At the Undergraduate Students Association Council meeting, Off Campus Partners presented a proposal to collaborate with UCLA to design a platform that would showcase off-campus housing options for students, faculty and staff.
Public Comment:
- Radha Patel, chair of California Public Interest Research Group and fourth-year sociology student, said CALPIRG hosted a quarterly funding pledge drive during fall quarter that signed up 1,206 new dues-paying members. She added that the pledge drive was part of a campaign to push Gov. Gavin Newsom to commit the state to 100% clean energy sector-wide.
Special Presentations:
- Brittaney Deighan and Tiffany Crosby, directors of University Initiatives Off Campus Partners, presented a proposal for a partnership with UCLA to simplify students’ search for off-campus housing. Deighan said the company works with over 140 colleges and universities across the U.S. to provide a university-branded off-campus housing platform. Crosby added that users can access a range of services on their platform such as viewing rentals currently available, adding a listing, and searching for roommates. She also said students, faculty and staff can sign up for their services through their University credentials.
Allocations:
- The council allocated $6,267.83 from the Contingency Programming Fund to 12 non-USAC entities and one USAC entity.
- The council allocated $1,000 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to one non-USAC organization to fund event organizing and supply costs for health-related events on campus.
- The council allocated $98,970.59 from the board of directors’ allocations to 19 non-USAC entities and one USAC entity for the winter quarter for all funds to help with programming costs of events.
- The council allocated $2,905.10 from the Green Initiative Fund to four non-USAC entities and one USAC entity for projects that promote sustainability within the community.
Reports:
- Internal Vice President Cassandra Gatica said her office’s Institutionalized Events Committee is planning a de-stressing event for week 10 and finals week for students. She also said that her office’s Finance Committee created a resource guide to help students navigate USAC funding opportunities. She said that her office hosted a sexual violence and sexual harassment workshop in collaboration with the UCLA Campus Assault Resources and Education office. She added that her office is in communication with Student Organizations Leadership and Engagement to discuss issues around student organizations being charged to use projectors past 6:30 p.m.
- External Vice President Sarah Wang said that her office’s Civic Engagement committee co-hosted a voter registration drive with Bruins Vote and CALPIRG and is preparing to post Instagram reels covering campus politics. She added that her office’s University Relations committee is working on a press release on CalFresh being accepted on campus. She added that her office’s Menstrual Equity Campaign has been partnering with the Student Wellness Commission and the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center to expand access to free menstrual products around campus.
- General Representative 1 Hailey Valles said her office solidified a team for the Los Angeles Unified School District Youth Mentorship Program, which will be starting winter quarter. She added that her office attended a Learning Management System meeting to discuss collecting student feedback on the transition to Canvas next quarter. She also said that her office’s Mental Health Coalition held its first meeting during week 8 and they discussed changing the name to better reflect holistic wellness. She said that her office met with last year’s transfer student representatives to discuss challenges and academic barriers that parenting students are facing in their transition to in-person instruction, and reached out to the Undergraduate Council to discuss potential accommodations for the next quarter. She added that her office has been supporting American Sign Language students with a crowdfunding campaign for ASL summer intensive classes at UCLA.
- General Representative 2 Passa Pungchai said in a written report that her office is scheduling a meeting with Kelly Schmader, vice chancellor of facilities management, regarding the Boelter Hall Braille Project. She added that Schmader noted that Facilities Management would fund the installment of braille signs in 18 general use classrooms. She also said that her office is planning on presenting to the University of California Committee on Disability about the project. She said her office is communicating with the Student Wellness commissioner about menstrual hygiene products from the Aunt Flow nonprofit. She added that her office’s Social Media Division is working on creating posts about affordable meals in Westwood.
- General Representative 3 Carl King Jr. said in a written report that his office attended a meeting with the Afrikan Student Union to discuss future collaborations. He added that his office conducted a financial literacy workshop on 401ks and IRAs and a mindfulness workshop with a focus on self-care. He said that his office set up a meeting with the Transportation Service Advisory Board for insight on parking and parking passes.
- Campus Events Commissioner Maya Sanghavid said in a written report her office plans to hold a Cordae Album Screening with the Student Committee for the Arts and the office of the Cultural Affairs commissioner in the Northwest Auditorium during week 10.
- Transfer Student Representative Herman Luis Chavez, in a written report, said their office conducted an interview with Daily Bruin regarding the state of higher education for Latino Californians. He also said more transfer students should apply to be a Bruin Ambassador to improve transfer representation in the program that connects with prospective students and explains various paths to UCLA.
