GSA recap – May 11

The Graduate Students Association is the voice of graduate students on campus. The association meets for forum every three weeks and takes positions on current issues affecting graduate students. Forum meetings are at 5:30 p.m. in the Global Viewpoint Lounge in Ackerman Union.

Agenda:

• The association unanimously approved to add a first-generation graduate student council to the GSA student interest board. The council aims to support programs for first-generation students.

Officer Reports:

• GSA President Michael Skiles said GSA’s email-writing campaign to UCLA housing administration and campaign to University of California Board of Regents pushed UCLA administration to provide over 300 beds for graduate student in a new apartment, which is planned to be built in Weyburn Terrace by the 2021-2022 school year. He added he is also meeting with UCLA housing administration to discuss expanding the number of years graduate students can receive housing to more than 3 years.
• Skiles said GSA director and committee applications are due May 15.
• GSA Internal Vice President Alexander Fung said his office sent a delegation to the UC Irvine Reclaim Mental Health Conference and campus health conference May 5 to 6. He added his office also partnered with GSA external vice president’s office to send a delegation to UC Graduate and Professional Council’s Campus Climate Conference at UC Irvine on April 28.
• Fung said the Grad Giving Back Volunteering Initiative is partnering with the nonprofit organization, Monday Night Mission, to provide housing for 1,000 homeless women by the end of this year. He added that their efforts pushed Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to allocate $20 million to build six homeless shelters throughout the city.
• Fung said the GradCafe initiative, which is happening in week 10 at Kerckhoff Hall 316, will provide free sushi burritos to combat food insecurity.
• Rebecca Katz, vice president of academic affairs, said her office has been working with university administration to install security cameras in parking garages because of recent instances of theft. She added her office drafted a resolution which will be reviewed by the UCLA Board on Privacy and Data Protection this week and the results will be announced in the next GSA forum.