The Undergraduate Students Association Council allocated over $35,000 to student organizations during its Tuesday meeting.

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:

• Gunnar Roth, the vice chair of the California Public Interest Research Group’s UCLA chapter, said he met with the Los Angeles Sustainability Coalition to discuss sustainability and how to make the 2028 Olympics plastic free. Roth added that CALPIRG is hosting a clothing drive with fashion and sustainability organizations Friday, a documentary screening Friday and a benefit concert to raise money for a local women’s shelter next Friday.

• Mikha Cabebe, the external vice president of Samahang Pilipino, said the organization’s Cultural Night and Pilipinx Graduation Celebration events are experiencing financial struggles and asked USAC for a concrete plan to ensure proper funding for cultural student organizations.

• Jasi Bermejo, Samahang Pilipino’s president, said the university fails to recognize the systemic barriers faced by Filipino students at UCLA. Bermejo urged the council to provide more programming that serves underrepresented communities.

• Alyssa Cosico, the cultural night coordinator of Samahang Pilipino, said she also urges USAC to revise Undergraduate Students Association/Board of Directors Programming Fund rules so that student groups representing marginalized communities have better access to funds.

• The chairperson of Anakbayan at UCLA, an organization of Filipino youth and students advocating for national liberation of the Philippines, said the university focuses on increasing profits for shareholders rather than investing in cultural education that furthers Filipino voices.

• Cody Tabamo, an assistant dance coordinator for the Samahang Pilipino Cultural Night event, said fulfilling the financial needs to host SPCN has become challenging with increases in production costs. He added that there is a need for proper financial allocations from the USA/BOD Programming fund.

• Khale’ Jackson, the vice chairperson of the Afrikan Student Union at UCLA and the chairperson for the Harambee Council – the governing body of the ASU, said he attended the meeting to support Samahang Pilipino’s push for adequate funding.

• Logan Malonzo Munios, a financial coordinator for the Samahang Pilipino Cultural Night event, said he is concerned of the increasing costs for productions at Royce Hall and diminishing returns from SPCN due to inequitable funding from the USA/BOD Programming Fund.

• Samahang Pilipino’s internship coordinator said they are disheartened by the current USA/BOD programming funding policies and how it is impacting Filipino student organizations.

• Mia Madarang, an intern at the Pilipinx Leadership Internship Program at Samahang Pilipino, also called for changes to the USA/BOD programming funding criteria to better support Filipino student organizations.

• A member of the Filipino Celebration committee called for revisions to the USA/BOD programming funding constraints to better accommodate the needs of Filipino-led student organizations.

• A Samahang Pilipino member said their lack of USA/BOD programming funding resulted in the cancellation of their yearbook project.

• Mitch Cris De Guzman, a member of Samahang Pilipino, called on the council to revise the USA/BOD Programming Fund regulations to allow for equitable access for Filipino student organizations.

• Christian Salazar, the external academic retention coordinator for Samahang Pilipino Education and Retention project, urged the council to revisit the USA/BOD programming fund regulations.

• Kate Dinh, the fiscal head of the Vietnamese Student Union at UCLA, requested that the council revise a section of the USA/BOD programming fund, which stipulates that 50% of the funding allocated must support student programming initiatives. She added that this sets a dangerous precedent where “essential cultural programming is defunded.”

• Lindsey Sambilay, the celebration coordinator for Samahang Pilipino, said the decreased funding towards marginalized student organizations is an “institutional failure.” Sambilay added that the $600 funding allocation represents a system that undervalues the work that sustains marginalized communities at UCLA.

• Zoe Monterola, Samahang Pilipino Culture Night’s script coordinator, emphasized the need for better support of Filipino student organizations and called for changes to the USA/BOD ASUCLA programming fund regulations.

• Sujana Sridhar, the chair of the USA Elections Board, said voting in the USAC election is open until May 16 at noon, adding that election results will be announced Friday at Meyerhoff Park. She added the elections board is holding a raffle, where it will be giving away a free iPad, a pair of Sony XM5 headphones and five $100 gift cards to people who vote in the USAC election.

• Kekeli Gbewonyo, the chairperson for ASU’s Afrikan Graduation, said ASU stands in solidarity with Samahang Pilipino, adding that USAC must place a greater emphasis on multicultural organizations because they uplift students’ ethnic identities.

Funding:

• The council allocated $25,394 from the Contingency Programming Fund to 50 non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $1,500 from the Student Wellness Programming Fund to two non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $5,318.55 from The Green Initiative Fund to three non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $5,200 from the Arts Restoring Community Fund to four USAC entities and one non-USAC entity.

Special presentation:

• General Representative Chris Ramsey and his Internal Strategy Director Francisco Mena presented on the proposed Student Advocacy and Policy Administration, which aims to establish a new committee dedicated to long term student-led projects and become a new entity under USAC.

Officer reports:

• President Adam Tfayli said in his written report that he had a meeting with the Campus Safety Oversight Committee and with Steve Lurie, UCLA’s associate vice chancellor for campus and community safety, to discuss funding allocations with regard to campus policing and private security expenditures. In his written report, he said he is working on transitioning the office of the USAC president.

• Internal Vice President Josh Garland said the Basic and Essential Needs Committee will hold a fair Wednesday in Wilson Plaza . He said his office is coordinating its “Know Your Rights” red card initiative, which will help students understand their rights during potential interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Garland added that he will also coordinate a mental health awareness event with Transfer Student Representative Mona Tavassoli.

• External Vice President Javier Nuñez-Verdugo said they urge the California legislature to vote against Assembly Bill 715, which its supporters claim will strengthen protection against discrimination – including antisemitism – in K-12 institutions. Nuñez-Verdugo added that they believe the bill is a bureaucratic measure to prevent schools from teaching about the history of the Middle East and Palestine. They added that USAC appointed officer position applications are due May 30. Nuñez-Verdugo also said they met with Lurie to discuss how the funding is being spent with regard to private security and policing on campus. They added that they met with International Student Representative Syed Tamim Ahmad and UC Student Association Campus Climate Appointed Officer Durriya Ahmed to discuss plans to analyze UCPD finances and confirm a timeline for the appointment of a new UCPD chief. Nuñez-Verdugo also said they sent a delegation of around 11 students to the Board of Regents meeting in San Francisco from May 13 to May 15.

• General Representative Diego Emilio Bollo, who was elected the council’s president Friday, did not update his written report for the week.

• General Representative Tommy Contreras, who was elected the council’s internal vice president Friday, did not update his written report for the week.

• General Representative Chris Ramsey said in his written report that his office will hold the Swipes for Shirts drive in collaboration with Swipe Out Hunger. He added that he will meet with UCLA Dining to discuss meal accessibility issues and has met with New Student Orientation leadership to better advertise available scholarship applications to incoming students. Ramsey also said students can access summer storage guides on the USAC, ASUCLA and UCLA Housing websites.

• Campus Events Commissioner Robbie Hall said in his written report that a new art exhibition “Cycles” will open May 27 and art submissions for the exhibition are due Wednesday. Film submissions for the annual student film festival are due Friday, Hall added.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino, who was reelected to the same role Friday, said he encourages students to attend the Summer Resource Fair hosted by Garland’s office Wednesday.

• Community Service Commissioner Carolyn Wang said in her written report that there will be a Basic Needs and Resources Fair on Monday at Bruin Plaza and a Service Impact Summit on Friday, where students can share their experiences with community service. Wang added that she is campaigning for Good Clothes Good People, a student organization that provides clothes and hygiene products to undergraduate students, and that Project Bruin will bring elementary schools to campus Friday.

• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kyland Talbott did not update his written report for the week.

• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang, who was elected to a full term as Facilities commissioner, said in her written report that she is campaigning for increased BruinAccess funding. Huang said her office’s Access on Board program held their Sensory Sanctuary event with Autism Advocacy at UCLA on May 8. Environmental Justice Now and Buy Your Values is planning an educational seminar called Ethics in Every Thread on May 21, she added.

• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone, who was reelected to the same role Friday, said in his written report that he is reviewing all applications for the Commuter Student Parking Fund. He added that USA/BOD Programming Fund appeals are now open.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Chiara Frank said in her written report that she is continuing efforts with the Disabled Student Union regarding BruinAccess and Center for Accessible Education needs for students. She added that the Peer Support Lounge, where students can get N95 masks, snacks, Narcan, fentanyl test strips and fidget toys, is now open. Frank also said she is collaborating with UCLA’s Health Education and Resource Team on a reproductive health event Monday.

• Transfer Student Representative Mona Tavassoli said in her written report that she attended Transfer Student Advocacy Day in Sacramento with other USAC members, adding that she is planning a Mental Health Awareness event with Garland.

• International Student Representative Syed Tamim Ahmad said in his written report that Hyerim Yoon, who was elected the council’s transfer student representative Friday, represented his office at the UC Regents meeting May 13 to May 15.