed Helen Senchev, a third-year business economics student to the John Wooden Center Board of Governors.
- The council appointed Angelina Quint, a second-year human biology and society and public affairs student to the UCLA Committee on Disability.
- The council appointed Natalee Decker, a fourth-year design media arts student, to the UCLA Committee on Disability.
- The council appointed Samantha Bodger, a second-year public affairs student, to the UCLA Committee on Disability.
- The council appointed Alyssa Hemler, a third-year English student, to the UCLA Committee on Disability.
- The council appointed Adah Perez, a fourth-year public affairs transfer student, to the USAC Finance Committee.
- The council appointed Christine Tseng, a third-year mathematics and economics student, to the USAC Finance Committee.
- The council appointed Joshua Prentice, a second-year business economics student, to the USAC Finance Committee.
- The council appointed Waylen Lam, a third-year economics and accounting student, to the USAC Finance Committee.
- The council appointed Fiona Pan, a second-year psychology and communications student, to the Student Conduct Committee.
- The council appointed Jenny Wang, a third-year economics student, as vice chair to the Finance Committee.
- The council appointed Elizabeth Pham, a second-year pre-human biology and society student, as assistant director to the Budget Review Committee.
Resolutions
- The council approved a resolution that called on UCLA to provide safe parking, bathroom maintenance and security for students who are experiencing homelessness. The resolution supported a proposal from Safe Parking UCLA, a group of UCLA students, that would have UCLA establish a quarterlong pilot program for winter quarter and then determine whether or not to continue the program by the end of spring quarter.
- The council approved a resolution that condemned the layoff of UC workers at the university’s campuses. The resolution also called on UCLA to reinstate and pay workers who were laid off.
Office Reports
- President Naomi Riley said she would be meeting with Chancellor Gene Block on Oct. 9 after having discussed topics such as campus policing, providing free testing for all UCLA students and a lack of jobs for student workers with Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Monroe Gorden Jr. She added that her office is working to finalize a pledge students will sign on MyUCLA regarding public health. She also said her office is aware of the Zoombombing incidents, in which people have interrupted Zoom classes with sexist and racist slurs, and is working with the Academic Senate to address the issue.
- Internal Vice President Emily Hong Van Luong said her office hosted a virtual mentorship event which more than 70 people attended. She added the IVP office is hosting another virtual event on Friday to make event resources and Campus Safety Alliance information more accessible. Students can submit questions to speakers from the UCLA administration, who will answer questions at the event, Luong said.
- External Vice President Aidan Arasasingham said his office is managing BruinsVote, a student campaign to register students to vote. BruinsVote is hosting phone banks every day over the next few weeks and is texting students to make sure they have the necessary resources to vote, Arasasingham said. He also said the Bruins for Prop 16 coalition would begin meeting on Monday.
- Academic Affairs Commissioner Breeze Valazquez said her office met with the Academic Senate to advocate for more lenient grading policy. She added that AAC planned an event during week six with the Career Center to help students plan their academic years. She also said the Graduate Students Association is working with the Academic Senate on a diversity requirement as part of professors receiving their tenure.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Council meetings take place every other Tuesday at 7 p.m. during fall quarter and are open to all students. Summer Fall meetings will take place virtually on Zoom; links for the meetings can be found on the internal vice president’s Facebook page. Watch a livestream of the meetings on the USAC Live! channel on YouTube.
