The Undergraduate Students Association Council ended its first meeting of the month Tuesday with a discussion about goals for the council’s future.

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:

• Leila Salam, the UCLA chapter chair from the California Public Interest Research Group, said the organization is currently running a pledge drive to raise funds for marine wildlife protection. She added that CALPIRG will continue its work on campaigns for relief from fire, hunger and homelessness and plans to collaborate with Community Service Commissioner Carolyn Wang on a fire relief-related effort.

• Darion Phan, the former finance chair of the USA Elections Board, thanked President Adam Tfayli and Internal Vice President Josh Garland for addressing the problem of unpaid USA Elections Board stipends. Phan told the council Jan. 28 that some stipends and reimbursements from the 2024 USAC election cycle had not been paid.

Funding:

• The council allocated $12,753 from the Contingency Programming Fund to 41 non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $4,645.97 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to one USAC entity and four non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $7,000 from the Bruin Advocacy Grant to nine non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $880.65 from the Academic Affairs Commission Travel Grant Mini Fund to two non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $1,742 from the Academic Success Referendum Fund to three non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $56,151.70 from the Community Service Transportation Fund to five USAC entities and 25 non-USAC entities.

Appointments:

• The council unanimously appointed Mason Valentine, a second-year business economics student, as the finance chair of the USA Elections Board.

Officer reports:

• Tfayli said he interviewed applicants for the position of executive director of undergraduate admissions.

• Garland said his office raised around $10,000 at its housing fair event, adding that half of the proceeds will go to his office’s housing rent relief fund.

• External Vice President Javier Nuñez-Verdugo said they attended the UC budget lobby day, where they met with nine legislators and advocated to expand the Cal Grant to nontraditional students, as well as expanding access to funding for disability service providers and emergency grants and resources for undocumented students. They added that they attended the annual UC Students Association Students of Color Conference at UC Berkeley.

• General Representative Diego Emilio Bollo did not update his written report for the week.

• General Representative Tommy Contreras said he is hosting a town hall meeting for student workers Feb. 6 with the Student Labor Advocacy Project.

• General Representative Chris Ramsey’s written report was not updated for the week.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said in his written report that he is considering proposing changes to the length of the terms of student members of the Academic Senate.

• Campus Events Commissioner Robbie Hall said that he is hosting a movie screening of “Parthenope” on Feb. 6.

• Community Service Commissioner Carolyn Wang said in her written report that she needs more volunteers for the Bruin Relief Initiative and encouraged people to sign up. She added that her office will be collaborating with CALPIRG on Bruin Relief Initiative-related events.

• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Alicia Verdugo said that their office will host a rap and beat Hip Hop Congress workshop Feb. 6. She added that the Tulips will be performing at a Valentine’s Day concert Feb. 11. Verdugo has since resigned from this position.

• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said sustainable free laundry products offered by his office will be available in the offices of UCLA Residential Life on Monday.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Chiara Frank said in her written report that her office will host a winter conference on community health Feb. 25, a Menstrual Hygiene Fair on Feb. 12 and a Dental Hygiene Fair on Feb. 19. She added that she met with Hall’s office to discuss future collaborations and plans to meet with the ASUCLA Board of Directors about student employees.

• Transfer Student Representative Mona Tavassoli said in her written report that she hosted the Transfer Advocacy Open House on Monday in collaboration with Nuñez-Verdugo’s office. She added that she met with a student working to establish a Muslim student center and is planning a collaboration with the LGBTQ Resource Center.

• International Student Representative Syed Tamim Ahmad said in his written report that he attended the UCSA Students of Color Conference and is currently working on establishing the UC International Student Alliance.

Agenda items:

• The council unanimously approved a bylaw change that will allocate surplus funding from student fees the Community Service Commission collects to the Community Service Transportation Fund.

• The council denied a funding appeal made by the United Afghan Club for funding from the USA/BOD Fund for their upcoming Ramadan Iftar event. The funding was initially denied because it violated guidelines regarding use of student fees for nonstudents and funding for food. Morrone clarified the appeal could not be approved for the line item the United Afghan Club applied for but offered alternative funding options for the club to receive USA/BOD funding.

• The council unanimously approved a resolution calling for UCLA to become a sanctuary campus for undocumented immigrants.

• Tavassoli introduced a resolution calling for the removal of all Coca-Cola-licensed products from ASUCLA as they claimed the company has severely violated labor rights and corporate governance issues. The resolution demands that the ASUCLA Board of Directors review the violations outlined and immediately terminate contracts with the Coca-Cola Company. The council voted to table the resolution.

• The council unanimously approved a resolution demanding the Fowler Museum repatriate all stolen ancestors and reinstate the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Compliance Committee. The resolution would allow the NAGPRA committee to resolve and restore the rights of Native American lineal descendants to the human remains and cultural belongings that are currently in the UC’s possession.

• The council unanimously approved a resolution opposing student conduct charges brought forth on students arrested in pro-Palestine protests on campus.

[Related: Students face conduct hearings, graduation uncertainty after encampment arrests]

• Verdugo said they believe USAC needs to become more proactive in addressing student issues and said they would step down as Cultural Affairs commissioner, citing safety concerns. Verdugo’s resignation came as she faced antisemitism allegations over her office’s hiring practices.