USAC recap – Jan. 23

The Undergraduate Students Association Council held its third meeting of January on Tuesday.

USAC is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Council meetings are open to all students and take place in person at the Bruin Viewpoint room and on Zoom every Tuesday at 7 p.m. Students can find the links for the meetings on the agenda posted on the USAC website or watch a livestream on the USAC Live! channel on YouTube.

Public comment:

• Clara Castronovo, the statewide board chair of the California Public Interest Group, said the group will launch its winter quarter campaigns Wednesday. She added that the organization’s Fight Fast Fashion campaign will be holding an event Friday at Kerckhoff Hall.
• A person promoted the Jewish Free Loan Association, an organization that gives interest-free loans to low-income California students.

Funding

• The council allocated $12,923.66 from the Contingency Programming Fund to one USAC entity and 39 non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $3,000 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to two non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $164.92 from the Student Wellness Programming Fund to five non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $1,000 from the Academic Success Referendum Fund to one non-USAC entity.
• The council allocated $3,759 from the Travel Grant Mini Fund to one USAC entity and six non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $66,323.16 from the Undergraduate Students Association/Board of Directors Programming Fund to an unspecified number of entities.

Special Presentations:

• Guy Adams and Scott Chapman, two employees of Associated Students UCLA, gave a presentation on the Bruin One Access program, an initiative to expand the accessibility and affordability of course materials beyond that of the current Inclusive Access program. Chapman said Bruin One Access would save students over $2 million, adding that the program would begin this fall. He said the program would be designed to cover traditional textbooks and course readers and would be covered by financial aid for qualifying students.
• Sarah Khan, the convenience director for the office of General Representative Jonathan Valenzuela Mejia, discussed the logistics and student opinion behind digitizing BruinCards. She said she is still in the process of discussing the idea with the BruinCard office, adding that 98.9% of students surveyed said they “loved the idea.”
• Members of External Vice President Eva Jussim’s state relations team gave a presentation on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2024-25 state budget proposal, which Newsom’s office projected would result in a $38 billion shortfall. They said Newsom proposed deferring the 5% budget increase for the UC system while maintaining a spending increase through internal borrowing and other financing strategies. One staffer added that Newsom’s budget proposal cut funding for homelessness and housing programs and also failed to include funding for the Cal Grant Equity Framework, which would expand Cal Grant eligibility.
• The chair and vice chair of the Student Fee Advisory Committee gave a presentation to encourage students to apply to join SFAC, adding that students may gain financial skills, planning experience and $1,000 per quarter in compensation.
• Interns from the Academic Affairs Commission discussed their fall project, which was to expand awareness and increase accessibility to the Career Center by optimizing communication strategies, creating a virtual option for career fairs and reorganizing the center’s website and social media.

Officer Reports

• Before beginning her remarks on her office’s work, President Naomi Hammonds reminded officers to dedicate their full attention to council meetings while attending virtually in response to confusion and disorganization earlier in the meeting over USA/BOD funding approval. Hammonds said she is holding final interviews for the new dean of students. She added that she met with UCLA Chief of Police John Thomas to ask why the police accountability body is not currently “up and running” at UCLA. Hammonds also said she had a meeting with the Association of Big Ten Students in preparation for her upcoming trip to Ohio, as well as meetings about the university’s updated time, place and manner policies.
• Internal Vice President Megan Law said the Appointments Review Committee is conducting interviews for the position of facilities commissioner and again reminded students to nominate a student who has helped a fellow Bruin in crisis for the True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. Awards, with nominations having been extended to the upcoming weekend. She also noted that the Off-Campus Housing Fair will be held Wednesday.
• A staffer from Jussim’s office filled in for her, noting that she was unavailable for the meeting because of her trip to San Francisco for the UC Board of Regents meeting. The staffer noted that Jussim’s office is currently reviewing Newsom’s budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. She added that Jussim is finalizing her office’s ballot drop-off brief for Los Angeles County and has met with Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck to discuss UCPD’s presence on campus. The staffer also encouraged students who are interested to join the EVP’s lobbying team.
• General Representative Katie Pool was not in attendance. It is unclear as to whether she had an officer report for the meeting, as her officer report document was not accessible to people with the link.
• General Representative Gabrielle Lasry said her announcements were on her officer report document. However, the document linked to the USAC agenda does not appear to have been updated since October.
• Valenzuela Mejia said he will be attending the upcoming Students of Color Conference. He also said his office would continue to supply KN95 masks to students.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Sujana Sridhar said her office accepted an intern class of seven for winter quarter. She added that her office was able to get its Incomplete Notation proposal onto the agenda for the next meeting of the Academic Senate.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Alicia Verdugo was not in attendance. Her written report was not updated for this week.
• Campus Events Commissioner Mason Miller said his office will be holding its Afro-Fest event in collaboration with the Nigerian Student Association on Feb. 3, adding that he is still collaborating with Afrikan Student Union President and Transfer Student Representative Thyra Cobbs for an event later in the quarter.
• Community Service Commissioner Chia Ying Wong said her office will be holding many events in the coming weeks, including a discussion on housing insecurity next week. She added that her office will also be hosting a nonprofit networking night.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Sara Broukhim left the meeting before giving her officer report. According to her written report, she met with Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck, spoke to two people from the Student Government Accounting Office and set up a meeting with someone from the New York Times.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Jennis Kang said her office will be hosting a reproductive health conversation event Thursday. She added that her office plans to open its Peer Support Lounge initiative Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kang said her office’s Body Image Task Force would be hosting an event Friday. She also said another of her office’s task forces would be holding two free Equinox pilates classes Friday, and two of her office’s committees, Sexperts and Active Minds, would be collaborating with UCLA Radio this quarter.
• An intern from Jussim’s office served as a proxy at the meeting for Cobbs, who was also absent to attend the UC Regents meeting. She said UC Transfer Mental Health Week in collaboration with other campuses would begin Feb. 12 and Armenian Awareness Week would be Week 8. She added that Cobbs’ office is planning a Black Transfer Appreciation Week.
• International Student Representative Adam Tfayli said his office held a career event Monday. He also said he met with Cobbs to discuss his office’s planned Black History Month celebration, adding that his office also has been in communication with the UC Student Association International Student Coalition. Tfayli’s office is also collaborating with academic senators at UC Berkeley to plan an annual Arab Student Summit, he said.