The Undergraduate Students Association Council allocated over $100,000 in funding to internal and external organizations at its meeting Tuesday.

USAC is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Meetings take place every Tuesday at 7 p.m. and are open to all students. The meetings are held in person at the Bruin Viewpoint Room and are live streamed and published online. Students can access links for the meetings and agenda posted on the USAC website under the Documents tab or watch a livestream on the USAC Live! channel on Youtube.

Public comment:

• There was no public comment at the meeting.

Funding:

• The council allocated $9,787.33 from the Capital Contingency Fund to three USAC entities and 38 non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $15,374.59 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to six USAC entities and 12 non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $1,691 from the Bruin Advocacy Grant to four non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $400 from the Academic Affairs Commission Academic Success Referendum to one non-USAC entity.

• The council allocated $1,651 from the Travel Grant Mini Fund to four non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $73,746.84 from the Community Service Transportation Fund to eight USAC entities and 48 non-USAC entities.

Special presentation:

• Namrata Deepak, the internal head of staff for the office of the external vice president, gave a presentation on Proposition 50, which Californians will vote on in a Nov. 4 special election. The proposition would give the California legislature a one-time allowance to redraw congressional maps, rather than the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission. If approved, the state’s new Congressional maps would give Democrats more Congressional seats, a direct response to the Texas state legislature approving a gerrymandered map favoring Republicans. The deadline to register to vote for the special election is Oct. 20, with the election taking place Nov. 4.

Officer reports:

• President Diego Bollo said USAC and the Graduate Student Association hosted a Sepulveda Transit Corridor Rally in support of adding a UCLA stop to the future Sepulveda line Oct. 10.

• Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras said his office’s application results came out Oct. 17.

• External Vice President Sherry Zhou was absent from the meeting but said in her written report that her office is working to form a higher education advisory council with U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu’s office. She added in the report that the EVP office is hosting several upcoming events, including a Prop. 50 town hall Oct. 22, and a teach-in on legislative advocacy Oct. 27. Zhou said in the report that she met with Chancellor Julio Frenk and Monroe Gorden Jr., vice chancellor of student affairs, to discuss Senate Bill 98 – which requires schools and universities to notify students, staff and families when immigration authorities are on campus. Zhou added in the report that her questions about the release of personal employee information by UC Berkeley to the federal government and protections of student data were not answered by the administration authorities at the meeting. Zhou also said in the report that her office was scheduled to meet with UC President James Milliken on Oct. 16.

• General Representative Talia Davood said in her written report that she created an Interfaith Coalition GroupMe and reached out to the UCLA Panhellenic Association to discuss hosting a self-defense class event with different sororities.

• General Representative Jayha Buhs Jackson was absent and did not update her written report for the week.

• General Representative Brett Berndt said the Basic Needs Fair event will be in Bruin Plaza Oct. 23 and an event for Bruin Buddies – a program supporting exchange students – will be in the evening following the fair.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said in his written report that the AAC introduced the Academic Allies initiative, a program focused on creating a stronger sense of community on campus. He added that the AAC appointed a second ambassador to the registrar to strengthen student representation, and met with the Textbook Affordability Fellow to discuss reducing textbook costs and increasing access to course materials.

• Campus Events Commissioner Daniel Leal said he hired and onboarded 40 new staffers, adding that he is working on new sneak previews and concerts for the next month.

• Community Service Commissioner Edison Chua said in his written report that his office conducted the first general meeting of the year with all 33 CSC project leaders.

• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said her office would have its first event Friday – a Metro Boomin listening party.

• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang said she is meeting with student leaders with disabilities in support of building of the Lily Shaw Disability Cultural Center, which is yet to find a permanent location on campus. Huang added that her office hired six new staffers.

• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said the Undergraduate Students Association/Board of Directors ASUCLA Programming Fund will be accepting applications from student organizations. He added in his written report that the FSC office is working with Buhs Jackson to plan a financial literacy night.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Hannah Yip said that SWC Healthcoming – an event that featured health resources and tabling from multiple student organizations – occurred Oct. 15 in Wilson Plaza. She added in her written report that the SWC programming fund application is now open.

• Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon said National Transfer Student week, which is organized by the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students, will be held from Oct. 20 to Oct. 24. Yoon added that the second part of the transfer housing town hall was Oct. 16.

• International Student Representative Keya Tanna said she went to UC Irvine to participate in the first-ever International Student Alliance meeting hosted at the UC Student Association meeting Oct. 11.

Agenda items:

• The council unanimously approved a resolution honoring the life of Kent Wong – who was a professor of Asian American studies and labor studies and a nationally recognized activist for labor and immigrant rights. He was a key founder of the UCLA Labor Studies program, securing $15 million in state funding to ensure the program’s longevity. Wong, an immigrant rights advocate, also testified before the California Senate Committee on Education in support of Assembly Bill 2586, which would allow students to work across all California college campuses regardless of immigration status – in 2024.

• The council unanimously approved a resolution calling upon UCLA and the Academic Senate to implement a system requiring professors to post the cost of course materials at the time of student enrollment no later than fall quarter of 2027-28 academic year. The council said the resolution intends to improve financial transparency by displaying hidden fees.