USAC recap – Dec. 5

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

Special presentations:

• UCPD Lt. Kevin Kilgore reminded students to take extra precautions with their valuables over winter break. He added students should lock their doors, windows and empty their cars before leaving at the end of the quarter.

Agenda:

• The council tabled appointments for the election board vice chair, external relations chair and the investigations committee director. Several council members said they think USAC Election Board Chair Jack Price only selected individuals who are in his social circle. They added they think Price needs to be more transparent when appointing individuals to the election board and make it an open application process.
• The council allocated $4060 from the Contingency Programing Fund to USAC and non-USAC offices.
• The council approved amending the USAC Live! guidelines to reflect that the videos can now only be accessed with a ucla.edu account.

Officer Reports:

• USAC President Arielle Mokhtarzadeh said the University of California extended the deadline to apply to the Title IX student advisory board to Dec. 8.
• Internal Vice President Vivy Li said her office is hosting Food Trucks for Finals from Dec. 10 to Dec. 12, between 9 p.m. and 12 p.m.
• External Vice President Chloe Pan said USAC will provide students with transportation to the Los Angeles Police Department council meeting on Dec. 12. The LAPD council will discuss how they plan on responding to cases involving undocumented individuals.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Divya Sharma said his office is holding the Dogs and De-stress program, which allows students to take a break from studying for finals and pet dogs on Bruin Walk on Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• He added he is helping organize a dinner with UCPD and LAPD to increase communication between the two departments and help students understand how officers operate. He added the organizers will give officers who could not attend the dinner questionnaires written by UCLA students.
• Sharma said he is working with the UCLA Registrar’s Office to make sure students are guaranteed a spot when enrolling in classes specific to their major during their second enrollment pass.
• Facilities Commissioner Zahra Hajee said she is forming a group of staff and students, including members of the John Wooden Center Board of Governors, to address student concerns regarding campus life.
• Hajee added her office is holding a study hall at the Pauley Pavilion concourse Sunday through Thursday on finals week, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. She added they will provide tables, chairs and refreshments.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Aaron Boudaie said his office is working with the California Public Interest Research Group, a student advocacy organization, on a campaign to lower textbook prices. He added they are encouraging professors not to have students purchase access codes, which are often expensive.