The Undergraduate Students Association Council held its second fall quarter meeting Oct. 10.

USAC is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Council meetings, which are open to all students, take place in person at the Bruin Viewpoint Room in Ackerman Union and on Zoom every Tuesday at 7 p.m. Students can find the links for meetings on the agenda posted on the USAC website or watch a livestream on the USAC Live! channel on YouTube.

Public comment:

• Clara Castronovo, the chair of the California Public Interest Research Group at UCLA, said two bills that CALPIRG worked on were just signed by the governor, including one bill regarding the right to repair, which makes it easier for people to repair their items instead of replacing them. She added that the organization’s campaign launch event would occur Oct. 11.
• Eliana Judith Sisman, a 2022-2023 USAC general representative, said she felt upset about a Cultural Affairs Commission Instagram post expressing support for Palestinians and asked the commission to remove the post and apologize.
• Tal Israeli said she also felt upset about the CAC Instagram post because of her personal connection to victims of the Hamas attack in Israel that occurred last weekend.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Alicia Verdugo said her office would not remove the Instagram post.
• Rachel Burnett, a fourth-year Middle Eastern studies and psychology student, said she does not believe the conflicts occurring in Israel and Palestine are the proper methods to achieve Palestinian liberation.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Sara Broukhim said she implores USAC to stand with the Jewish community in the face of antisemitism she and others have faced on campus.

Funding:

• The council allocated $9,780 from the Contingency Programming Fund to 36 non-USAC entity events.
• The council allocated $1,725 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to three non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $2,000 from the Arts Restoring Community Fund to one USAC entity.

Appointments:

• The council appointed Joseph Lau, a first-year physics student, to the Campus Programs Committee.
• The council appointed Josue Picaz, a fourth-year psychology student, to the Community Service Mini Fund.
• The council appointed Dulce Hernandez, a third-year sociology student, to the Community Service Mini Fund.
• The council appointed Jana Saadeh, a first-year civil engineering student, to the Academic Senate Legislative Assembly.
• The council appointed Dhrumil Kharva, a third-year business economics transfer student, to the Academic Senate Faculty Executive Committee.
• The council appointed Jocelyn Leon, a fourth-year political science student, to the USAC Office Space Allocation Committee.
• The council appointed Avantika Mohan, a second-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student, to the Green Initiative Fund.

Officer reports:

• President Naomi Hammonds said she attended a two-day conference about student well-being at UC Davis. She added that she was invited to participate in several new committees launching during fall quarter. Hammonds added that her office co-wrote a statement with the Armenian Students Association to educate the UCLA community about issues affecting Armenian students.
• Internal Vice President Megan Law said she met with the Graduate Students Association director of communications to discuss the annual ASUCLA T-shirt contest. She added that her office is also working on producing a summer transparency report on the office’s activities.
• External Vice President Eva Jussim said she met with the UCLA Government Community Relationship Office, and her office set up a meeting with the North Westwood Neighborhood Council Homelessness and Community Health Committee. She added that her office is planning rallies during the Metro open house next week to show support for a heavy-rail line with a direct connection to the D line near the UCLA campus. Jussim also said that United States Rep. Ted Lieu, who represents UCLA, will be coming to campus Nov. 8 at 1 p.m.
• General Representative Katie Pool said her office is creating a curriculum on financial literacy.
• General Representative Gabrielle Lasry said she mourns the lives lost in Israel and Palestine and encouraged people to attend a vigil hosted by multiple Jewish organizations on campus, which was held Oct. 11.
• General Representative Jonathan Valenzuela Mejia said he attended the Latinx Bienvenida to speak about the importance of making space for Latinx students on UCLA’s large campus. He added that his office is working on a survey to send to students regarding his digital BruinCard initiative.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Sujana Sridhar said she attended an Academic Senate Undergraduate Council meeting.
• Campus Events Commissioner Mason Miller’s written report was not updated for the Oct. 10 meeting.
• Community Service Commissioner Chia Ying Wong said her office’s advocacy team met with food insecurity and food sustainability organizations on campus to plan an event highlighting the issue of food insecurity.
• Verdugo said in her written statement that her office released a statement defending Palestine and is working to find a way to highlight Palestinian artists through a concert or gallery.
• Facilities Commissioner Evan Curran said he met with Assistant Vice Chancellors Suzanne Seplow and Mick DeLuca to discuss potential locations for the Lily Shaw Disability Cultural Center. He added that he worked with the Disabled Student Union to send a letter to UCLA Transportation, Housing and the ADA/504 Compliance Officer regarding the use of disabled parking spaces by university vehicles.
• Broukhim said she wanted councilmembers to put aside politics and recognize that Jewish students are mourning people they knew who were killed in Israel.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Jennis Kang said she met with the UCLA Infectious Diseases Management Team to plan a special presentation for the next USAC meeting. She added that the Healthcoming event will take place in Wilson Plaza this week.
• Transfer Student Representative Thyra Cobbs said she attended a meeting for the Philipino Transfer Student Partnership to discuss how to support Philipino transfer students.
• International Student Representative Adam Tfayli said his office hosted a support space in collaboration with Counseling and Psychological Services for students affected by events in Libya, Morocco and Armenia. He added that he met with the communications coordinator for the Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars to discuss future collaborations.