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GSA recap – Feb. 12

By Justin Jung

Feb. 19, 2020 2:02 p.m.

This post was updated May 26 at 10:31 p.m.

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 Bruin Viewpoint Room in Ackerman Union.

Agenda:

  • Ernesto Arciniega, an Associated Students UCLA Board of Directors graduate representative presented a $1,596 check to the association from the annual ASUCLA T-shirt design contest.
  • The association withdrew its support of the Agora project, a planned housing development in Westwood. The association also approved a statement supporting affordable housing for graduate students but added it does not feel that it is within the association’s capacity to comment on the private housing market.
  • Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Gregg Goldman spoke about UCLA budget information. Goldman said he hopes to flip the trend of the number of lecturers outgrowing tenure-track faculty. Goldman also said that in the last three years, enrollment at UCLA has grown by about 2,000 students, but the university does not plan to increase enrollment in the future. Goldman added that he wants to reduce administrative costs by 2.5% to all areas but that this does not preclude future reinvestment into the same offices. Goldman also added he wants to withdraw money from reserve funds, such as canceled programs or open positions.
  • Robert Watson, president of the Undergraduate Students Association Council, spoke on undergraduate issues and said that many undergraduate students also have an issue with housing costs in Westwood. Watson also said that USAC wants to collaborate with GSA on providing food for students, which USAC already has programs for. Watson added that there is no accountability for certain administrators, including those who oversee the Student Initiated Outreach Center, the Campus Retention Committee and UCLA Recreation.
  • GSA President Zak Fisher proposed a hardship fund for graduate students based off the USC Graduate Student Government Emergency Fund Program.
  • Cassie Halls, the graduate representative for the UCLA Transportation Services Advisory Board, said she and the undergraduate representative on the same board, Brittany Montaño, have been working on a transit referendum. The referendum would increase student fees by $20 per quarter to allow students to use their BruinCard to access seven local public transit systems, said Halls, an urban and regional planning graduate student. The system includes the Los Angeles Metro, Culver City Bus, Big Blue Bus, Long Beach Transit, Antelope Valley Transit Authority, Santa Clarita Transit, and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s Commuter Express.

Officer Reports:

  • Fisher said his office supports the graduate students at UC Santa Cruz who are now on the second week of full strike. He also said police officers are wearing riot gear when responding to an unarmed protest of students and faculty supporters. He added that Grad Games will be from April 24-25, and will now host esport events in addition to physical sports.
  • GSA Vice President of External Affairs JP Santos said his office has been working with the UCLA Alumni Association and career services to expand membership of UCLA ONE, a mentorship platform, to graduate students. He also said that a graduate student resource fair, elections grad bar and graduate student appreciation week are all happening during the week of April 6-10. He added that he is working with Shrinidhi Balasubramanian, the GSA vice president of academic affairs, to finalize an academic survey for graduate students, and is hoping to distribute the survey through BruinPost, a UCLA mass email service. He also added that his office is working with UCLA Housing to finalize a new housing website for posting private leasings near UCLA. He also said his office is partnering with the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science to create a new program that helps new professors be better mentors for graduate students.
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Justin Jung | News senior staff
Jung is a senior staff reporter and a photographer for the Bruin. He was a 2021-2022 assistant News editor for the campus politics and city and crime beats. Jung was also the 2020-2021 assistant Enterprise editor. Jung is a fourth-year global studies student.
Jung is a senior staff reporter and a photographer for the Bruin. He was a 2021-2022 assistant News editor for the campus politics and city and crime beats. Jung was also the 2020-2021 assistant Enterprise editor. Jung is a fourth-year global studies student.
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