This post was updated Jan. 27 at 6:32 p.m.

The Associated Students UCLA Board of Directors has lost around $1.8 million since the beginning of the academic year due to the elimination of meal swipes at ASUCLA markets, it said at its Friday meeting.

The board, composed of a student majority, has financial oversight over ASUCLA entities, including the Undergraduate Students Association Council, the Graduate Students Association and the ASUCLA Communications Board – which oversees UCLA Student Media. ASUCLA also has responsibility for the UCLA Store, on-campus restaurants and some UCLA trademarks. Board meetings are open to the public and normally held in Kerckhoff Hall.

Public comment:

There was no public comment at the meeting.

Election of Officers:

• Merhawi Tesfai, a graduate representative, motioned for the board to vote on board appointments. The board approved the appointment of Tesfai as BOD chair and Ayesha Mirza as BOD vice chair.

Executive director/CEO remarks:

• Pouria Abbassi, ASUCLA’s chief executive officer and executive director, said ASUCLA started drafting its budget ahead of the 2026-27 fiscal year.
• Thomas Beres, the director of ASUCLA food services, introduced Gabrielle Hernandez, a third-year political science student and supervisor for ASUCLA catering. Hernandez, who trains and oversees other student employees in her role, said she is collaborating with her fellow supervisors to create a Google Drive folder with regular updates and announcements that will be shared with other ASUCLA employees to maintain a productive work environment.

Committee reports:

• Tesfai said the executive committee discussed the election of officers and the approval of changes to the board’s constitution, bylaws and conflict of interest policy. The committee also discussed an ASCULA case study – which examined the association’s financial model over time – as well as its mid-year retreat.
• George Garzouzi, an undergraduate representative, said the finance committee has sped up billings, cancellations, withdrawals and refund payment times from two months to two weeks. He added that the committee is continuing to work toward reallocating funds so that it can purchase a new projector.
• Daniela Cortez Bravo, a graduate representative, said the services committee updated its purchasing systems since December’s basketball games in Pauley Pavillion to help speed up concession stand lines and produce timely data regarding inventory and customer purchase demographics. She added that furniture in Jimmy’s Coffeehouse has been upgraded. Bravo also said that Greenhouse and Sambazon, located in Ackerman Union, launched reusable bowls week one of winter quarter, adding that an ASUCLA poll found that more than half of users opted to use the reusable bowls. She said Anderson Cafe and Northern Lights are also planning to roll out reusable bowl options. Bravo also said UCLA Bruin One Access has saved students more than $1.5 million since fall of 2024. She added that the fundraising development team raised more than $4,000 to support Bruin security efforts in partnership with other student affairs organizations. Bravo said the committee is planning to host a paint-and-sniff event for students in February. The 76th American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards – an event preceding the Oscars recognizing the best picture and editing categories – will happen at UCLA on Feb. 27, she added. Bravo said the committee secured another space in Kerckhoff 152 in partnership with the Muslim Student Association. She added that the committee also met with the Disabled Student Union to discuss the creation of the Lily Shaw Disability Cultural Center, a space dedicated to disabled empowerment and the provision of resources for disabled students.
• Bravo said the personnel committee has conducted surveys to gain further insight about employee satisfaction and engagement across ASUCLA. The committee is also working toward acquiring grants to support workforce training initiatives beyond those already offered for student workers, she added.
• Graduate representative David Martinez said the ad-hoc committee met with USAC officers to discuss how to avoid overlaps in spending. Martinez added that graduate students oppose elements of the current graduate student meal plan. The plan offers 14 meal swipes per quarter which students “can only apply for three times.” He said the committee is working to expand operations and graduate students are pushing for an alternative program called BruinFresh – which would provide grocery stipends for students who receive financial aid and are not on the meal plan.

Executive director’s report:

• Abbassi said he believes the marketing team’s social media presence – especially the vlogs it posts of student workers showcasing their routines online – has been successful in humanizing student workers. One post received 1.3 million impressions since 2023, he added. The marketing team is planning on launching “a day without ASUCLA” video to highlight the services ASUCLA provides, he said. Abbassi said ASUCLA stores are now selling the winning design of the 13th annual ASUCLA t-shirt. He added that the finance division is still in the process of finalizing the 2026-27 budget, as well as a five-year financial forecast. Abbassi said the student union submitted a $10,000 grant proposal to the UC Office of the President’s Zero Waste grant program – an initiative to reduce waste across the UC campuses – to enhance ASUCLA’s sustainability efforts. ASUCLA will host its first ASUCLA Gala in May as a fundraiser, he added. Abbassi said the Kerckhoff Grand Salon will also replace its furniture by spring quarter. He added that the UCLA store has processed close to 200,000 CalFresh transactions since its inception in 2022. Abbassi also said ASUCLA is also moving forward with creating trading cards to sell in stores and promoting student athletes’ name, image and likeness products.
• He added that ASUCLA will collaborate with a Taiwanese women’s fashion brand to increase visibility for UCLA in Asia.
• Abbassi also said ASUCLA will replace various lamps and lighting fixtures in Kerckhoff Coffee House and Ackerman Union to be more energy efficient and to reduce costs.
• He added that the board wants to get additional funding from the state to support staff and employee training.

Financial Statements (Abbassi/Baker)

• Abbassi said the union’s gross income was $6.1 million in the month of November.
• Sales were down $1.4 million in November as well, but the real impact only totaled to a $220,000 loss due to adequate expense management. He added that the ASUCLA is continuing to spend less to negate financial shortfalls.
• Abbassi said ASUCLA’s financial and services committees are offering rebate programs to boost computer and technology purchases, where sales have historically lagged.
• He added that UCLA Housing’s decision to eliminate the use of meal swipes at ASUCLA markets created $1.8 million in losses, which, coupled with impacts on top-line sales, led to a gap of $4.7 million. However, with budget management strategies, the net loss is only about $640,000.
• ASUCLA Finance Director Donna Baker said the union’s cash assets were $12.4 million at the end of November.
• Rick Crowe, the associate director of marketing and the UCLA Computer Store, provided updates on Bruin Rewards – a savings program that provides customers with a 5% cash back reward system for every $1 spent at the UCLA store. He added that it is an expansion of a 2019 program which was exclusive to students and in-person customers only. The Bruin Rewards program has awarded $362,000 total in discounts for shoppers, he said.
• The board approved a $300,000 capital expenditure for the final phase of an undisclosed infrastructure replacement.
• The board approved a $207,568.84 capital expenditure to replace the projector and screen in the Ackerman Ballroom.
• Tesfai announced a notice of change regarding the ASUCLA Board constitution, bylaws, and conflict of interest policy. Many of these revisions will ensure that the policies fit current needs and standards, said Sandra Gillespie, the director of board and external affairs.