The Undergraduate Students Association Council unanimously approved a letter condemning a UCLA event with a former Israeli hostage at its April 14 meeting.

USAC is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Council meetings are open to all students and usually take place in person at the Bruin Viewpoint Room and on Zoom every Tuesday at 7 p.m. Students can find the links for the meetings on the agenda posted on the USAC website or watch a livestream on the USAC Live! channel on YouTube.

Public comment:

• Leila Salam, a representative from UCLA’s chapter of the California Public Interest Research Group – a student-led environmental advocacy organization – said the organization is recruiting volunteers to attend the Fish and Game Commission meeting, which will take place April 21 in San Mateo, California, to support ocean protections. She added that the organization held a documentary screening on the Hill on April 24 for Youth Earth Week.
• Kayla Lam, a member of California Health Professional Student Alliance, an organization that seeks to build leadership skills among aspiring health professionals, urged USAC to support a resolution calling on South Coast Air Quality Management District – which monitors the air quality of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties – to pass clean air protections.
• Andrea Roman, the administrative coordinator for Empowering Latines Against Struggle, a student-run retention group aiming to uplift UCLA’s Latine community, said the organization’s room in Kerckhoff 515 – allocated by USAC – does not have elevator access, which may limit some people from attending meetings or using resources.
• Emily Nguyen, the president of CaHAPSA, urged USAC to support the Clean Air Resolution, which calls on the South Coast Air Quality Management District to implement zero-emissions policies.
• Sushant Bhopale, a member of CaHAPSA, said he also supports the Clean Air Resolution.
• Mahana Gurung, the community projects coordinator of cultural organization Samahang Pilipino, urged USAC members to uplift marginalized students’ voices and support ethnic studies, DEI programs and continued access to education for marginalized groups.
• Lily Brawner, the student success coordinator for Samahang Pilipino’s Advancing Community Empowerment committee, alleged that UCLA funding cuts to her program led to her losing wages totaling $5,683.20. Brawner also asked for a reimbursement of $270 from USAC for snacks served at a club meeting and urged the 2026-27 council – which students can vote for until Friday – to provide more support for low-income students.
• Lindsey Sambilay, Samahang Pilipino’s administrative coordinator, said she believes the university has not sufficiently supported Pilipinx graduation ceremonies and cultural events. She added that the organization plans to participate in the Kabataan Alliance campaign, which will advocate for educational and financial support for Filipino students.
• Jasi Bermejo, a peer counselor in Samahang Pilipino’s Education and Retention Program, said restructuring in the Student Initiated Outreach Center impacted her ability to work. She also called on USAC to advocate for back pay for peer counselors, who she alleged had not been paid.
• Emily Zhu, a UCLA representative for the Climate Action Campaign – an organization advocating for clean air and energy – urged USAC to support the Clean Air Resolution.
• Ava Beall, a Samahang Pilipino intern, called for a meeting with USAC and UCLA Student Affairs to discuss concerns regarding equitable resource allocation for retention programs.
• Anna Tamayo, the Samahang Pilipino Pilipinx graduation coordinator, asked for more funding to be allocated to the Pilipinx Graduation Celebration.
• Mitch de Guzman, a member of Samahang Pilipino, called for a meeting with USAC and Student Affairs to discuss concerns regarding equitable resource allocation and support for retention program staff members.
• Aidan Sangpi, a member of the Pilipino Transfer Student Partnership – an organization that aims to support Pilipinx transfer students – urged USAC to support cultural retention programs and advocate for them to the administration.
• Nadine Aquino, Samahang Pilipino intern and member of Anakbayan – an anti-imperialist Filipino youth and student organization – called on USAC to allocate more funding toward culturally informed education and urged people to support Samahang Pilipino’s demands for greater protection of minority retention programs at UCLA.
• Annabelle Yeh, the outreach and student engagement coordinator for ASUCLA, said the student association offers employment and opportunities for involvement in student government and weekly programs. Yeh added that students can reach out to her for any questions about ASUCLA.
• Ruby Lee, a member of GABRIELA West-LA – an organization dedicated to uplifting Filipino women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as fighting for national liberation in the Philippines – said UCLA and the council should fight for more culturally relevant education for Filipinos at UCLA.

Funding:

• The council allocated $38,254.67 from the Contingency Programming Fund to 52 non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $1,280 from the Student Wellness Commission Programming Fund to one USAC entity and two non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $1,500 from the Academic Success Referendum Fund to three non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $2,900 from the Travel Grant Mini Fund to seven non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $1,538.85 from the The Green Initiative Fund to one non-USAC entity.
• The council allocated $2,500 from the Commuter Parking Permit Scholarship Fund to 25 non-USAC individuals.

Special presentations:

• Javier Nuñez-Verdugo, the External Vice President’s communication director and the 2025-26 EVP, said the UC Student Association – a coalition of UC student governments – opened its officer applications and is offering opportunities for advocacy across the University system. Nuñez-Verdugo said the organization is working on expanding hybrid learning for students with disabilities and dependents, streamlining CalFresh access through state legislation, improving campus safety and offering mental health resources for Black students. They added that applications are open until May 25 and decisions will be released in June.

Appointments:

• The council unanimously appointed Tessa Hao, a second-year statistics and data science student, as the USA Board of Directors Funding Chair for the 2026-27 school year.
• The council also unanimously appointed Avery Seaman, a first-year political science student, to a two-year term as a justice on the USA Judicial Board.

Officer reports:

• President Diego Bollo said in his written report that he did not attend the meeting because he was at the UC Office of the President Summit with other UC student government presidents. He said in his written report that he discussed implementation of Senate Bill 98 – which requests the UC to notify community members when immigration enforcement officers enter campus – at the meeting.
• Internal Vice President Tommy Contreras said applications for the IVP student legal clinic will be launching this week.
• External Vice President Sherry Zhou said her office hosted several advocacy events, including the Black Student Advocacy Day and a South West Asian and North African Student Advocacy Day. Zhou also called upon student organizations to submit letters in support of Assembly Constitutional Amendment 18, which would increase the number of voting students on the UC Board of Regents from one to two.

[Related: ‘We are the institution’: Students push for more representation under ACA 18 ]

• General Representative Talia Davood did not attend the meeting but said in her written report that the Lyft rideshare program – where students recieve $7 off rides that start and end in Westwood from April 9 through 11 from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. – was a success, adding that her office is planning another rideshare event soon.
• General Representative Jayha Buhs Jackson did not attend the meeting but said in her written report that there would be an in-district lobby event with Swipe Out Hunger on April 17, and she is planning a possible event with Be Well Bruin – an organization that supports UCLA student’s physical and mental health – at some point during spring quarter.
• General Representative Brett Berndt did not attend the meeting but said in his written report that he is working with the Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center to create informational resources for sexual assault survivors.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino said his office held a resource fair and a town hall with the UCLA Registrar to discuss enrollment and course-related questions.
• Campus Events Commissioner Daniel Leal said in his written report that his office hosted the Hammer Arts Party, which featured live music and gave students after-hours access to galleries at the Hammer Museum on April 24. He added in his written report that the CEC’s annual short film festival will accept submissions until May 15.
• Community Service Commissioner Edison Chua said in his written report that he is working on office reorganization to increase space for community service projects. He added that his winter quarter transparency report is delayed and that a Volunteer Appreciation Week will be held April 23.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said in her written report that her office hosted WorldFest, which was a week of events highlighting different cultures. She added that her office posted applications for Battle of the Bands, a pre-event for JazzReggae Fest, and announced upcoming CAC concerts and a clay workshop in collaboration with Canna Club.
• Facilities Commissioner Joy Huang said in her written report that the Latinx Success Center will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. every day of spring quarter and that FAC hosted an Earth Day Extravaganza on April 22.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Nico Morrone said in his written report that he is working with the USA/BOD Funding Committee to complete all allocations, adding that he plans to complete them by April 19.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Hannah Yip said in her written report that Bruin Health Week – a week of events hosted by the SWC and other student health organizations – took place during the week of April 12.
• Transfer Student Representative Hyerim Yoon did not attend the meeting but said in her written report that she is finalizing speakers for spring transfer awareness workshops and planning a webinar for newly admitted transfer students.
• International Student Representative Keya Tanna did not update her written report.

Agenda items:

• The council unanimously approved a letter condemning an event co-hosted by Hillel at UCLA, which featured Omar Shem Tov – an Israeli former hostage who was held in captivity by Palestinian political party and militant group Hamas for 505 days. The Israeli military has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people, according to the Associated Press. A councilmember said they believed the event created an unsafe campus climate for Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students and expressed concerns about the allocation of resources for event security during the meeting.
• The council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the adoption of stricter zero-emission standards under new rules focused on reducing emissions to improve regional air quality.
• The council considered an appeal from the student-run organization Empowering Latines Against Struggle regarding office space allocation. The motion to approve the appeal about the organization receiving a new office space failed unanimously, with council members citing fairness concerns and the need to maintain consistency in the allocation process.