This post was updated Feb. 10 at 8:11 a.m.

A Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA spokesperson condemned university policing during a special presentation at the Jan. 28 Undergraduate Students Association Council meeting.

USAC – which also passed measures supporting undocumented students and subsidized student services at the meeting – 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:

• Leila Salam, the UCLA chapter chair of the California Public Interest Research Group, said her organization is working on its campaign to expand marine protection areas. She added that CALPIRG’s wildlife relief efforts have also continued after the organization raised more than $6,000 to support relief organizations.

• Darion Phan, the former finance chair of the USA Elections Board, said some reimbursements and stipends for members of last year’s board have not been paid. USAC Internal Vice President Josh Garland said he and President Adam Tfayli would follow up via email.

Funding:

• The council allocated $7,012.05 from the Contingency Programming Fund to one USAC entity and 24 non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $5,177.31 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to two USAC entities and five non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $1,872 from the Student Wellness Commission Programming Fund to non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $1,492 from the Academic Success Referendum Fund to five non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $2,923.17 from the Academic Affairs Commission Travel Grant Mini Fund to eight non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $3,231 from the Community Service Mini Fund to one non-USAC entity.

Special presentation:

• Dylan Kupsh, a member of SJP, gave a presentation to the council on alleged repression of pro-Palestine protesters by UCLA. In the presentation, Kupsh – who is also a member of the ASUCLA Board of Directors – alleged that UCLA administration ordered UCPD to deny attorney visitation for protesters who were arrested at the Nov. 19 protests. Kupsh also alleged that the university does not have an explicit policy for faculty who violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Kupsh also alleged that UCPD delayed processing protest arrests, adding that the arrestees were denied restroom access.

A spokesperson for UCLA said in a written statement that the university takes alleged violations of FERPA seriously and added that UCPD has complied with state law in all of its investigations – including its arrests of protesters in the spring – and did not order the denial of attorney visitation. The spokesperson added that the university was unaware of any denials of restroom access to arrestees.

Officer reports:

• Tfayli said in his written report that he attended a meeting for the Bruin Relief Initiative and added that he interviewed applicants for a leadership position in undergraduate admissions.

• Garland said his office’s off-campus housing fair would be held Jan. 30.

• Namrata Deepak, a member of External Vice President Javier Nuñez-Verdugo’s office, said Nuñez-Verdugo and their office’s UC Relations team attended the UC Board of Regents meeting at UC San Francisco. Nuñez-Verdugo lobbied with state legislators in Sacramento to advocate for health equity and basic needs funding, Deepak said. Deepak also said Nuñez-Verdugo would be meeting with EVPs from other student governments to discuss campus safety Jan. 30.

• General Representative Diego Emilio Bollo said his officer report would be written but did not update it for the week.

• General Representative Tommy Contreras said in his written report that he collaborated with Bollo to host multiple events.

• General Representative Chris Ramsey did not update his written report for the week.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said in his written report that he conducted interviews for his office’s ambassadorship with the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

• Campus Events Commissioner Robbie Hall said in his written report that students should contribute donations to and support fire relief efforts.

• Community Service Commissioner Carolyn Wang said in her written report that her office was hosting its Housing Resilience in Los Angeles event and is working with Good Clothes Good People – an agency within the office – to discuss its potential eviction.

• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Alicia Verdugo said their office would be hosting a DiverseCity Tour to Altadena and Pasadena, adding that the commission would also host a panel Feb. 13.

• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said in his written report that he is working with the USAC webmaster to upload new pages for his office, adding that UCLA Residential Life approved his proposal for free sustainable laundry supplies.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Chiara Frank said the Bruin Relief Initiative is continuing to collect donations, adding that her office will host hygiene fairs Feb. 12 and 19, as well as an event in collaboration with Planned Parenthood and the Black/Latino AIDS Project at UCLA on March 5.

• Transfer Student Representative Mona Tavassoli said in her written report that she was onboarding a chief of staff for her office.
• International Student Representative Syed Tamim Ahmad in his written report said that his office held its first Global Bites event Jan. 23 and added that his office was working on the Bruin Relief Initiative, as well as other events.

Agenda items:

• The council unanimously approved a resolution asking Chancellor Julio Frenk reinstate the UCLA Advisory Council on Immigration Policy and include student positions on the committee.

• The council unanimously passed a letter calling on the UCLA administration to take immediate action in support of undocumented students amid President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.

• The council approved the creation of a program to allow a $10 rebate for BruinCard replacements to be funded by Morrone’s office.

• The council approved the creation of a fund to pay for $5 BruinCard deposits for laundry for students living on the Hill.

• Wang introduced a bylaw change to allow unspent student fees to be carried over and designated as funding for GCGP.

• The council allocated $1,269.62 from its discretionary fund to pay the stipends of three of former Internal Vice President Megan Law’s staffers.