The Undergraduate Students Association Council approved a resolution calling on UCLA to protect free speech at its March 3 meeting.

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 agenda 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 the California Public Interest Research Group – a student-led environmental advocacy organization – said the organization participated in a statewide lobby day with six other CALPIRG chapters. She added that the group advocated for legislation aimed at removing harmful chemicals from food and expanding wildlife crossings in California. Salam also announced that CALPIRG will be holding a textbook affordability press conference Thursday at 2 p.m.

• Eli Sepulveda, the chief justice of the USA Judicial Board, said the board officially received a petition for consideration Feb. 25, filed by petitioner Jiorden King, chairperson of the Community Programs Office Student Leadership Council, alleging that the USA Election Board violated the Election Code by discriminating against CPO SLC’s Basic and Essential Needs Initiative and unfairly eliminating because it missed a week seven deadline not listed on the Election Calendar. The Judicial Board ruled Friday that the Election Board did not discriminate against BEN, although it violated the Election Code by not putting the deadline on the Election Calendar. The Judicial Board did not, however, reinstate the BEN initiative onto the May USAC ballot.

[Related: Rejected fee initiative cannot appear on May USAC ballot, USA Judicial Board rules]

Funding:

• The council allocated $26,718 from the Contingency Programming Fund to one USAC entity and 58 non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $6,502.78 from the Supplemental Fund for Service to four USAC entities and four non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $749.14 from the Student Wellness Commission Programming Fund to three non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $12,962.42 from The Green Initiative Fund to two USAC entities and five non-USAC entities.

Special presentations:

• Estrella Gutierrez, a student liaison for UCLA Hispanic-Serving Institution, and HSI Inaugural Director Elizabeth Gonzalez presented updates from the Winter 2026 HSI Student Town Hall. UCLA HSI is an initiative the university started in 2020 to help it enroll a student body that is at least 25% Hispanic or Latino and 37% Pell Grant eligible. Gonzalez said UCLA – which has a 24.7% Hispanic or Latino student body – is nearing the 25% federal threshold to become a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Gonzalez added that though UCLA has made efforts to promote Latinx student success through funding research opportunities and strengthening teaching initiatives, the university must continue to ensure that it is adequately serving its growing demographic of Latinx students. Gutierrez said the annual hybrid HSI town halls have connected the HSI student body to the broader UCLA community. She added that some students said at the winter town hall that they do not trust the university administration and institutions, as well as resources such as financial aid. Gutierrez also said UCLA HSI is working on a Campus Mapping project that would create an interactive map to help students locate resources, including writing help and career resources.

Officer reports:

• President Diego Bollo said USAC officers should encourage all students to apply for the three open positions within the Judicial Board. He added in his written report that he is planning spring quarter programming, including a teach-in during week two about the federal government’s crackdown on higher education with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 – which represents nearly 40,000 patient care, service and skilled craft workers across the UC – and the UCLA Faculty Association. Bollo added that he is also planning a Los Angeles mayoral forum for week four.

• Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras said students should look out for new events from the office that will be announced this week. He added that a save-the-date will be shared on the IVP’s Instagram for the first annual USAC end-of-year gala, which will be held in May.

• External Vice President Sherry Zhou said the applications for Latine Lobby Day are now available, and students can check her office’s Instagram for more information.

• General Representative Talia Davood did not attend the meeting but said in her written report that the Hamentashen bake hosted by Chabad House, which serves members of the UCLA Jewish community, was a success. She added that the Career Center held a personal branding event Wednesday and that Hillel at UCLA hosted a fundraising event for Iranian freedom Wednesday.

• General Representative Jayha Buhs Jackson did not attend the meeting. Her proxy said her office will host a Black Caucus event Wednesday in collaboration with the Afrikan Student Union to facilitate discussion on improving Black Bruins’ quality of life.

• General Representative Brett Berndt said his report would be written but did not update his officer report.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino did not attend the meeting but said in his written report that he met with Jonathan Wisner, USAC’s student government support manager, to discuss bylaw changes to USAC’s constitutions. He added in the written report that he met with the Executive Board to discuss a retreat for USAC officers and is planning a resource fair.

• Campus Events Commissioner Daniel Leal said AfroFest, an event held March 1 in collaboration with the Nigerian Student Association, was successful and had high attendance. He added that the commission hosted a screening of the film Idiotka on March 2, followed by a Q&A with director Nastasya Popov. Leal added there were two additional sneak previews of the films Reminders of Him on Friday and Project Hail Mary on Monday.

• Community Service Commissioner Edison Chua did not attend the meeting but said in his written report that the commission held a Financial Wellness Advocacy Event, its last event of the quarter. He added in his written report that last week’s Non-Profit Networking Night, held in collaboration with the Volunteer Center, had a strong turnout.

• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said the Hip Hop Congress fashion show reached attendance capacity. Trewick added that the office collaborated with the Facilities Commission for a DiverCity Tours trip to Boyle Heights on Feb. 28 and created a zine inspired by the trip. Trewick added that her office is hosting Hip Hop Congress Explosion, a hip hop concert, this Thursday in Ackerman Grand Ballroom from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang said the Lily Shaw Disability Cultural Center now has a temporary location for the rest of the academic year on the first floor of the Strathmore Building, adding that Mick Deluca, the associate vice chancellor of campus life, approved the location. She added that her commission hosted a design contest for the center’s logo and held a town hall Wednesday in the Strathmore Building, during which they voted on the logo. Huang said her office also hosted a physical accessibility town hall with the Disabled Student Union and other USAC officers Feb. 25, in which they discussed housing accommodations.

• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said in his written report that the Commuter Parking Permit Scholarships are live and can be applied to through his commission’s website. Morrone added that he is reaching out to student organizations to collaborate with on personal finance workshops.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Hannah Yip said the commission hosted a Joy as Resistance event Feb. 27 that featured student performances. She added that her office will host a town hall Tuesday in collaboration with the Campus Assault Resources and Education Program to prepare for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April.

• Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon said her office is hosting a housing night March 9 in Sunset Village with free food and a bounce house for students.

• International Student Representative Keya Tanna said her office hosted its first Teaching Kitchen event in celebration of Chinese New Year. She added that the commission held an International Women’s Day celebration last Wednesday in Bradley Hall. Tanna also said her office hosted a world dance class last Thursday in collaboration with UCLA Recreation, in which participants danced to music from around the world.

Agenda items:

• The council unanimously approved the Firewall for Freedom resolution, which called for Chancellor Julio Frenk to resist the federal government’s demands for the university to regain its federal research funding. The Trump administration sent a settlement to UCLA in August demanding that it pay $1.2 billion and agree to several policy demands in exchange for its federal research funding, which it withheld over “antisemitism and bias” at UCLA. The resolution called the demands in the settlement – which included that UCLA end gender-affirming care for minors, eliminate race and ethnicity-based scholarships and restrict its enrollment of international students – an attempt to undermine academic freedom. The Trump administration decided in February not to continue its appeal against a ruling that prevented the administration from seeking the settlement but sued the UC in February over alleged antisemitism. The resolution also asked UCLA to prohibit its employees from volunteering information or assisting federal authorities who seek to impose criminal liability on a student.

[Related: Trump administration drops appeal of order blocking $1.2 billion UCLA settlement]

• The council unanimously approved a letter in support of the Ohio Avenue Safety and Mobility Project, which would establish the first fully protected bike lanes in LA. The project is currently in phase two and is seeking final approval of its design but still has the potential to be canceled. The letter encouraged councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Traci Park to continue with the project and implement safer bike lanes around UCLA.