USAC recap: April 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 the Bruin Viewpoint Room and are open to all students. Watch a livestream of the meetings on the USAC Live! channel on YouTube.

Public Comment:

• Several students said they think the council should be more transparent in its election process.
• The vice chapter chair of California Public Interest Research Group asked the council to approve the resolution in support of the No Bees, No Food campaign.
• Former USAC Election Board Chair Richard White said he thinks the council is corrupt.

Agenda:

• The council voted to retroactively amend the election calendar to account for miscommunication about deadlines among the council, election board and students.
• The council approved a resolution in support of the CALPIRG No Bees, No Food campaign, which aims to put pressure on the Environmental Protection Agency to declare a nationwide ban on bee-killing neonicotinoids.
• The council approved a resolution in support of the Zero Hunger at UCLA campaign, which has the goal of getting UC campuses to commit to zero food insecurity among students by 2030.
• The council allocated a total of $15,246 from the Contingency Programming Fund to 27 non-USAC and USAC groups.
• The council allocated a total of $7,150 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to eight non-USAC groups.
• The council allocated a total of $1,054.76 from the Student Wellness Commission Programming Fund to non-USAC and USAC groups.
• The council appointed Salena Nguyen, a third-year political science student, as election board investigations director.
• The council appointed Shant Krikor Anmahouni Eulmessekian, a third-year political science student, as election board vice chair.

Reports:

• President Claire Fieldman said her office will meet with UC President Janet Napolitano in Oakland next week.
• Internal Vice President Robert Blake Watson said his office held a spring Enormous Activities Fair after a two-year hiatus. He added the next IVP will be tasked with providing food trucks and study halls for spring quarter final exams.
• External Vice President Jamie Kennerk said her office and student advocates from the UC Student Association lobbied for important issues facing students, such as higher education accessibility, immigration and basic needs, in Washington, D.C., from April 6 to April 9. She added her office submitted a petition in support of the Gender Recognition Act at a past UC Regents meeting. She added she met with Napolitano to discuss issues including gender recognition, food security based on swipes and UCPD anti-blackness after an incident at the block party.
• General Representative 1 Ayesha Haleem said her office is partnering with UCSA to educate non-resident students about how to protest safely and legally. She added her office is working with the Dashew Center to prepare international students for a potential nonresident tuition hike.
• Transfer Representative Jessica Kim said her office will co-host study hall events with the Transfer Student Center during finals week. She added she met with Executive Director of Student Affairs Initiatives Anne Dela Cruz to discuss restructuring transfer student orientation.
• Campus Events Commissioner Alley Madison said her office is hosting off-campus screenings as part of MLK Remembrance Day and Fight for Education week. She added Shorttakes Film Festival submissions are due Friday. Her office will co-host a wasteland-themed arts party with the Hammer Student Association at the Hammer Museum on Friday.
• Community Service Commissioner Bethanie Atinuke Sonola said her office held several community service trips over spring break. She added 10 students were nominated for the $10,000 scholarship, which is awarded annually to students who have exhibited excellent service.
• Facilities Commissioner Julia Ho-Gonzalez said her office has a one-month plan to introduce green transportation methods around campus. She added the Office Space Allocation committee has opened applications for office space, lockers and mailboxes in Kerckhoff Hall.
• Student Wellness Commissioner George Louis Faour said his office will co-sponsor the Earth Day Fair on April 26. He added almost 600 people signed up for the annual Bruin Run/Walk. He also requested that remaining SWC funds go to Campus Assault Resources and Education instead of the council surplus.