Six candidates for the position of Undergraduate Students Association Council president attended a debate Thursday.

The USA Elections Board and the Daily Bruin co-hosted a series of debates between candidates in the upcoming USAC election.

Joshua Bances, a third-year political science and public affairs transfer student, said he wants to expand transportation access for students. This would include making contracts with independent taxi companies, expanding access to the BruinBus and streamlining the application process for Transit Access Program cards so students do not have to apply every quarter, he said. 

Bances added that he wants to create an ambassador program under his office to allow students to better communicate with the administration.

He said he wants every student organization to be represented rather than just the organizations that receive funds from USAC. 

“The question is, how can you represent everyone?” Bances said. “That’s why I said building committees – so that I’m not building the platform, I’m making the people give us a platform.”

Chloe Garton, a second-year economics and public affairs student, said her main goals are increasing access to preventative care and distributing funds to cultural and art-centered student organizations. 

Garton added that she hopes to make herself available to the student body by creating a USAC newsletter to inform students about the council’s resources, holding office hours to talk with students about the problems they face, and providing an anonymous Google Form for people to leave feedback.

“What we need to do as students is show unified support for issues and get out there and make the administration listen to us so we can accomplish our goals,” Garton said. 

She added that she hopes to direct student concerns to the people who are capable of addressing them and give students the confidence to speak up about the issues they care about.

Katie Pool, an incumbent general representative, said she wants to create more parking passes and make them more affordable to benefit the student body, particularly commuter students.

Pool, who is also a third-year business economics student, added that she wants to ensure every student feels safe by expanding sexual assault education and other student safety services. 

She also said she plans to advertise her office’s work on social media and meet with different clubs and organizations.

“As USAC president, I’ll work to keep us the No. 1 university as we meet academic, social, physical and cultural needs of all our students,” Pool said. 

Tajvir Singh, a third-year political science student, said he would have a direct phone line to the president’s office and would guarantee in-person meetings for those who request them. 

Singh added that he wants to have a collaborative decision-making process by prioritizing student engagement when it comes to matters of safety. 

“First and foremost, we need constant communication,” Singh said. “We need transparency. We need the president to be the most front-facing position when it comes to the student government.”

Singh said social media is a good way to advertise USAC’s resources so more students understand how the organization can help them. 

Adam Tfayli, the incumbent international student representative, said he wants to enhance campus safety and boost post-graduation opportunities. 

Tfayli, who is also a second-year human biology and society student, added that he wants to meet with on-campus clubs and organizations as well as individual students to get multiple opinions on his desired policies.

Tfayli said he has seen the power of dedicated advocacy and the improvements it can bring to UCLA, adding that there is more work to be done. 

“With your support, we can build on past successes while looking to the future,” he said. “I’m not just asking you for your vote. I’m asking for your trust and your partnership.”

Elena Yu, who is a third-year cognitive science student, said she would ensure that her office is visible to students by being available on Bruin Walk at the same time every month or week. 

Yu added that the most important thing to her is to have open communication with the administration to make the new chancellor more aware of student issues. 

She added that the first step to sharing her office’s resources involves promoting her work all over campus, including in the classroom to tell students what she has available.

“It’s actually not about what USAC has currently, but it’s also about promoting what we currently have to the students,” Yu said. 

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