Eight candidates for the Undergraduate Students Association Council transfer student representative pledged to connect transfer students with different campus resources at a Thursday debate. 

The USA Elections Board and the Daily Bruin co-hosted a series of debates between candidates in the upcoming USAC election. Nine candidates are running for the position of transfer student representative. 

Mario Malak, a third-year biology student, did not attend the debate.

Ashley Ma, a third-year labor studies student, said she wants to ensure transfer students have equitable access to campus clubs. Ma added that she hopes to create more places for transfer students on the Hill other than De Neve Holly, which houses the transfer living-learning community. 

“Collecting information on how clubs are doing their recruitment is really important,” Ma said.

Ma said she also plans to improve academic support for transfers and make transfers’ transitions to campus smoother. 

Austin Buranapan, a third-year political science student, said he plans to reach out to transfer students directly, including by attending transfer student orientations and Week Zero events. He added that he hopes to share information with transfer students about available campus resources. 

Buranapan said it is important to track which students the transfer student representative’s office has connected to resources, adding that he wants to reach out more to underrepresented students. 

“This role is more than just representation,” Buranapan said. “It’s about building community.”

Dayanara Flores, a third-year English student, said she hopes to help transfer students gain confidence. She added that she believes transfer students are hindered by early deadlines for major and minor applications.

Flores said she plans to work with advisors at the UCLA Center for Community College Partnerships – which leads initiatives to increase transfer rates – and reach out to community colleges online.

“I want to open clearer and more holistic pathways for students in their academic journey,” Flores said. “Overall, I want to make sure that there’s more opportunities academically to end the imposter syndrome that many transfer students face.”

Diana Raya Perez, a third-year political science student, said she intends to increase transfer representation in clubs by collaborating with the Student Organizations Leadership & Engagement Office, which advises more than 1,300 student-run clubs. She added that she plans to advocate for club policies that are more inclusive of transfer and international students. 

Perez said she plans to work with UCLA’s Mother Organizations – a coalition of identity-based campus groups – to raise funds for community colleges. 

“One of my platforms … is really focusing on creating a community just for commuters,” Perez said. “It’s going to connect second-year transfer commuters to first-year transfer commuters, so they can have someone they can rely on from day one.”

Khadijah Abdalla, a third-year political science student, said one of the biggest issues students face is access to basic needs. She added that she plans to raise awareness about the resources available to transfer students and the broader UCLA community.  

Abdalla said she plans to work with community colleges to provide prospective students with guidance on their transfer applications.

“It’s not just reaching out to these programs (for transfer students),” she said. “I want to be sure they are fully funded and fully staffed and fully supported.”

Kristian Suazo, a third-year political science student, said that if elected, he plans to work with UCLA administrators to ensure transfer students have equitable access to affordable housing. He added that transfer students he spoke with over the summer said they felt unheard.

Suazo said he wants to work with other USAC offices to subsidize parking spaces for transfer students, allowing them to commute.

“We work hard at our community colleges to excel in these spaces,” he said. “We should be able to have the space to excel on these leadership boards as well.” 

Max Brian Hernandez, a third-year public affairs student, said USAC needs to find the root cause of why transfers are not getting involved on campus and fix it. Outreach to transfer students is not enough, he added.

Hernandez said he plans to create a program that pairs third-year and fourth-year transfer students to offer each other guidance.

“It’s time to get the support we describe, whether it be getting student orgs (organizations) and governments more accessible to transfers, allowing scholarship deadlines so transfers don’t miss out or making sure that resources are maximized,” Hernandez said. 

Saidee Teresa Silva, a third-year psychology student, said she plans to expand access to campus opportunities for transfers and promote accountability within USAC. She added that she believes transfer students are often not aware of USAC until the election cycle approaches.

Silva said she wants to add a travel grant – funded by USAC – to transfer students for whom travel is often inaccessible. 

“There should be an opportunity for transfer students to participate in this system,” Silva said. “That way, transfer students have an opportunity to learn and grow in that space.” 

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