USAC recap – Oct. 21

The Undergraduate Students Association Council is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Council meetings take place every week on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Kerckhoff 417 and are open to all students. Watch a live stream of the meeting on the USAC Live! YouTube channel.

Agenda

• The council approved contingency programming allocations.

Special presentation

• Denea Joseph, a third-year political science student and a member of the University of California Student Association Board of Directors, and USAC President Devin Murphy presented about the progress of the Invest in Graduation Not Incarceration, Transform Education, or IGNITE, campaign. They said they are pushing for USAC to pass a resolution supporting Proposition 47, which is on the ballot for the midterm election. Proposition 47 aims to lessen criminal sentences for certain crimes and redirect funding for mental health and other programs.

• Community Service Commission staff members made a presentation on Alternative Breaks, a program that brings students to off-campus locations for community service projects during spring break.

• Maisha Beasley, director of UCLA Parent and Family Programs, presented to council about the details about the program, which she said is often underutilized by students.

• Members of The Facing Project presented to council about the program, which will include first-person narratives about the struggles students have faced while trying to access higher education. In spring, the commission plans to publish a book with students’ stories and photos and give it to members of the UCLA community for free.

Officer reports

• Murphy talked about the “All of Us” mental health awareness campaign and action cards that students can fill out as part of the campaign. Murphy said that he and Student Wellness Commissioner Savannah Badalich plan to present to athletes on campus about mental health issues that student athletes may face in college. He added that committee applications are now open for students who want to get involved in the campaign. Additionally, he said that he is bringing a resolution in support of Proposition 47 to council next week.
• External Vice President Conrad Contreras said his office and members of the BruinsVote! committee registered students to vote over the last week. He said that he also met with UC Regent Russell Gould recently to talk about UC-wide issues, including funding problems that could lead to a tuition increase. He said that he is expecting the regents to talk about a tuition increase at their November meeting.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Allyson Bach said her office will be holding a Major Blast! event on Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Carnesale Commons. She added that her office will be holding a student rally Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Bunche Hall to encourage students to lobby faculty to vote “yes” on the diversity requirement proposal. Her office is also holding a dinner dialogue next Tuesday for students and faculty to talk about the diversity requirement.

Appointments

• Griffin Ong, a fourth-year neuroscience student, was appointed to the Community Service Mini Fund Committee with a 7-0-1 vote.
• Judy Ly, a second-year economics student, was appointed to the Community Service Mini Fund Committee with an 8-0-0 vote.
• Christi-Lynn Del Rosario, a fourth-year biology student, was appointed to the Community Service Mini Fund Committee with a 7-0-1 vote.
• Kenia Flores, a fifth-year human biology and society student, was unanimously appointed to the Community Service Mini Fund Committee.
• Chaveli Zolorsano, a fourth-year Chicana/o studies student, was unanimously appointed to the Community Service Mini Fund Committee.

Compiled by Amanda Schallert and Jeong Park, Bruin senior staff.