USAC Recap – Aug. 5

The Undergraduate Students Association Council passed a resolution calling on the UC to end its ban on student governments boycotting Israel and approved letters to Chancellor Julio Frenk and Gov. Gavin Newsom, which called on them to take action regarding federal research funding cuts during its Aug. 5 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:

• Eli Sepulveda, the chief justice of the USA Judicial Board, spoke about his concern regarding their stipend cuts given USAC’s budget increase and the board’s inability to comment on the cuts before they were made. The USA Judicial Board’s stipends were cut almost in half compared to the 2024-2025 school year, when they were also cut by more than half.

Funding:

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

Appointments:

• The council appointed Natalie Kim, a rising fourth-year computational biology and political science student, to the USAC Community Activities Committee.
• The council appointed Jude Abu Hijleh, a rising third-year economics student, to the USA Judicial Board.
• The council appointed Kevin Avendano, a rising second-year business economics student, to the USAC Community Activities Committee.
• The council appointed Joseph Awad, a rising fourth-year psychology student, to the Academic Senate Undergraduate Council.
• The council appointed Flo Cudal, a labor studies and public affairs student, to the Student Fee Advisory Committee.
• The council appointed Sofia Gevorgian, a rising fourth-year Middle Eastern studies and political science student, to be the USAC Commuter Liaison.
• The council appointed Emily Gomez, a rising fourth-year English student, to the ASUCLA Communications Board.
• The council appointed Michael Griffin, a rising fourth-year biology student, to The Green Initiative Fund.
• The council appointed Rachel Jos, a rising third-year sociology student, to the USA Judicial Board.
• The council appointed Catherine Kan, a rising fourth-year philosophy student, to the Academic Senate Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools.
• The council appointed Emily Kim, a rising third-year business economics student, to the Student Fee Advisory Committee.
• The council appointed Josephine LaCrosse, a third-year history and political science student, to the Academic Senate Undergraduate Council.
• The council appointed Jesse Martinez, a rising second-year environmental science major, to the Green Initiative Fund.
• The council appointed Dante Ray, a rising third-year political science student, to the Green Initiative Fund.
• The council appointed Keisha Reine de Castro, a rising third-year disability studies student to the Academic Senate Committee on Research.
• The council appointed Priscilla Reyes, a rising third-year psychology student, to the Academic Senate General Education Governance Committee.
• The council appointed Riya Singh, a rising third-year psychology student, as a member of the USAC Community Service Mini Fund.
• The council appointed Hyerim Yoon, USAC’s transfer student representative, to the Academic Senate Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Officer reports:

• President Diego Bollo asked that only executives give updates. He said in his written report that he met with ASUCLA Executive Director Pouria Abbassi to discuss goals for the year. He added that he also met with Pamela Lewis, the director of the ASUCLA Student Union Services, to discuss USAC collaborations and support from corporate sponsors. Bollo said he also met with UCSD Student Body President William Simpson regarding the Council of Presidents’ yearly goals, as well as attended the North Westwood Neighborhood Council meeting and met with LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin to discuss transitions to higher education and funding concerns. He added that he also attended the Sepulveda Transit Corridor public hearing and contacted former USAC President Mark Pulido for advice on his term as president.
• Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras said staff applications for his office opened Tuesday. He also thanked the other officers for forwarding appointments to the Appointments Review Committee and asked officers to continue sending candidates for evaluations.
• External Vice President Sherry Zhou said her updates would be written, but did not update her report.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said in his written report that he finalized executive board and directorship applications, initiated the hiring process for ambassadorship positions and developed training materials for his incoming team.
• General Representative Talia Davood said in her written report that she met with Nicole Presley, the senior executive director of UCLA Student Resilience and Mental Health Services, to discuss religious organizations’ needs and how to build unity between the different groups. She said she is also working with various religious organizations on a school calendar inclusive of different faiths.
• General Representative Jayha Buhs Jackson said in her written report that she met with UC Regent Ann Wang to discuss the current campus climate. She added that she also met with UC Student Regent-designate Sonya Brooks regarding Black student representation.
• General Representative Brett Berndt said in his written report that he had meetings to discuss planning for Transferpalooza – a transfer student welcome event, posted on Instagram about the Sepulveda Transit Corridor and will be applying for an appointment to the Transportation Service Advisory Board, which provides UCLA with feedback on transportation services.
• Campus Events Commissioner Daniel Leal said in his written report that he is working on Bruin Bash, a concert hosted by the CEC along with the Cultural Affairs Commission, and is sending out offer letters for the event. He added that he is planning the Enormous Activities Fair, an annual event held at the start of the year, showcasing over 500 student organizations.
• Community Service Commissioner Edison Chua said in his written report that his office will begin reviewing funding guidelines and will finish by the end of September. He added that his office will host a volunteer day Sept. 27.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said in her written report that her office is helping Leal plan Bruin Bash and the Enormous Activities Fair, for which they have reached out to sponsors and are in the process of finalizing graphics. She added that she and Leal are no longer planning Rec Fest – an event featuring UCLA sports and wellness hosted before Bruin Bash – due to scheduling changes.
• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang said in her written report that her office is hiring and that the public comment period for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor will open.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said in his written report that his office began working on bylaw changes for the USA/BOD funding body, to be presented at the next USAC meeting.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Hannah Yip said in her written report that she met with the Transfer Student Representative’s wellness team for potential collaborations and will be meeting with the Ashe Center’s Health Education and Resource Team regarding UC SHIP workshops. She added that she will also be meeting with Presley regarding campus services and that she will continue tabling at new student orientations with the Semel HCI Center, which seeks to promote health on campus. She said she is also finishing up last year’s finances and the commission has started planning and meeting for fall events, recruitment and projects.
• Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon said in her written report that she is working on a survey for community college students in California for event ideas. Yoon added that they will also meet with UC Berkeley’s transfer student representative team for an October panel and are continuing to work on a Black Transfer Welcome event. She said her office is also contacting potential panelists for a transfer housing panel and meeting with their Student Organizations, Leadership & Engagement advisor for financial information for a USAC Rams Game Day.
• International Student Representative Keya Tanna said in her written report that she met with Sam Nahidi, the director of the Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars, to plan an international students’ welcome event and town hall during week one and to discuss strategies for student participation and visibility of services. Tanna added that she met with UCLA Housing to discuss options and negotiated stayover fees for students with international flights. She also wrote that she prepared a brief and an agenda for a “meeting with student legal services to discuss furthering legal access initiative.” She also said that she met with her office directors to discuss their roles and responsibilities, as well as to provide project updates and set priorities for the fall.

Agenda items:

• The council unanimously approved a resolution calling on the UC to rescind its current ban on student governments boycotting Israel.

[Related: USAC approves letter criticizing ban of student governments’ anti-Israel boycotts]

• The council unanimously approved a letter to Chancellor Julio Frenk calling for action regarding recent cuts to federal research funding.

• Lorelei Claxton, an ASUCLA student government support specialist, introduced a report clarifying last year’s USA Judicial Board appointments, two of which were appointed but did not exist within USA’s constitution.

• The council unanimously approved a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom calling for action regarding recent cuts to federal research funding.