USAC recap – July 9

The Undergraduate Students Association Council held its second meeting of the summer July 9.

USAC is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Council meetings are open to all students and usually 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.

Special presentations:

• Internal Vice President Josh Garland gave a presentation instructing members of the council on how to write USAC resolutions. The presentation included the definition of a resolution, the requirements for a resolution to pass and an example resolution. He encouraged members of the council to write resolutions regarding issues they are passionate about.

Appointments:

• The council appointed Kamea Carson, a rising third-year political science student, to the USA Judicial Board.

• The council appointed Kulsum Hussain, a rising fourth-year political science student, to the USA Judicial Board.

• The council appointed Jeremy Vargas, a rising fourth-year political science student, to the USA Judicial Board.

• The council appointed Allison Perkins, a rising second-year business economics student, to the Community Activities Committee.

• The council appointed Yiran Zhao, a rising second-year sociology student, to the UCLA Committee on LGBTQ Affairs.

Officer reports:

• The council voted to present written officer reports for the week. This did not include the reports from the USAC president, internal and external vice presidents, and academic affairs commissioner, whose offices are required to present verbal reports at each meeting.

• President Adam Tfayli said he attended a meeting of the UCLA Unhoused Task Force on June 27. He added that he met with ASUCLA Services Director Pamela Lewis to discuss solutions for improving student services within USAC and ASUCLA. Tfayli also said he met with Student Government Services Division Manager Jessica Alexander to examine and amend the budget proposed in the meeting. Tfayli added that he also engaged in discussions with UCPD and Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck regarding safety measures for students following a sexual assault at Saxon Suites.

• Garland said he met with the ASUCLA Board of Directors to discuss helping transfer students join the group. Garland also said he attended a phonebanking event to oppose California Senate Bill 1287 – a bill created in response to recent on-campus pro-Palestine protests which would require UC regents to enforce policies prohibiting “violence, harassment, intimidation and discrimination.” Garland added that he organized a Campus Retention Committee meeting to vote on a potential bylaw change regarding transparency in USAC appointments.

• External Vice President Javier Nuñez-Verdugo said they began biweekly meetings with Associate Vice Chancellor of Campus Safety Rick Braziel and other administrators to develop resources for students to understand the university’s guidelines for an “unlawful” protest and to “hold Braziel accountable.” They added that the office of the EVP sent a letter to the CRC that reinforced the office’s commitment to serving Mother Organizations on campus. Nuñez-Verdugo also said they will attend the next meeting of the UC Board of Regents, which takes place July 16 through July 18 at UC San Francisco, to discuss encampment responses and the “attacks on student free speech” with the UC Student Association.

• General Representative Diego Emilio Bollo did not update his office report.

• General Representative Tommy Contreras said in a written report that he co-sponsored the resolution relating to homelessness that the council passed during the meeting. He added in the written report that he organized a joint meeting between USAC and the North Westwood Neighborhood Council’s Community Health & Homelessness Committee.

• General Representative Chris Ramsey said in a written report that he would send out applications for positions in his office later in the week.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said he finished onboarding the AAC’s executive board and began onboarding directors in his office.

• Campus Events Commissioner Robert Hall said in a written report that he and his staff have begun scheduling fall events. He added in the report that he is working with Alexander on the budget for Bruin Bash – an annual concert hosted at the beginning of the academic year.

• Community Service Commissioner Carolyn Wang said in a written report that she held a workshop for her office’s ongoing projects. She added in the report that she set up weekly meetings with the External Programs committee and the Volunteer Center to plan her office’s Volunteer Day, which is tentatively scheduled for October 5.

• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Alicia Verdugo did not update their office report.

• Facilities Commissioner Alexandra Paul said in a written report that she met with members of The Green Initiative Fund to discuss appointments to its committee.

• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said in a written report that he publicized that the free New York Times subscription the council offered to the student body for the 2023-2024 school year would be ending. He added in the report that he is looking into funding options for a new subscription.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Chiara Frank said in a written report she met with a representative from the Ashe Center to discuss potential collaborations with the SWC, including increased health insurance education for students. She added in the report that she met with her office’s Body Image Task Force and Health Nutrition Fitness committee directors, among others, to discuss resources available to students with eating disorders.

• Transfer Student Representative Mona Tavassoli said in a written report that she also worked on the resolution that passed later in the meeting. She added in the report that she met with the SWC to discuss potential collaborations with the committee.

• International Student Representative Syed Tamim Ahmad said in a written report that he met with the director of the Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars to discuss how his office can support the center. He added in the report that he met with a clinician from Counseling and Psychological Services to plan international group therapy services.

Agenda Items:

• Garland introduced a bylaw change to require USAC-appointed committees to submit a written transparency report to the council each quarter.

• The council unanimously passed a “Resolution to Oppose Criminalization and Discriminatory Measures Against Unhoused Individuals” following a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court allowing cities to fine or arrest homeless individuals sleeping outdoors.

• The council approved its budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, which begins Aug. 1. The budget must be approved by the ASUCLA Board of Directors, which next meets Friday.

[Related: USAC approves $10.6M budget, including officer raises, for 2024-2025 fiscal year]