Two candidates for the Undergraduate Students Association Council Financial Supports commissioner pledged to prioritize financial transparency during a Thursday debate.

The USA Elections Board and the Daily Bruin co-hosted a series of debates between candidates in the upcoming USAC election. Two candidates are running to be Financial Supports Commissioner.

Corea Kim, the FSC’s current assistant commissioner, said during the debate that she plans to make it easier for students to navigate financial stressors and increase the accessibility of campus resources. Kim, a second-year cognitive science and economics student, added that she plans to provide more accurate estimates of USAC’s finances. 

Incumbent FSC Nico Morrone said his office would publish a website detailing the council’s specific funding allocations by June 2025. However, the website still listed information from the 2024-25 academic year and excluded commission-specific data as of Thursday. 

Kim said in her platform statement that, if elected, she plans to hold town-hall-style meetings with students and decrease venue costs for student organizations. She also hopes to expand access to the commission’s services – including free lab coat rentals, laundry supplies and parking permit scholarships, according to the platform.

“Financial support should not be something that people have to search for,” Kim said. “It should meet them where they are.”

David Escobedo, student ambassador to the registrar under the Academic Affairs Commission, said during the debate that he plans to use artificial intelligence to make USAC’s weekly budget more readable for students. Escobedo, a second-year mathematics/economics student, added that he plans to create a new student ambassador position in the commission to foster dialogue between students and connect clubs with funding.

Escobedo said in his cut platform statement that he hopes to expand student discounts for food and groceries, including by partnering with local businesses to create deals exclusively for UCLA students. He added in the platform that if elected, he would hold financial aid workshops and host industry professionals to give talks on financial literacy. 

“This isn’t just about managing money,” Escobedo said. “I’m making sure that that money works for you.”

Students can vote in the election on MyUCLA starting May 8 at 8 a.m. until May 15 at noon.