The Undergraduate Students Association Council unanimously approved a letter at its Feb. 17 meeting that called on UCLA to put a professor on administrative leave because of his correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein.

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 livestreamed and published online. Students can access links for the meetings and agendas posted on the USAC website under the Documents tab or watch a livestream on the USAC Live! channel on YouTube.

Public comment:

• Leila Salam, a representative from UCLA’s chapter of the California Public Interest Research Group – a student-led environmental advocacy organization – recapped CALPIRG’s Feb. 10 report on the cost of textbooks and the effort to expand the Open Textbook pilot program. The program helps professors switch to free educational resources, which are peer reviewed and published under an open license. Salam called on USAC officers to sign CALPIRG’s letter in support of the program so that it continues to be funded. She added that CALPIRG hopes to host a press conference about how the program pertains to UCLA during week nine.

Funding:

• The council allocated $28,923.09 from the Contingency Programming Fund for two USAC entities and 64 non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $4,349.79 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to five USAC entities and eight non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $750 from the Student Wellness Commission Programming Fund to one non-USAC entity.

• The council allocated $1,000 from the Arts Restoring Community Fund to one non-USAC entity.

• The council allocated $11,250 from The Green Initiative Fund to two USAC entities.

• The council allocated $15,935.83 from the Community Service Mini Fund to six USAC entities and 49 non-USAC entities.

Officer reports:

• President Diego Bollo said in his written report that he is going to meet with Bruin Parenting Scholars, an organization that provides assistance and support for parenting students and those with dependents at UCLA. Bollo added that he is accepting applications for three open Judicial Board positions. He said he is also conducting outreach for a Los Angeles mayoral forum. He added that he is coordinating meetings with Lindsey Horvath – the supervisor for LA County’s third district – and LA City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky.

• Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras said his office is hosting the True Bruins Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service and Excellence award ceremony Feb. 19. He added that the award recognizes UCLA students who have helped other students during times of crisis.

• External Vice President Sherry Zhou said in her written report her office is planning its annual Hill Day lobby trip to Washington, D.C., where students can discuss student issues and federal priorities with Congressional members and nonprofit partners. Applications are closed, and her team is selecting which students to attend this week, she added. Zhou said her office is also planning multiple lobby days where students can discuss issues, learn about legislative advocacy and meet students from different student organizations, which she is advertising on the EVP Instagram. She added that her office is coordinating a gubernatorial candidate forum, drafting a Higher Ed Demand letter outlining UC student priorities and advocating for several bills and funding requests by attending the Higher Education Access Lobby Day meetings with state legislators. Zhou said she is also meeting with state offices to advance a proposal to increase the voting Student Regent positions from one to two.

• General Representative Talia Davood said in her written report she published an off-campus housing support database, which is open to all students to edit. The database includes apartment addresses, landlord contact information and walking distance from Powell Library to each apartment. She added that her interfaith council’s lunch was successful and that the religious organizations in the council want to establish an official coalition through USAC. Davood said she is working to reschedule a petting zoo event that was canceled because of rain, adding that she is hosting several other add events – including a Career Center networking and self-branding event March 3 and a Purim hamantaschen baking event at Chabad on Feb. 26.

• General Representative Jayha Buhs Jackson said in her written report she released the application for GR2 x Swipes in District Lobby Day and is working on several platform initiatives including Be Well Bruin, a health and wellness event, for finals or spring quarter.

• General Representative Brett Berndt said in his written report that he participated in the Office Space Allocation Committee – which oversees and administers the periodic reallocation of spaces in Kerckhoff Hall – and attended weekly USAC x Disabled Student Union meetings. He added that his office will also hold a Bruin Buddies movie and game night Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. at the Latinx Success Center, a virtual cover letter workshop in collaboration with the Transfer Student Representative on March 2 at 5:30 p.m. and a canvassing event in North Westwood on Feb. 21. He added that the Campus Assault Resources and Education team is organizing a teach-in and collecting clothing for a spring mutual aid distribution. He said he is drafting a letter in support of the full implementation of Senate Bill 79 – a bill allowing higher-density housing near major transit stops – in North Westwood and exploring a potential LA Metro staff town hall.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said in his written report that he met with student ambassadors to the Registrar to discuss and register a proposed bylaw change. He did not provide further clarity on which student ambassadors he met with or respond to a request for comment. He added that he attended Finance Committee meetings and participated in Fostering Connections Mentorship Pilot Program meetings. He said the program provides peer guidance and mentorship to young people who have not yet attended college.

• Campus Events Commissioner Daniel Leal said in his written report that his office is screening “Black Swan” Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. at the James Bridges Theater as the fifth installation for its Oscars series event. He said his office’s Valentine’s Day event “Love You So Matcha” was successful, adding that AfroFest will be held March 1 from 2 to 6 p.m. in Wilson Plaza.

• Community Service Commissioner Edison Chua said in his written report that the CSC’s Student Coalition for Basic Needs will host “Dine & Destress” on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at Laurel University Apartment Grills. He added that his commission met with Espino’s office and will support the Academic Affairs Commission’s Spring Resource Fair.

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

• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang said in her written report her commission and the Disabled Student Union secured the first floor of the Strathmore Building as a temporary pilot location for the Lily Shaw Disability Cultural Center for the remainder of the academic year. She added that the center is still searching for a long-term location. She also said her office will host a Physical Accessibility Town Hall on Feb. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. to discuss students’ experiences with campus accessibility. Huang added that her office’s committee on Transportation, Equity and Access is collaborating with Trewick’s DiverCity Tours initiative to host a tour of Boyle Heights on March 1.

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

• Student Wellness Commissioner Hannah Yip said in her written report that her office met with Chaitali Mukherjee, the executive director of Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center, to discuss upcoming initiatives. She added that the SWC Programming Fund application is open. Yip said her office is hosting a Joy as Resistance event Feb. 27 in Carnesale Commons, a Sexperts Period Pop-up on Feb. 26 in Bruin Plaza and the Bruin Run/Walk 5K on April 19 – which students can sign up at no cost for through Feb. 22. Yip added that SWC is collecting event submissions for a Sexual Assault Awareness month calendar, continuing Peer Support Lounge hours and Massage Mondays, and offering CPR/First Aid classes.

• Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon did not update her written report.

• International Student Representative Keya Tanna said in her written report she met with Dashew Center Director Sam Nahidi and Jack Feng, the external vice president of the Graduate Students Association, to identify problems within the three offices and discuss international student issues – such as access to legal services, communication gaps and coordination across the three groups. She added that she met again with Feng about expanding the ISR x Student Legal Services educational series to better serve graduate students and align programming with immigration-related concerns. Tanna said she also met with Buhs Jackson to launch a monthly International Student Advocacy series.

Agenda items:

• The council unanimously approved a letter urging UCLA to place Mark Tramo, an associate adjunct professor of neurology, on administrative leave because of his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Tramo communicated at least semi-regularly with Epstein – including about his UCLA class – between 2010 and 2019, according to Department of Justice documents. The letter also called on the university to conduct an independent investigation to see whether Tramo’s communications with Epstein violated UCLA’s policies. The letter also emphasized the need for timely and transparent action to safeguard the university’s reputation and community trust.