USAC recap – July 22

This post was updated Aug. 16 at 12:28 a.m.

The Undergraduate Students Association Council approved two constitutional bylaw changes, which added appointments to the transfer student and international student representative offices during its July 22 meeting.

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., though the council will meet biweekly and virtually over the summer. 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:

• There was no public comment at the meeting.

Funding:

• The council did not allocate any funding during the meeting.

Appointments:

• The council appointed Aatmi Mehta, a rising fourth-year public health student, to the Academic Senate Committee on Library and Scholarly Communication.
• The council appointed Jennefer Boulagjame, a rising third-year sociology and philosophy student, to the Academic Senate Faculty Welfare Committee.
• The council reappointed Bethany Tong, a rising fourth-year business economics student and the 2024-25 USAC Finance Committee chair, to the USAC Finance Committee.
• The council appointed Katie Chan, a rising first-year neuroscience student, to the Academic Senate Faculty Executive Committee.
• The council appointed Caitlyn Kim, a rising fourth-year sociology and English student, to the ASUCLA Communications Board.
• The council appointed Andres Gonzalez, a rising third-year political science student, to the Academic Senate Legislative Assembly.

Officer reports:

• President Diego Bollo said he attended the UC Board of Regents’ July meeting, where he gave public comment at the Investments Committee – advocating for academic outreach retention programs and diversity initiatives – as well as criticized the UC’s ban on student government boycotts of countries. He also said that he had a meeting with leadership from the Student Initiated Outreach Center and Campus Retention Committee and UC Student Regent-designates Miguel Craven and Regent Sonya Brooks.
• Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras asked the other officers to send their appointments to the Appointments Review Committee for approval.
• External Vice President Sherry Zhou said her report would be written but did not update her report.
• General Representative Talia Davood said in her written report that she is conducting interviews for positions in her office and is forming a focus group to analyze how student concerns are processed.
• General Representative Jayha Buhs Jackson said she attended the UC Board of Regents’ July meeting and plans to attend its next meeting in September as well. She added that she was invited by a director from the office of UC President James Milliken to join the Mental Health Work Group and is planning the Black Transfer Welcome Event with the Transfer Student Representative office.
• General Representative Brett Berndt said in his written report that he is conducting interviews for positions in his office and is meeting with Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon to discuss housing initiatives.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said he interviewed over 10 people during the week prior to the meeting for leadership roles in his office.
• Campus Events Commissioner Daniel Leal said he is currently planning Bruin Bash, a concert hosted by the CEC along with the Cultural Affairs Commission.
• Community Service Commissioner Edison Chua was not at the meeting and did not update his written report for the week.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said she – alongside Leal – is planning Bruin Bash, as well as the Enormous Activities Fair, which is an annual event held at the start of the school year that showcases over 500 student organizations.
• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang said her office is looking for appointments to the Sustainability Committee and the John Wooden Center Board of Governors.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said he is preparing to release applications for his office and is working with the newly appointed Finance Committee chair on restructuring the Budget Review Committee.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Hannah Yip said her office has been tabling at new student orientation sessions.
• Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon said her office has a housing input form on its Instagram. She has been promoting USAC office applications at new transfer student orientation sessions, she added.
• International Student Representative Keya Tanna was not at the meeting, but Saumya Mahajan, her office’s chief of staff, attended on her behalf. Mahajan said the office has met with ASUCLA and the UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars to broaden legal aid services for international students. She added that the office plans to meet with UCLA Housing to discuss fee waivers for people who stay through new student orientation to the start of the school year and that it has finalized plans for three fall quarter events.

Agenda items:

• The council approved a constitutional bylaw change that added two appointments to the transfer student representative office, one for the Campus Retention Committee and one for the Student Initiated Outreach Committee.
• The council approved a constitutional bylaw change that added two appointments to the international student representative office, one for the Campus Retention Committee and one for the Student Initiated Outreach Committee.