The Undergraduate Students Association Council approved three referendums to appear on its May ballot at its Feb. 24 meeting.

USAC is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Meetings are open to all students and take place every Tuesday at 7 p.m. 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:

• Jesus Rodriguez – a fourth-year political science and public affairs student – said he supports the BruinFresh Referendum, which would fund food support for international and undocumented students who are ineligible for state benefit programs. He added that he uses CalFresh – the state’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – himself, which has helped him pay rent while fulfilling his basic needs.

• Evan Salazar – first-year political science student – said he supports the Bruin Success Referendum, which would would fund 10 of UCLA’s identity- and community-based centers and programs because he believes DEI initiatives are under threat from the federal government.

• Averie Roice – a fourth-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student – said she supports the BruinFresh Referendum because it will promote student retention, adding that it is crucial for students to have access to groceries after long days on campus. She added that it is vital for marginalized students to have support systems that are institutionalized and sustainably funded.

• Daniela Castro – a third-year political science student – said she knows students who have faced food insecurity that have to work multiple jobs to pay rent, prioritizing paying for rent over food. Castro added that she believes USAC should support the BruinFresh Referendum because undocumented and international students do not have access to the same opportunities as their classmates.

• Susie Turner – a second-year public affairs and African American studies student – said she urges the council to approve the Bruin Success Referendum because all students can benefit from identity-based centers, which provide academic guidance, community building and leadership development opportunities.

• Jackie Chen – the president of the Student Veterans of America at UCLA – said resource centers for veterans offer professional and leadership opportunities, educational benefits, mentorships and provide a community for veteran students. Chen, a fourth-year geophysics student, added that without funding from the Bruin Success Referendum, the Veteran Resource Center cannot provide sufficient resources to students.

• Maya Allen – a third-year English student – said she relies on CalFresh benefits for food, adding that 63% of food insecure students on UCLA’s campus do not receive CalFresh benefits. Allen added that all students should have stable access to proper meals every day.

• Agrin Khatami – a first-year international development studies and political science student – said many students who face food insecurity can use campus resources or benefits to overcome that burden. She added that undocumented and international students are excluded from these benefits.

• Noor Baber – a third-year political science student – said she supports the Bruin Fresh referendum because food insecurity is a major issue at UCLA.

• Diana Raya Perez – a third-year political science student – said she urged the council to approve the Bruin Success Referendum because it is important to fund the Transfer Student Resource Center, Latinx Success Center and the Academic Advancement Program. She added that the initiatives the referendum would fund have been critical in helping her navigate higher education as a first-generation transfer student. Perez said the centers provide programming, guidance and community when students feel overwhelmed or isolated.

• Johanna Vu – a fourth-year sociology student – urged the council to approve the Bruin Fresh Referendum because it will help serve undocumented and international students, as well as those who are facing delays in CalFresh approval.

• Gabrielle Trujillo – a second-year history and public affairs student – urged the council to approve the Bruin Success Referendum, as it would help fund the Latinx Success Center, which fosters belonging and inclusion for Latinx students and provides financial aid resources, academic assistance and mental health services.

• Kevin Lin, a third-year environmental science student, said stress from food insecurity impacts students’ academics and employment.

• Brett Baptist – a third-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student – said food security for all students should be the bare minimum, adding that undocumented students do not have a safety net because they are not eligible for CalFresh.

• Alexiss Sanchez, a fourth-year sociology student, said the centers funded by Bruin Success have supported her with course planning and pursuing her academic and professional goals. She added that the Academic Advancement Program helped her plan her enrollment, and she celebrated her heritage at the Latinx Success Center’s Nov. 3 Dia de los Muertos event.

• Juancristobal Jacinto, a fourth-year public health student, said identity centers are key for underrepresented students’ academic success and mental wellbeing. He added that the Bruin Success Referendum is an opportunity to invest in students.

• Hesma Valdes, a third-year sociology student, said she urges the council to approve the BruinFresh Referendum because undocumented students have faced heightened stress due to the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

• Jianna Anguiano, a third-year sociology student, said food insecurity has impacted many students’ mental health and academics.

• Audrey Freeman, a third-year international and global studies student, said she is in favor of BruinFresh because it aims to give international and undocumented students access to healthy and diverse food options.

• Toya Soto – a fourth-year public affairs and American Indian studies student – said resources like the Latinx Success Center and the American Indian Community Center have helped her navigate UCLA, adding that Bruin Success Referendum would help fund these centers for future Bruins.

• Grant Li, a third-year political science and linguistics student, said it is critical that campus advancement programs are funded and protected. Li added that he believes USAC has not been transparent enough about its funding allocations within the Bruin Success Referendum, adding that some of the centers have told them they were not consulted about how much they will receive from the referendum.

• Sophia Nguyen, the external vice president for the Vietnamese Student Union, said she opposes the Bruin Success Referendum because she believes USAC was not transparent enough about how funding would be distributed between the centers. Nguyen, a third-year Asian American studies student, added that she believes the Bruin Success Referendum will not be successful if USAC does not consult students from marginalized backgrounds during the planning stages.

• Marianne Viñas-Rogers, a third-year philosophy student, urged the council to pass the Bruin Success Referendum because centers like the Veterans Resource Center and Bruin Resource Center have contributed to her academic success as a non-traditional student. Viñas-Rogers added that the student body should protect resource centers that help students find a sense of belonging on campus.

• Vanessa Harris – a third-year public affairs student – said the American Indian Community Center has allowed her to connect with students of similar backgrounds, adding that she believes the funding from the referendum should contribute to the salary of the center’s seven workers. Harris urged the council to pass the referendum because she believes the funding is essential for UCLA to retain Indigenous students.

• A student said he supports the Bruin Success Referendum, adding that he believes it will support minority students. The student added that UCLA’s administration should provide more funding toward student resources.

• LaVon Nightingale Smith – a fourth-year internal development studies student and the president of the Pacific Islands’ Student Association – said Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras’ office, which sponsored the Bruin Success Referendum, did not respond to her until the day before the meeting about the financial breakdown of the referendum. She added that the office has not been transparent or communicative enough and said she hopes USAC addresses those concerns before voting on the referendum.

• A third-year political science student, said he has received support from the Black Bruin Resource Center and the Transfer Student Center and hopes the council passes the Bruin Success Referendum so the centers can succeed.

• A history student said he believes the council should pass the Bruin Success Referendum because the Transfer Student Center and the Latinx Success Center have provided him with a sense of community. He added that the centers are underfunded and that the referendum would help support the center’s staff.

[Related: Fee-increasing referendums pass USAC, await chancellor approval for May ballots]

Funding:

• The council allocated $19,252.33 from the Contingency Programming Fund to four USAC entities and 36 non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $1,164.85 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to three non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $202.64 from the Student Wellness Commission Programming Fund to two USAC entities.

• The council allocated $5,892.56 from The Green Initiative Fund to three non-USAC entities.

Special presentations:

• Aditi Hariharan, the president of the UC Students Association, gave a presentation introducing the UC Student Association – an organization representing more than 235,000 undergraduate students across the UC. Hariharan said the organization’s mission is to empower current and future UC students and make education more accessible. She added that students can opt in to pay $7 on their BruinBill for UCSA. Hariharan said the organization has a designated voting member from all nine UC campuses. Hariharan added that UCSA also works with coalition partners to uplift students’ needs and champion free speech, diversity programs and Black student success.

• Sonya Brooks, the 2025-26 UC Student Regent, gave a presentation in support of the BruinFresh referendum, which would create a supplemental food program for undocumented and international students who are ineligible to access resources like CalFresh. The referendum – which, if passed, would levy a $9 quarterly fee on students – would provide sustainable funding for BruinFresh going forward. She added that the program would offer accessible mobile carts, which would carry food and produce for graduate students, parenting students and commuter students.

• Winston Li – the co-director of transportation, equity and access in USAC’s Facilities Commission – gave a presentation on his support for the Ohio to Ohio Bike Lane project, which would address the bike lane gap on Ohio Avenue. He added that the project is focused on urging Caltrans to add bus lanes in the middle of Ohio Avenue while they repave Santa Monica Boulevard. Sophia Wang – co-director of Bruins 4 Better Transit, a team of students fighting for equitable and accessible transit on campus – said the recent crash at 99 Ranch Market in Westwood in which a driver hit a bicyclist and then proceeded to drive into the grocery store, killing three people and injuring six, highlighted transportation safety issues in Westwood and Los Angeles.

[Related: Car crashes into 99 Ranch Market, killing at least 3 people, injuring at least 6]

Appointments:

• The council appointed Jack Donaldson, a fourth-year applied mathematics student, as the financial chair of the USA Elections Board.

• The council appointed Isaac Guevara, a third-year psychology student, as the director of media for the USA Elections Board.

Officer reports:

• President Diego Bollo said in his written report that Namrata Deepak, a fourth-year political science and linguistics student, will be the UCLA representative on the committee that chooses the next student regent that sits on the UC Board of Regents. He added that he spoke with the LA Public Press regarding Opportunity For All – a campaign pushing to secure employment opportunities for undocumented students within the UC. Bollo said applications for three positions on the USA Judicial Board are open.

• Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras said his office is planning events for spring quarter, adding that he is continuing to support advocacy surrounding the sanctuary campus initiative – a student movement for universities to adopt the “sanctuary campus” title and to not cooperate with immigration enforcement unless legally required to do so – amid threats from the federal government. UC police departments already do not assist federal immigration enforcement officers unless legally required.

• External Vice President Sherry Zhou said California Assemblymember Jessica Caloza will help author Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 18, which would increase the number of student seats on the UC Board of Regents from two to four. She added that if the amendment passes the legislature, it will become a ballot measure for voters to decide on. Zhou encouraged students to get involved in lobbying for the amendment.

• General Representative Talia Davood said in her written report that her office’s petting zoo was a success, adding that she spoke with a previous general representative about getting a Lyft discount for students.

• General Representative Jayha Buhs Jackson said she is releasing applications for a lobby day hosted by her office. She added that she is collaborating with the Afrikan Student Union and Cultural Affairs Commission to plan a Black Wednesday event.

• General Representative Brett Berndt said in his written report that the Office Space Allocation Committee finalized its allocations. He added that his office is working on a letter in support of California Senate Bill 79 being fully implemented in collaboration with the North Westwood Neighborhood Council – a local, all-volunteer Los Angeles city government body representing UCLA, Westwood Village, the North Village and Persian Square.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said in his written report that he met with Suzanne Seplow – the associate vice chancellor for student development and health – to discuss a possible ambassadorship program collaboration between his office and the Center for Accessible Education, adding that students have had slow response times to their accommodations requests. Espino added that UCLA Housing presented their desire to expand housing units for students, but Espino’s office had concerns with how the expansion could impact Indigenous people in the area. Espino added that UCLA Housing agreed to his proposed ambassadorship model, which would appoint two student representatives to UCLA Housing so that students can provide input on its operations.

• Campus Events Commissioner Daniel Leal said in his written report that his office is hosting the final movie in their Oscar Series on Feb. 26 at the James Bridges Theater. Leal added that AfroFest, a concert hosted by his office and the Nigerian Student Association, would be in Wilson Plaza on March 1.

• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said in her written report that her office’s Hiphop Congress Fashion Show was a success, with 500 students attending. Trewick added that she hosted another art gallery in Kerckhoff Hall to celebrate Black students’ art during Black History Month.

• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang said in her written report that her office discussed issues with BruinAccess and improvements to campus spaces at its Physical Accessibility Town Hall in the Northwest Campus Auditorium and on Zoom.

• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said commuter student parking permit applications are open.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Hannah Yip said in her written report that the SWC Programming Fund application is open and SWC will be hosting Bruin Health Week during week three of spring quarter. Yip added that Massage Mondays will continue throughout the end of the quarter.

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

• International Student Representative Keya Tanna did not update her written report.

Agenda items:

• The council unanimously approved a letter urging Caltrans to add bus lanes in the middle of Ohio Avenue while it repaves Santa Monica Boulevard. The council said in the letter that it believes the move would address safety issues for bicyclists.

• The council rejected the BruinFresh Referendum – which would have added a $9 quarterly fee to fund a food support program for undocumented and international students.

• The council unanimously approved the Bruin Success Referendum – which would add a $55 quarterly fee to help fund 10 diversity centers and programs on campus, including the Latinx Success Center and the Academic Advancement Program.

• The council approved Bruin Life & Undergraduate Experience Fee Referendum, which would add a $27 quarterly fee to provide additional funding to Associate Student UCLA programming, including a $1 hourly wage increase for ASUCLA student employees.

• The council unanimously approved the Bruin Bash Referendum, which would increase the current Bruin Bash fee to $5 quarterly to cover rising facility costs and ensure the council can continue putting on the concert that occurs during week one of fall quarter.