The Undergraduate Students Association Council discussed an upcoming walkout against sexual violence and efforts to support students affected by UCLA’s planned childcare center closures at its Oct. 6 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

• Shenny Waugh, the campus organizer for environmental student advocacy organization CALPIRG Students, said students should participate in the California Fish and Game Commission hearings on marine protected areas from Oct. 14 to 16. Waugh added that CALPIRG is supporting a petition that would help conserve and protect these marine habitats.

Funding

• The council allocated $7,420.67 from the Contingency Programming Fund to 27 organizations outside USAC.
• The council approved $1,200 from the Academic Success Referendum Fund for two USAC entities and one non-USAC entity.
• The council approved $3,712.92 from the Academic Affairs Commission’s Travel Grant Mini Fund for 10 non-USAC entities.

Special presentation

• ASUCLA Outreach and Student Engagement Coordinator Annabelle Yeh said officers should collaborate on outreach and programming that would introduce students to student government, employment opportunities and study spaces. Yeh said she distributed materials advertising USAC and the Graduate Students Association during welcome events for transfer and international students. She said she also offered to connect officers with ASUCLA.

Appointments

• The council appointed Supriya Thapa to the ASUCLA Communications Board for a two-year term from 2026 to 2028.
• The council appointed Shelby Solomon to the ASUCLA Communications Board for a two-year term from 2026 to 2028.
• The council appointed Michelle Morales to the Academic Senate Committee on Library and Scholarly Communication for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Jules Droz to the USAC Finance Committee for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Marcus Gabby to the Academic Senate Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Clio Anesti to the Academic Senate Committee on Academic Freedom for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Angela Trejo to the Academic Senate Committee on Academic Freedom for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Nimran Singh to the Academic Senate Council on Planning and Budget for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Fernando Hernandez to the Academic Senate Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Fernando Hernandez to the College of Letters and Science Faculty Executive Committee for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Sharon Fabian to the Academic Senate Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Kirsten Cabalonga to the Student Initiated Outreach Committee for the 2026-27 academic year.

Officer reports

• President Jayha Buhs Jackson said she and Internal Vice President Gabi Trujillo will each give opening remarks at a noon walkout against sexual violence at Bruin Plaza Thursday, co-sponsored by Bruin Democrats. Buhs Jackson added that the UCLA Save Childcare Coalition will meet Oct. 9 with Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Monroe Gorden Jr. to discuss student concerns over UCLA’s planned closure of its Early Care and Education program.
• Trujillo said she plans to meet with administrators about securing permanent funding for the Latinx Success Center. She added that Latinx Welcome, a campus resource fair that will serve food and feature a live performance from UCLA Latin dance team Ritmo Vivo, will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday in Wilson Plaza. Trujillo said all student conduct charges against Amed Galo Lopez, a teaching assistant whom the council supported in a Sept. 29 letter after he faced disciplinary proceedings related to a June 2024 pro-Palestine vigil, were dropped.
• External Vice President Cecilia Choy said her office will release a statement opposing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto of Assembly Bill 2551 – a bill that would have requested that the UC hold a forum on its Time, Place and Manner policies, which regulate when, where and how demonstrations and other expressive activities can occur. Choy added that she discussed establishing a voting location at Pauley Pavilion for the Nov. 3 midterm elections with administrators.
• General Representative Evan Salazar said his office is developing a late-night resource table in Westwood to distribute free water, electrolyte supplements, condoms and Naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. He said the office hoped to launch the initiative before Halloween weekend and operate it from 10 p.m. to midnight.
• General Representative Pranaya Vijay said she connected Greek life chapters with resources to support sexual assault survivors. She added that her office was co-sponsoring the Oct. 8 walkout.
• General Representative Susie Turner said her office expected to finish hiring by Oct. 10. She added that her office would support the walkout and table at Latinx Welcome.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Angela Ledesma-Grattarola said she planned to meet with a political science lecturer about departmental budget cuts. She added that she invited students to submit questions about enrollment and transcripts ahead of her office’s Oct. 12 meeting with the Registrar’s Office, which manages student academic records and enrollment.
• Campus Events Commissioner Salem Walsh announced an Oct. 23 screening of “Pitch Perfect” with a live singing competition featuring campus a cappella groups. Walsh said the commission was planning two events – a Nov. 18 speaker event and a fall concert.
• Community Service Commissioner Maya Gheewala said more than 800 people participated in Volunteer Day, an annual campuswide service event.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said her office will hold a Latinx/Filipinx Art gallery. The gallery will take place Wednesday, October 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Kerckhoff Art Gallery, according to her officer report.
• Facilities Commissioner Paige Zwerner said she discussed using space in Ackerman Student Union for the Lily Shaw Disability Cultural Center. She added that the Green Initiative Fund is planning to establish a lending program for reusable event supplies.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Corea Kim said the commission’s lab coat rental program received more than 400 reservations and served more than 300 students. She added that borrowers will receive return instructions around week nine.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Daniela Castro said Healthcoming, an event introducing students to campus health services and resources, will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 22 in Wilson Plaza. Castro added that her office’s peer support lounge – found in Kerckhoff Hall Room 308 – is now open and offers snacks, condoms and emergency contraception.
• Transfer Student Representative Ashley Ma said her office would hold a professional headshot event Oct. 10 and a voter registration drive Oct. 14. She added that her office was seeking club application data and developing a directory to help transfer students identify clubs that are inclusive to them.
• International Student Representative Charbel Chehade said he planned to meet with his UC Berkeley international student representative counterpart to discuss collaboration on policies affecting international students.