UCSA recap — March 5-6

The University of California Student Association, comprised of representatives from UC student governments, met for its monthly board meeting on March 5 and 6 at UCLA.

• The board passed a resolution in support of a $15 minimum wage for all UC workers, regardless of hours worked, said UCSA President Kevin Sabo. UC President Janet Napolitanoannounced last July the University would pay a $15 minimum wage for those who work 20 hours or more a week.

• Sabo said the board passed a resolution that demanded the in-sourcing of UC workers and allowed them to be directly employed by the University. Sabo added he thinks some UC employers take advantage of subcontracted workers by paying them lower wages than they would to directly employed workers.

• The board passed a resolution condemning “coordinated” data monitoring at the UC. The UC introduced the coordinated monitoring in the wake of a cyber attack on UCLA Health in July 2015. Sabo said the board wants to know actual cost of the monitoring, and will push for a student appointment to the Cyber Risk Governance committee, which aims to investigate the data monitoring.

• The board passed a resolution in support of its Automatic Student Voter Registration proposal, which would automatically register students to vote online when they register for classes.

• The board adopted positions on several state legislative bills, including AB2017, which would establish the College Mental Health Services Trust Account. The trust account would give grants to public colleges and universities in the state to improve mental health services.

• Sabo said the board adopted new list of funding priorities for the Student Advocacy, Government,and Engagement, or SAGE, fee initiative.

• The board appointed Peter Wright as its new executive director. Wright previously served as a policy and programs officer for the California School Boards Association and adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco’s School of Management.