The Undergraduate Students Association Council approved multiple constitution changes to appear on the May ballot at its March 10 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:

• A student representing the Philippines-U.S. Solidarity Organization West Los Angeles – an organization promoting solidarity with social, political and economic movements in the Philippines – called on USAC to demand the UC Board of Regents divest from companies which they said repress activist voices and violate international humanitarian law. The student did not specify which companies they were referring to.

• Diana Raya Perez, a member of the Transfer Student Representative Office’s, said the council should support a resolution urging the regents to divest from companies funding militarization in the Philippines.

• Leila Salam, a representative from UCLA’s chapter of the California Public Interest Research Group, a student-led environmental advocacy organization, said the chapter hosted a press conference for its affordable textbook campaign last Friday. CALPIRG is focused on accomplishing its “Protect Our Oceans” campaign, she added, and encouraged USAC to participate in public comment at statewide hearings, write letters of support and pass a resolution backing the campaign.

• Another student member of PUSO West LA also asked the council to demand the regents divest from companies funding the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Funding:

• The council allocated $179.03 from the USA/Board of Directors ASUCLA Programming Fund to one non-USAC entity.

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

• The council allocated $6,737 from the Bruin Advocacy Grant to 17 non-USAC entities.

• The council allocated $250 in discretionary funding to purchase a new vacuum for the 15 USAC offices.

Special presentations:

• Dylan Kupsh, speaking on behalf of Students for Justice in Palestine and Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine, alleged that UCLA’s student conduct system discriminately targeted and punished students who openly supported Palestine. Kupsh, a doctoral student in computer science, said he believes the student conduct process punishes dissent while limiting publicity. Kupsh also said he believes that UCLA’s student conduct process does not dismiss cases with insufficient evidence in a reasonable period of time. Overseer of the Office of the Dean of Students Jasmine Rush and Monroe Gorden Jr., the vice chancellor for student affairs, announced in a Feb. 17 campuswide email that UCLA no longer uses a student conduct committee to evaluate student conduct decisions, as of Jan. 1, 2026. Kupsh said the change to the student conduct policy, and the removal of cross-examination and witness questioning, will further harm UCLA students who choose to participate in protests.

[Related: UCLA Student Conduct Code undergoes updates in hearing, timeline, appeal processes]

Officer reports:

• President Diego Bollo said in his written report that he met with Ralina Joseph, vice provost of inclusive excellence, and the Office of Inclusive Excellence to discuss ongoing initiatives and student success priorities. Bollo added that he met with the LA Department of Transportation to discuss community engagement for the Ohio Avenue Safety and Mobility Project – a proposal to create a two-way protected bike lane between Westgate Avenue and Westwood Boulevard. Bollo also said he also met with Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck to discuss hiring for a new associate vice chancellor of housing and hospitality. Pete Angelis, who served in the role for 19 years, will retire in June.

[Related: UCLA associate vice chancellor responsible for four-year housing guarantee retires]

• Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras did not update his written report.

• External Vice President Sherry Zhou said California State Assembly member Jessica Caloza introduced Assembly Constitutional Amendment 18, which would increase the number of student representatives on the UC Board of Regents from one to two, to the state assembly. Zhou added that she attended a Student Lobby Conference in Sacramento, in which students lobbied for career readiness and basic needs programs.

• General Representative Talia Davood said in her written report that she met with Counseling and Psychological Services to discuss how to better provide mental health resources and support for Iranian students. She added that she facilitated an Iranian advocacy panel March 3 to educate students on the U.S.’s conflict with Iran, and helped fundraise for the National Union of Democracy in Iran – an Iranian-American nonprofit organization supporting U.S. foreign policy that promotes democracy in Iran. Davood also said she met with the Interfaith Coalition to discuss making the committee permanent via the USAC bylaws.

• General Representative Jayha Buhs Jackson said in her written report that she is working on a policy memo detailing an ethical investment plan for the UC targeted for release during spring quarter. Buhs Jackson added that she visited Loyola Elementary to speak with students about advocacy, and her office held the second annual Black Caucus event in collaboration with the Afrikan Student Union on March 4.

• General Representative Brett Berndt said in his written report that he co-hosted a Health Accessibility Town Hall on Thursday and a Campus Assault Resources and Education teach-in event March 5, in which students learned about sexual health and trauma-informed treatment. Berndt added that his office will release a recording from his “Demystifying Running for USAC” event.

• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said in his written report that he is preparing for the Spring Books4Bruins fund, which provides needs-based funds for students to purchase textbooks.

• Campus Events Commissioner Daniel Leal did not update his written report for March 10, though he had two separate reports under the date March 3.

• Community Service Commissioner Edison Chua said in his written report that his commission started working on its winter quarter transparency report. Chua added that the CS Mini Fund has no more funds left and is closed for applications, and the Community Service Transportation Fund and Supplemental Fund for Service will remain open, though with stricter requirements to receive funding.

• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said in her written report that Hip Hop Congress Explosion, a hip hop concert hosted by her office, sold out tickets and was a success. Trewick added that she hosted the final “The Word on Wednesday” event Wednesday , a bi-weekly poetry open-mic session.

• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang said in her written report that her office hosted a Health Accessibility Town Hall to discuss issues, solutions and student experiences with accessing healthcare at UCLA.

• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said in his written report that the Commuter Parking permit application is live.

• Student Wellness Commissioner Hannah Yip said the Student Wellness Commission Programming fund is open. She added that SWC will host Bruin Health Week, a series of health and wellness events hosted by SWC and its partner student health organizations, during week three of spring quarter.

• Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon said in her written report that she authored and introduced a resolution to USAC in collaboration with PUSO West LA, which called on the regents to divest from companies with ties to human rights violations and militarization in the Philippines. Yoon added that her office is currently evaluating Transfer Awareness Training for the spring quarter, and planning a financial aid and college affordability event for community college students.

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

Agenda items:

• The council approved the new 2026-2028 Office Space Allocation Committee allocations. Chua said at the meeting that he voted against the approval of the OSAC allocations, because he believed USAC unfairly excluded USAC’s internal organizations and committees in office allocations, which he alleged was not in line with OSAC’s published guidelines that said USAC organizations would receive priority. Other council members refuted Chua, saying that USAC-sponsored organizations can secure office spaces in other ways such as through the commission they fall under.

• The council unanimously approved the 2025-26 Robert S. Michaels Leadership in Service Award application for spring quarter, which will award $1,000 to 10 undergraduate students who have shown dedication to community service.

• The council unanimously approved seven changes to the USAC constitution that will appear on the council’s spring ballot, which students will vote on in May. The changes include adding text to Article 2, Section B that says the council has general supervision over its affairs and can establish boards, commissions, committees and task forces as it deems necessary. If approved, it would also change Article 2, Section D to say that a majority of elected officers must be present at meetings over the summer to conduct business. It would also strike text from Article 2, Section D that said abstentions do not count toward any constitutionally required ⅔ or ¾ vote, and would strike text from Article 2, Section E that the council confirms its own members. The changes would also include adding to Article 4, Section B that the ASUCLA Executive Director can select a representative to serve as an ex-officio member on USAC, and would strike from Article 5, President’s Power that the President should be a member of the ASUCLA Board of Directors and Communications Board, which publishes the Daily Bruin. The changes also include striking from Article 8, Section A that the ASUCLA Communications Board should be responsible for ASUCLA publications, as delineated in the USA Bylaws.

• The council unanimously approved a resolution calling on the regents to divest from companies associated with militarization in the Philippines.

• USAC unanimously approved a letter in support of the LA Department of Transportation’s Westwood Safety and Mobility Project, which proposes increased protected bike lane infrastructure between Le Conte Avenue and the Westwood/Rancho E-Line station on Westwood Boulevard, as well as increased bus lane infrastructure between Le Conte Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard.