USAC recap – Jan. 16

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.

USAC AGENDA:

Special Presentations:

• Haidy Beshay, chair of the Office Space Allocation Committee, proposed changing the OSAC guidelines to emphasize student groups’ utilization of space when deciding allocations. OSAC determines whether student organizations are eligible for office space, locker space and mailboxes in Kerckhoff Hall, and then allocates space to student organizations based on various criteria, including the organization’s engagement with students.

Agenda:

• The council allocated $4,765 from the Contingency Programming Fund to non-USAC offices.
• The council postponed allocating funding from this fiscal year’s surplus until the council members decide on how to distribute the money to the contingency fund, endowment and other campus programs.
• The council approved a resolution of solidarity that was presented by the offices of the President, General Representative 1 and Financial Support Commissioner, that called for the immediate release of UC students Luis Mora and Orr Yakobi, who are undocumented students who have been detained by federal immigration authorities. Yakobi was released by authorities Jan. 12.

Officer Reports:

• Internal Vice President Vivy Li said her office is hosting the Off-Campus Living Fair, an opportunity for students to meet with landlords and receive more information on off-campus housing, Monday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• External Vice President Chloe Pan said her office is hosting the #FundtheUC Week from Tuesday to Friday. Pan said the event will end with phone banking Friday in front of the Bruin Bear in response to the UC Board of Regents’ possible decision to increase tuition. Pan added her office, the Academic Affairs Commission and the Community Service Commission, will provide transportation to the Women’s March on Saturday.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Divya Sharma said Bruin Plate and Feast will be open from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. for coffee and tea as a study space beginning Sunday.
• Facilities Commissioner Zahra Hajee said her office is hosting Bruin Bazaar on Friday at Bruin Plaza.
• Hajee also said UCLA Transportation is working on a new program set to launch by early February that offers a flat rate for any student traveling within five miles from campus with Uber pool. She added that in cases when regular Uber rate is lower than the flat rate, students will pay the lesser price.
• General Representative Kayla He said her office is hosting a Body Positivity Fair, which will include panels of students sharing their experiences and ideas about body image.
• Campus Events Commissioner Nedda Saidian said her office is playing the film “Loving Vincent” in Ackerman Grand Ballroom on Thursday from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Christina Lee said the Bruin Consent Coalition hosted “Men Against Sexual Violence,” an event that discusses issues relating to sexual violence, advocacy and consent from a male perspective, Wednesday from 6 p.m to 7:30 p.m.
• Community Service Commissioner Adriana Hardwicke said her office is hosting “Serve Conscious: Mental Health Volunteer Day” on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hardwicke said applications to attend the annual IMPACT National Conference, which promotes civic engagement, are currently open.