The Undergraduate Students Association Council allocated less than a third of requested funds from its Board of Directors Programming Fund during its meeting Jan. 21.

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:

• Syaal Sharifzad, the United Afghan Club at UCLA’s outreach director, said he had a request rejected for funding from the Undergraduate Students Association/Board of Directors Programming Fund to host an Iftar event for Ramadan, a sacred month in the Islamic faith. USAC President Adam Tfayli said a representative from the fund and the council would follow up on the request after the meeting. Budget Review Director Mafruha Esha also said many student organizations are incorrectly filling out funding request forms, adding that she believes a workshop for students to learn to apply for funding may be helpful.
• Hatif Syed, an intern with the California Public Interest Research Group, said the organization raised over $5,000 in week three for fire relief efforts across Los Angeles County. He added that the organization has called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to increase efforts to protect the environment.

Funding:

• The council allocated $12,931.67 from the Capital Contingency Fund to 28 non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $7,203.86 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to one USAC entity and five non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $2,045 from the Student Wellness Commission Programming Fund to three non-USAC entities.
• The Academic Affairs Commission Travel Grant Mini Fund allocated $1,608 to five non-USAC entities.
• The USA/BOD Programming Fund allocated $63,144.72 to two USAC entities and 37 non-USAC entities from a request of $215,246.73.

Special presentation:

• Katie Wagman, the Academic Affairs Commission director of access and equity, presented a survey report on textbook affordability. Wagman said survey data showed that STEM faculty were more likely to use programs such as open educational resources and Inclusive Access than humanities instructors were. She also recommended training faculty in the benefits of OER and added that the survey’s findings would be sent to the UC Office of the President’s Textbook Affordability Task Force.

Appointments:

• The council appointed Emery Lee, a first-year statistics and data science student, to the USAC Finance Committee.

Officer reports:

• Tfayli said in his written report that he met with Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck and other members of the UCLA administration to discuss fire relief efforts, adding that his office launched the Bruin Relief Initiative, a student government wildfire relief effort. He added that he met with UC President Michael Drake and attended events with Chancellor Julio Frenk and Frenk’s spouse, Felicia Knaul.
• Internal Vice President Josh Garland said his office is hosting its annual Off-Campus Housing Fair on Jan. 30.
• External Vice President Javier Nuñez-Verdugo said in their written report that they attended a Regents meeting Jan. 22 and 23 and are organizing a trip to a UC Student Association Conference. They added that they confirmed lobby dates for several UC student associations. Their office has plans to meet with UC President Drake with a focus on protecting undocumented students and other minority groups. They added that their office attended the California Undocumented Higher Education Coalition meeting. Nuñez-Verdugo also said their office is working with system-wide partners on helping revive UCLA’s Police Accountability Board, otherwise known as the Campus Safety Oversight Committee, emphasizing a need to meet with Steve Lurie, the new associate vice chancellor of campus and community safety. Their office is focusing on federal relations with the new administration. They added that they are meeting with student groups for the Hill Day delegation. They also added that their office is working with Afrikan Student Union to discuss issues Black students face and has proposal plans for Black Student Lobby Day. Bruin ambassador applications are ongoing, and the ambassadors are researching voter education and voter history. Their office’s labor team is organizing a panel with the Buy Your Values initiative and compiling a report regarding the need for increased minimum wage for student workers. The Basic Needs Team for the External Vice President is researching how to conduct a larger farmers market while remaining cost-effective before the years end. They added that their team is also researching how to expand other basic needs programs within the UC system. The internal head of staff of USAC served as one the student advocates to the regent at the UCSA meeting in San Francisco.
• General Representative Diego Emilio Bollo said his officer report would be available in written form but did not update it for the week.
• General Representative Tommy Contreras said in his written report that his office collaborated with Bollo’s office to host a wildfire relief event. He added in the report that his office is planning a workshop for undocumented students.
• General Representative Chris Ramsey said in his written report that his office is working with the On-Campus Housing Council on its initiative with Swipe Out Hunger. His office is also conducting an outreach survey to gauge interest for a summer storage space program, Ramsey said in the report.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said his office’s ambassadorship program with the UCLA Registrar’s Office is now accepting applications.
• Campus Events Commissioner Robbie Hall said his office’s Matsuri event would be held Jan. 23 on Kerckhoff patio.
• Community Service Commissioner Carolyn Wang said her office hosted its Housing Resilience in LA event, adding that the event’s second day would be Jan. 25.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Alicia Verdugo said their report would be written but did not update it for the week.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said in his written report that his office is completing USA/BOD Funding allocations and collaborating with Student Government Services and Accounting to finalize new funding guidelines. He added that he plans to meet with Monica Hanna, UCLA’s interim associate director of residential life to discuss promoting funding opportunities on the Hill and to seek guideline approval at the next USAC meeting.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Chiara Frank said in her written report that her office is continuing to work on the Bruin Relief Initiative. She added that her office is working to ensure access to N95 masks.
• Transfer Student Representative Mona Tavassoli said her report would be written but did not update it for the week.
• International Student Representative Syed Tamim Ahmad said the Dashew Center will host a panel on immigration Jan. 23.