The Undergraduate Students Association Council held an emergency meeting on July 15 to vote on approving a letter addressed to University of California President Michael Drake that criticized his ban on student governments boycotting companies associated with Israel.

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, though the council will meet biweekly and virtually over the summer. 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:

• Mikha Cabebe, 2024-2025 external vice president of Samahang Pilipino – an organization that advocates for Filipino students – said UCLA’s recent funding cuts to the Student Initiated Outreach Center and Campus Retention Committee threaten the integrity of student-led programs that represent and serve marginalized communities.

[Related: UCLA lays off some retention, access program staff amid federal DEI scrutiny]

• Jasi Bermejo, the 2024-2025 president of Samahang Pilipino, said the SIOC and CRC had been a space for students of color to take ownership of their education.

• A student, who did not give their name, said student initiative programs like the SIOC and CRC helped them stay in school and navigate college. They added that these programs helped them graduate quicker than initially projected.

• Joshua Sitoy, a member of Samahang Pilipino, said he urges the council to work with the student community in respecting the governance structure of the CRC.

Funding:

• The council did not allocate any funding during the meeting.

Officer reports:

• President Diego Bollo said his updates were written but did not update his written report for the week.

• Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras said his updates were written but did not update his written report for the week.

• External Vice President Sherry Zhou said her updates were written but did not update her written report for the week.

• General Representative Talia Davood did not update her written report for the week.

• General Representative Jayha Buhs Jackson said in her written report that her first staff summer meeting would be held July 23.

• General Representative Brett Berndt said in his written report that he had no updates.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said in his written report that he delegated a representative to join other council members during their meeting with the administration to discuss the SIOC.

• Campus Events Commissioner Daniel Leal did not update his written report for the week.

• Community Service Commissioner Edison Chua did not update his written report for the week.

• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick did not update her written report for the week.

• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang said in her written report that she and the Disability Student Union coordinators are planning to meet with the UC Student Association Disability Justice appointed officer to discuss systemwide accessibility projects for the upcoming year.

• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone did not update his written report for the week.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Hannah Yip did not update her written report for the week.

• Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon said in her written report that she discussed a potential bylaw change for the International and Transfer Student Representatives to appoint to the CRC and SIOC. The discussion was held with Bollo, Contreras, Zhou, Morrone, Yip and International Student Representative Keya Tanna.

• International Student Representative Keya Tanna said in her written report that she interviewed with the Daily Bruin about ongoing staff cuts at UCLA Extension and began the groundwork for the fall 2025 Global Bites series event.

[Related: UCLA Extension lays off employees, eliminates positions amid federal budget cuts]

Agenda items:

• The council unanimously approved a letter condemning Drake’s ban on boycotting companies associated with any particular country, including Israel.

[Related: Student governments across UC campuses banned from anti-Israel boycotts]

• The council unanimously approved a resolution condemning layoffs and governance changes to the SIOC, a center that helps fund student initiated programs, and the CRC, a committee that supports undergraduate students. The resolution also called for the governance structures of SIOC and CRC to remain as unchanged as possible.