This post was updated at 2:00 p.m.

Seven candidates for the Undergraduate Students Association Council general representative attended debates Wednesday and Thursday.

The Elections Board and the Daily Bruin co-hosted a series of debates between candidates in the upcoming USAC election. Nine candidates are running for the three offices of general representative. Eli Tsives, a first-year theater student, and Harvind Grewal, a third-year political science transfer student, did not attend either debate.

Diego Bollo, a second-year labor studies and political science student, said he wants to fight for student worker union recognition, expand resources for low-income students and strengthen USAC relations with Black, Latino and Indigenous student organizations if elected.

Bollo added that he thinks UCLA is on track to become a Hispanic-Serving Institution by 2025, meaning the school’s entire enrollment would be at least 25% Hispanic. He said he also wants to ensure that the funding UCLA receives for becoming an HSI goes directly to students. 

“We also generally need the same people breathing down the new chancellor’s neck and demanding that this funding goes back directly to our students,” he said.

Tommy Contreras, a second-year political science and public affairs student, said he hopes to support underrepresented students and protect student activism.

“I’ve dedicated myself to public service both in and out of UCLA and want to see our students uplifted and have the opportunity to call out ineffective representation,” he said. “We must have serious questions to answer as we find a path towards better supporting our Mother Organizations.”

Contreras added that he would advocate for the expansion of BruinBus routes, safe bike lanes and the reintroduction of the Westwood FlyAway bus – which takes students from UCLA to Los Angeles International Airport. Last month, Los Angeles World Airports rejected the North Westwood Neighborhood Council’s request to restore the service.

 [Related: Los Angeles World Airports rejects plan to restore Flyaway Bus Service in Westwood]

Colin Ignazio Geisen, a first-year political science student, said he hopes to promote and advertise the resources offered by the On-Campus Housing Council, an organization that advocates for the needs of students living on the Hill.

Geisen added that he would negotiate with UCLA Dining to prevent a previously announced decrease in the value of meal swipes from $9 to $4.33, which Dining said would go into effect once staffing returned to pre-pandemic levels. He also said he would work with corporate liaisons from ASUCLA restaurants to try to reduce prices. 

“If the meal swipe decreases to $4.33, it’s impossible to have accessible meal swipe availability on campus,” he said.

[Related: UCLA Dining plans to reduce meal swipe monetary value by more than half]

Maayan Goldman, a first-year psychology student, said she would increase accessibility to mental health services, off-campus meal plans and the John Wooden Center as it begins to undergo seismic renovations this fall.

She added that as general representative, she hopes to reduce student fees for Wooden and ensure students have additional exercise equipment when only a portion of it is open.

“We’re still going to be paying those fees while not being able to use 80% of the recreational facilities, which is outrageous,” she said.

Chris Ramsey, a second-year mathematics/economics student, said that if elected, he would advocate for accessible education by expanding the number of classes with virtual options and widen the reach of career support organizations. 

“There’s disabled students who are physically disabled, as well as a lot of intellectual or mental disabilities that might be harming students as well in education,” he said. “It’s really important we make sure that these students feel included in our classes, as well as through our clubs.”

Ramsey added that he seeks to expand meal plans and make summer storage affordable.

Evie Sijl, a third-year history transfer student, said she hopes to increase nutritious food options for commuter students, make parking more accessible and expand gym facilities.

To address safety on campus, Sijl said she would have conversations with student organizations. She added that she would consider working toward a vehicle service for women who may feel unsafe walking back to their dorm at night.

“The administration needs to be more timely, especially nowadays, with security and everything that’s going on on campus,” she said.

Vikas Sundar, a second-year statistics and data science student, said he would partner with the student organization End Overdose to distribute fentanyl testing strips to the UCLA community. 

If elected, he would also schedule meetings with a variety of student organizations to hear their concerns and needs, he said.

“The role of a general representative is to represent a wide variety of interests,” he said. “Everyone should have a voice, and I will reach out to as many communities as I can on campus, especially the historically underrepresented communities.”

Students can vote in the election on MyUCLA starting Friday and ending May 17.