The Undergraduate Students Association Council held its first meeting of the month Sept. 3.

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

Public comment:

• There were no public comments made.

Special presentation:

• External Vice President Javier Nuñez-Verdugo gave a presentation on public comment at meetings of the UC Board of Regents. Nuñez-Verdugo gave an explanation of the role and structure of the board, as well as advice for people who may be interested in participating in public comment. The next regents’ meeting will be held at UCLA on September 18 and 19.

Appointments:

• The council appointed Talia Davood, a second-year political science student, as an undergraduate representative to the Academic Senate Legislative Assembly.
• The council appointed Khang Luu, a fourth-year statistics and data science student, to the Community Activities Committee.
• The council appointed Kole Quezada, a fourth-year political science student, to the Community Service Mini Fund Committee.
• The council appointed Michelle Le, a third-year economics and public affairs student, as an undergraduate representative to the Academic Senate Council on Research.
• The council rejected the appointment of Hanzallah Afridi, a third-year public affairs student, as an undergraduate representative to the Academic Senate Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools.​​
• The council appointed Angela Ledesma-Grattarola, a second-year political science and public affairs student, as an undergraduate representative to the Academic Senate Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools.
• The council also appointed Ledesma-Grattarola as an undergraduate representative to the Academic Senate Committee on Academic Freedom.
• The council appointed Victoria Zhang, a second-year economics and political science student, to the Student Health Advisory Committee.
• The council appointed Ashley Brown, a third-year political science student, to the Academic Senate Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• The council appointed Hyerim Yoon, a third-year English student, to the Academic Senate Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Officer reports:

• President Adam Tfayli said he has a meeting with Chancellor-designate Julio Frenk on Sept. 4. He added that he met with representatives from ASUCLA to discuss their finances and attended a meeting of the UCLA Unhoused Task Force.
• Internal Vice President Josh Garland said he attended a meeting with Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck and other council members. Garland also said his office is working to re-establish the Congressional Advisory Board, which he says will allow student organizations to advise the council.
• Nuñez-Verdugo said the council met with Beck to discuss the UC Office of the President’s new policy banning the use of masks to conceal identity at protests and protecting student safety on the Hill in the wake of the break-in and sexual assault at Saxon Suites in July. They added that they have been meeting with Associate Vice Chancellor of Campus Life Mick Deluca and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Development & Health Suzanne Seplow to discuss masking programs in response to the recent surge of COVID-19 cases. Nuñez-Verdugo also said their office submitted letters advocating for Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign Assembly Bill 2586, which would allow for job opportunities for undocumented students on public college campuses.
• General Representative Diego Emilio Bollo said in his written report that he met with Transfer Student Representative Mona Tavassoli to discuss his office’s fellowship application program for transfer students. He added in the report that he attended a meeting between council members and Beck. Bollo also said in the report that he met with Hispanic-serving Institution Initiatives Director Elizabeth Gonzalez to advocate for Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt to not be invited to the Oct. 15 Latinx Welcome.
• General Representative Tommy Contreras said in his written report that he attended the meeting between council members and Beck to discuss the new masking ban.
• General Representative Chris Ramsey said in his written report that he attended the meeting between council members and Beck to discuss concerns about John Wooden Center closures and the student fee for the facility. He added that he met with International Student Representative Syed Tamim Ahmad to discuss his and Ahmad’s office’s Bruin Buddies program.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said in his written report that he met with Student Wellness Commissioner Chiara Frank and members of the Academic Senate to discuss students’ wellbeing in the classroom.
• Campus Events Commissioner Robbie Hall reminded other council members to register to table at the Enormous Activities Fair and said interest forms for his office and the Cultural Affairs Commission’s RecFest are open.
• Community Service Commissioner Carolyn Wang said in her written report that her office continued planning for its Volunteer Day event.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Alicia Verdugo was not in attendance. Their written report was not updated for the week.
• Facilities Commissioner Alexandra Paul said in her written report that she scheduled meetings for safe parking and Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project advocacy.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said the Budget Review Committee, which is composed of him, Paul and Wang, has been undertaking the duties of the Budget Review director until a new director is appointed.
• Frank said she has been meeting with the Health Education & Resources Team (HEART) from the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center, adding that HEART has been working to distribute naloxone and fentanyl test strips to resident advisors on the Hill. She also said her office will hold its Healthcoming event Oct. 16.
• Tavassoli said one of her office’s programs will have its social Sept. 20 and invited other council members to attend. She added that she received guidance from the Disabled Student Union that detailed where masks and COVID-19 tests are available on campus and encouraged other council members to advertise the guidance.
• Ahmad said in his written report he met with staff from UCLA Residential Life to discuss his office’s Bruins Around the World cultural event. He added in the report that he attended a meeting of the Association of Big Ten Students DEI Coalition and an informational session with the Disabled Student Union and the Student Labor Advocacy Project.

Agenda items:

• Tfayli said the Office Space Allocation Committee will consist of him, Paul, Bollo, Tavassoli and Ahmad.
• Hall introduced a bylaw change to change the council’s bylaws to reflect his office’s new structure.
• Garland introduced a bylaw change that would allow the council’s president to submit an application to the Appointments Review Committee if the officer responsible for that appointment does not make a decision on that application within 30 days of its submission.
• The council approved the Community Service Transportation Fund guidelines for the 2024-2025 academic year. The new guidelines stipulate that one of the fund’s committee members must be a transfer student.
• The council approved the Finance Committee Contingency Programming guidelines for the 2024-2025 academic year. The new guidelines stipulate that an organization may only apply for Contingency Programming funding up to four times per quarter.
• The council approved the Finance Committee Capital Contingency guidelines for the 2024-2025 academic year. A clause stipulating that funding decisions will be made on a “viewpoint-neutral” basis is included in the guidelines.