USAC recap – April 9

The Undergraduate Students Association Council held its second meeting of spring quarter 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 California Public Interest Research Group Students, said the group will kick off its spring quarter campaigns Wednesday. She added that CALPIRG’s federal lobby day is happening next week, during which the group will lobby for bills on topics such as environmental issues and food waste.
• A representative for the Ballet Company at UCLA claimed that UCLA Recreation barred the group from holding free classes at the John Wooden Center, as Recreation offers paid ballet classes, though only up to the intermediate level. Alleging unfair treatment, they asked the board about protections for clubs against action by UCLA Recreation.
• A representative from CALPIRG provided updates on the group’s federal-level efforts on the affordability of textbooks. They expressed optimism at President Joe Biden’s administration’s stance against automatic billing systems, such as the current Inclusive Access system.
• A director in the Office of the Transfer Student Representative said they have not received the stipend they were promised. They praised Transfer Student Representative Meagan Harmon for her surplus funding proposal – which was presented later in the meeting – to pay the promised stipends to staffers in the office and called on USAC officers to support the proposal.

Funding:

• The council allocated $12,665.33 from the Contingency Programming Fund to two USAC entities and 44 non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $2,650 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to three non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $3,640.70 from the Student Wellness Commission Programming Fund to one USAC entity and 17 non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $7,080.82 from the Travel Grant Mini Fund to five individuals.
• The council allocated $14,760.27 from The Green Initiative Fund to one non-USAC entity.
• The council allocated $4,500 from the Undergraduate Students Association/Board of Directors Programming Fund to two non-USAC entities.

Special Presentation:

• My-Lan Le, the chair of the USA Elections Board, presented the final ballot for the upcoming USAC officer elections, which includes the candidates and referendum on the ballot. She also asked the council to appoint her staff by next week in order to keep up with the office’s duties during the election season.

Officer reports:

• President Naomi Hammonds said she returned Tuesday from the Black Student Lobby Day in Sacramento. She added that she scheduled her quarterly meeting with the Academic Senate and is scheduling a meeting with leadership from Bruin Parenting Scholars. She also said her staff is finalizing its spring quarter initiatives.
• Internal Vice President Megan Law said her office is preparing projects for the rest of her term.
• External Vice President Eva Jussim said her office is sending 16 people to Washington, D.C., for UC Hill Day, a UC-wide federal lobbying effort this weekend. She added that her office is scheduling meetings with many federal legislators, including United States Senators Laphonza Butler and Alex Padilla from California.
• General Representative Katie Pool said in her written report that her office is finalizing details for its Investments Financial Literacy Night, as well as reaching out to engineers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for an engineering-oriented event. She added that her office is also working to ensure a smooth transition for her successor.
• General Representative Gabby Lasry did not provide verbal updates, but her written report said that her office mapped out the tasks she hopes to accomplish by the end of spring quarter.
• General Representative Jonathan Valenzuela Mejia said his office will be hosting a Latine caucus, along with a Latinx student town hall later this quarter. He added that his office is also working to ensure a smooth transition for his successor.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Sujana Sridhar was not in attendance, and her written report was not updated for the week.
• Campus Events Commissioner Mason Miller did not provide updates, and his written report was not updated for the week.
• Community Service Commissioner Chia Ying Wong said her office is hosting its annual Service Impact Summit to celebrate advocates and service leaders at UCLA.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Alicia Verdugo said her office’s WorldFest week is next week. It will include showcases of Latinx culture and cultural recipes and collaborations with the American Indian Student Association and Middle Eastern Student Association. She also discussed her office’s other planned events for spring quarter, including a music industry panel with an alumnus from her office and her office’s Carnival event.
• A staffer for Facilities Commissioner Nilaya Kanuri said her office will be holding a Mobilizing for Mobility event to advocate for fare-free transit initiatives across California, along with other transportation-oriented events, on April 18.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Sara Broukhim declined to give a verbal report and said her updates were written. Her written report was not updated for the week.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Jennis Kang said her office and the Disabled Student Union have been implementing new marketing and educational materials on COVID-19 resources and guidelines. She added that her office’s Bruin Health Week will be next week.
• Harmon said her office released internship applications. She added that her office will be holding a fundraiser April 19 with Honey Krush in Westwood.
• International Student Representative Adam Tfayli said he provided written updates in his officer report. His written report was not updated for the week.

Agenda items

• Verdugo presented to the council the guidelines for her office’s Community Fund, including limits on and proper use of funding. The council unanimously approved these guidelines.
• Hammonds proposed an update to USA/BOD surplus funding allocation guidelines to allow organizations to apply up to three times per quarter for funding, an increase from the previous limit of two. The council unanimously approved the guidelines.
• The council unanimously approved surplus funding allocations of $12,687.95 to resolve outstanding expenses for the current fiscal year.
• The council unanimously approved surplus funding allocations to Harmon’s office, including $8,250 for stipends for directors in the office, $1,000 for the the office’s attendance at Transfer Bruin Day, $2,435.91 for Transfer Appreciation Week, $11,000 for graduation materials for transfer students – including caps, gowns and graduation photos – and $2,250 for a Transfer Staff Appreciation Night.
• The council unanimously approved a surplus funding allocation of $83,005.17 to the ASUCLA Board of Directors Programming Fund, which aids in costs for events hosted by student organizations.
• The council unanimously approved a surplus funding allocation of $17,500 to pay for caps and gowns for some graduating students.
• The council unanimously approved surplus funding allocations of $7,500 for a Latinx student town hall event, $42,300 for a Latinx Bienvenida student welcome event and $7,500 for a launch event for the Latinx Success Center.