USAC recap – Oct. 21

This post was updated Nov. 2 at 10:04 p.m.

The Undergraduate Students Association Council cut the Facilities Commissioner’s disability committee and allocated over $11,000 to student groups at its meeting Oct. 21.

USAC is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Meetings take place every Tuesday at 7 p.m. and are open to all students. The meetings are held in person at the Bruin Viewpoint Room and are livestreamed and published online. Students can access links for the meetings and agenda posted on the USAC website under the Documents tab or watch a livestream on the USAC Live! channel on YouTube.

Public comment:

• Eli Sepulveda, the chief justice of the USA Judicial Board, said the board is working on a guide cut on how students can file petitions to it, adding that he has noticed that students often do not know how to do so.

• A representative from the UCLA chapter of the California Public Interest Research Group said the organization hosted an environmental career panel, at which speakers discussed careers and environmental policy. She added that CALPIRG volunteered at a food bank in Santa Monica and hosted a clothing repair workshop the week prior. The representative said CALPIRG is hosting multiple events next week, including a clothing repair workshop, a beach clean-up and a petition drive for its “Save The Bees” campaign. They added that CALPIRG’s pledge drive will occur during weeks five and six to gather student support for a $10 fee added to their tuition that would go toward its “Save The Bees” campaign.

Funding:

• The council allocated $6,928 from the Capital Contingency Fund to 35 non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $2,860.66 from the Travel Grant Mini Fund to one USAC entity and three non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $2,401.31 from The Green Initiative Fund to four non-USAC entities.

Special presentations:

• Angela Ledesma-Grattarola, the chief of senate of the Academic Senate Student Leadership, and co-assistant chiefs Tracy Le and Arman Aksu, gave a presentation about the Academic Senate Student Leadership. Ledesma-Grattarola, a third-year public affairs and political science student, said the Academic Senate informs and advises the UCLA administration with student and faculty input. She added that the Senate also has authority over curriculum and enrollment policies at UCLA, including departmental enrollment procedural changes and pre-enrollment syllabus transparency. Le, a fourth-year political science student, said there are 14 committees, including the undergraduate counsel and Legislative Assembly, which propose and enact policy changes. Aksu, a second-year psychology student, said the Senate’s initiatives include increasing transparency among senators, as well as adjusting PTE procedures and priority enrollment. Ledesma-Grattarola said students can contact ASSL by email or a senate commentary form.

Appointments:

• The council appointed Riley Harrison, a second-year history and public affairs student, to the Transportation Advisory Committee.

• The council appointed Sofia Bruno, a second-year psychology student, to the Data Governance Committee.

• The council appointed Keya Tanna, a fourth-year psychology student, to the John Wooden Board of Governors.

• The council appointed Julia Kowalski, a third-year business economics student, to the John Wooden Board of Governors.

• The council appointed Claire Koerber, a second-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student, to the John Wooden Board of Governors.

• The council appointed Samantha Reavis, a third-year ethnomusicology student, to the Drug Free Schools Committee.

Officer reports:

• President Diego Bollo said his updates would be written.

• Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras said his updates would be written but did not update his written report.

• External Vice President Sherry Zhou said her office hosted a Proposition 50 town hall in partnership with the external vice president of the Graduate Students Association on Oct. 22.

• General Representative Talia Davood said her office is collaborating with Legal Underground, a pre-law social club, for an LSAT workshop. She added that she had a USAC officer meet and greet picnic on Janss Steps last week.

• General Representative Jayha Buhs Jackson said in her written report that her office attended the Basic Needs event Oct. 23 and continued research about students’ basic needs. She added that her office will table with UCLA Swipes, Bruin Dine and Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon on Oct. 30. Buhs Jackson said she will support United Auto Workers Local 4811 – a union representing academic student employees, graduate student researchers, student services and advising professionals, postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers – in its upcoming advocacy efforts. She added that Financial Literacy Night is Oct. 29 and that her office will host a UC Board of Regents Teach-In with Zhou on Nov. 10. She said her office will also collaborate with Zhou to host a Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Teach-in on Nov. 12.

• General Representative Brett Berndt said his office collaborated with other USAC offices to host a Basic Needs Fest in Bruin Plaza on Oct. 23.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said in his written report that his office proposed a new fundraising initiative, “Dancing with the Bruins,” to support local non-profits. He added that his office is working to advance transparency initiatives and met with the Academic Senate to discuss academic policy and shared governance. He also said in the written report that his office met with the UCLA Center for Community Engagement to further a research initiative for community-based scholarship.

• Campus Events Commissioner Daniel Leal said his office hosted a screening of “A Woman Under the Influence” – a 1974 film that explores mental illness and marital instability – to kick off its Retroactive LA Film Series on Oct. 23. He added that his office is hosting a Nectar Live Dating Show in Ackerman Grand Ballroom on Nov. 4, the first of its speaker series events.

• Community Service Commissioner Edison Chua said he would co-host the Basic Needs Fair on Oct. 23 and that the Community Service Mini Fund applications would close Oct. 21.

• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said her office would be at the Basic Needs Fair to promote the Cultural Affairs Commission Art Series. The CAC Art Series focuses on political, social and cultural education through art and plans to conduct a community art project in the future. Trewick added that First Word on Wednesday – a space for marginalized communities to participate in art-making and open mics – happened Oct. 22. She also said the Pilipinx/Latinx Art Gallery hosted its opening night Thursday.

• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang said in her written report that the Transportation Equity and Access committee met with Berndt’s office to discuss future collaborations. She added that TEA also met with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to discuss new bus and bike lanes in Westwood. She said her office met with Suzanne Seplow – the associate vice chancellor of development & health – and student leaders in the disabled community to push for the university to find a physical space for the Lily Shaw Disability Cultural Center – which would be dedicated to celebrating disability culture and history.

• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said in his written report that the Undergraduate Student Association Board of Directors fall quarter application deadline was Oct. 20. Allocations will be approved at the next USAC meeting, he added in the report.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Hannah Yip said Healthcoming was successful with around 500 people attending. She added that the Student Health Network applications are open to student wellness organizations seeking additional funding.

• Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon said the Committee Integration Program hosted its first meeting with its new interns Thursday. She added that her office hosted a panel entitled “Disability Isn’t Scary – Deconstructing Myths and Stigmas” on Oct. 21. She added that her office hosted its quarterly town hall Oct. 22.

• International Student Representative Keya Tanna did not attend the meeting, but a representative from her office said ISR is partnering with Yoon and Buhs Jackson to host another Bruin Buddies event, a partnership that pairs exchange students with a UCLA student. He added that the ISR hosted the Associated Students Cultural Bash on Oct. 21, which included tabling on Bruin Walk with interactive activities that promoted ISR visibility and cultural engagement. He also said the ISR met with ASUCLA representatives to begin planning the theme and outreach strategies for the Bruins Around The World event, celebrating cultural diversity through performances, food and interactive activities. The ISR x SWC Town Hall was held Oct. 29, he added.

Agenda items:

• The council unanimously approved changes to its constitution which dissolved USAC’s committee on disability. The council removed the five undergraduate student appointees who served on the committee, which included three students who were serving one-year terms and two students who were serving two-year terms.