USAC recap – Jan. 12

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.

Agenda

• The council unanimously approved the Election Board Executive Committee appointment.

• The council approved an allocation of $316 from the Contingency Programming Fund to several USAC offices in a 10-0-2 vote.
• The council unanimously approved an allocation of $690 from the Contingency Programming Fund to various student groups.

Officer Reports

• President Heather Rosen said the UC Regents will vote on whether to add a student adviser position on Jan. 21 at the UC Regents meeting in San Francisco. Rosen added there has been slight pushback in response to the proposal.
• External Vice President Zach Helder said he thinks the student adviser position is very important. He added students often lack knowledge of what the UC Board of Regents accomplishes, and said he thinks students’ lack of knowledge will obstruct student representation.

• Helder said Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget proposal has been finalized, but he heard unofficial rumors that legislators want to raise tuition for out-of-state students.
• Helder added he thinks the state should allocate more money to mental health programs. He said there are state-wide campaigns underway to focus on mental health funding on campuses, and he hopes USAC can have meetings with district representatives.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Trent Kajikawa said a diversity initiative symposium will be held on Jan. 22 to celebrate the diversity requirement that passed last year.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Marvin Chen said his office worked with the Office of Student Affairs to develop a peer counseling system. Undergraduate students will be trained under a rigid program, and students will be able to provide mental health support to peers under the supervision of licensed officials, Chen said.

  Compiled by Ravija Harjai, Bruin contributor.