USAC recap – Nov. 3

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

Special presentations

• UCLA alumni Amy Hawkins and Maureen Purcell gave a special presentation on the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge and explained all the new challenges UCLA has set to achieve by 2050.

Agenda

• Meredith Duncan, a fourth-year student, was appointed onto the Academic Senate’s Undergraduate Council with a 10-0-1 vote.
• The council approved an allocation of $5,870 from the Contingency Programming Fund with a 10-0-1 vote.
• The council unanimously approved a total allocation of about $59,000 to student groups from the Associated Students UCLA Board of Directors fund for the fall period.
• The council unanimously approved a total allocation of about $19,000 to student groups from the Student Organizations Operational Fund for the fall period.

Officer reports

• President Heather Rosen said that she discussed with administrators last week about the increase of in-state enrollment for next year. Rosen added that she discussed with those administrators the issue of what she said is a lack of funding that goes toward hiring teaching assistants.
• Rosen said that she had a discussion with External Vice President Zach Helder and University of California President Janet Napolitano Friday about providing mental health resources for students and the rising cost of student housing.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Trent Kajikawa said that he discussed with Jerry Kang, vice chancellor of equity, diversity and inclusion, about increasing student involvement in his office. Kajikawa added that the Midterm Stress Free Day on Oct. 27 was a success with around 2,000 students who attended the event according to Facebook.
• Internal Vice President Heather Hourdequin said that students have until Monday to turn in submissions for a T-shirt design contest hosted by ASUCLA. Hourdequin added that a percentage of the proceeds from the T-shirt sales will go to the Students Interaction Fund.
• Helder said that Bruin Defenders, the student lobbying funding program created by his office, was launched Tuesday. Helder added he will travel to Washington, D.C., in two weeks to discuss with legislators about student loan debt, mental health and replacing and reenacting the Perkins Loan program.
• Community Service Commissioner Zack Dameron said that he got over 200 people to sign up for the UCLA Day of Service on Saturday.

Compiled by Helen Immerso, Bruin contributor.