The Undergraduate Students Association Council approved a letter calling for changes to how UCLA responds to sexual violence at its Oct. 13 meeting.

USAC is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Council meetings are open to the public and usually take place in the Bruin Viewpoint Room and on Zoom every Tuesday at 7 p.m. Students can find meeting agendas on the USAC website and watch a livestream on the USAC Live! channel on YouTube.

Public comment

• No attendees spoke during the public comment period.

Funding

• The council allocated $17,994.87 from the Contingency Programming Fund to one USAC entity and 31 non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $21,249.59 from the Supplemental Fund for Services to 10 USAC entities and 17 non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $34.25 from the Student Wellness Commission Programming Fund to one non-USAC entity.
• The council allocated $3,270 from the Bruin Advocacy Grant to three non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $2,400 from the Academic Success Referendum Fund to six non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $1,995 from the Academic Affairs Commission Travel Grant Mini Fund to five non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $8,227.95 from The Green Initiative Fund to one USAC entity and four non-USAC entities.
• The council allocated $21,080.51 from the Community Service Transportation Fund to six USAC entities and 23 non-USAC entities.

Appointments

• The council appointed Evan Ready, a first-year political science student, to the Academic Senate Committee on Academic Program Review for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Zooey Lê-Baker, an assistant external vice president, to the Student Conduct Committee for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Internal Vice President Gabi Trujillo to the Student Conduct Committee for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed President Jayha Buhs Jackson to the Student Group Conduct Board for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Buhs Jackson to the Student Risk Education Committee for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Ashima Bhatia, a third-year human biology and society student, to be the Elections Board vice chair for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Jules Droz, a first-year mathematics/economics student, as Elections Board finance chair for the 2026-27 academic year.
• The council appointed Community Service Commissioner Maya Gheewala to the Student Risk Education Committee for the 2026-27 academic year.

Officer reports

• Buhs Jackson said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Monroe Gorden Jr. will request a report on sexual violence at UCLA following their discussion of demands – including a review of the university and UCPD’s policies for reporting and investigating sexual assault and harassment, mandatory in-person prevention training, additional sexual harassment training for fraternities, increased funding for the Campus Assault Resources and Education program, guaranteed tuition reimbursement for sexual assault survivors who withdraw from UCLA and the restoration of the Biden administration’s IX protections for LGBTQ+ – raised during an Oct. 8 walkout. Buhs Jackson said in her written report that her office is beginning to work on fulfilling those demands and arranging monthly meetings with campus resource center directors.
• Trujillo said in her written report that her office is organizing a “Death to Sexual Violence” town hall, with a date and location to be determined. The IVP office is reaching out to CARE, a campus program providing confidential support and advocacy for survivors, IGNITE at UCLA, a student organization advocating for reproductive justice, and the Rape Treatment Center at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center – which provides free treatment and support for sexual assault survivors – about providing resources and presentations, she added. Trujillo also said in her written report that her office is planning a Día de los Muertos event with the Latinx Success Center from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29. Applications for her office’s fellowship close Oct. 17, she added in the report.
• External Vice President Cecilia Choy said students should be aware of the Oct. 19 voter registration deadline. Choy said in her written report that her office is developing a nonpartisan guide to candidates and ballot initiatives, with plans to finish it the following week and present it to student organizations. Her office is also looking to add a voting center at Pauley Pavilion and is planning programming on Bruin Walk to encourage participation in the November election, she added in the report.
• General Representative Evan Salazar said in his written report that his office is collaborating with the Mexican American Student Association in an Oct. 19 event at the Latinx Success Center. Participants will make picture frames for ofrendas – altars honoring deceased loved ones. Salazar added in the report that his office is helping to plan the Oct. 29 Día de los Muertos event and will participate in efforts to secure funding for the center.
• General Representative Pranaya Vijay said in her written report that her office is helping organize the “Death to Sexual Violence” town hall and hopes to develop culturally sensitive sexual violence and sexual harassment guidebooks for community leaders. Vijay also said in the report that she plans to present information about USAC funding opportunities to the Asian Pacific Coalition – an organization advocating for Asian American and Pacific Islander student communities – to discuss Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment initiatives.
• General Representative Susie Turner said her office is collaborating with Salazar, the Mexican American Student Association and the Latinx Success Center on the upcoming Día de los Muertos event. Turner said in her written report that her office also plans to table at an Oct. 25 event with AfroLA – a nonprofit Los Angeles news outlet.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Angela Ledesma-Grattarola did not present and did not update her written report.
• Campus Events Commissioner Salem Walsh said the commission will host a “Pitch Perfect” screening and riff-off Oct. 23. Walsh’s written report identifies the event as “Pitch Perfect Riff Off and Screening: A Night of Treble” and lists ASUCLA as a collaborator. Walsh also announced a Nov. 12 concert, identified in their written report as Funk’d Up, and a Nov. 18 speaker event, with further details to come.
• Gheewala said she and Buhs Jackson plan to meet next week with the On-Campus Housing Council – the student government representing residents on the Hill – to discuss an agreement outlining collaboration between OCHC and USAC. Gheewala said in her written report that the commission is also developing a system to track student participation and demographics at its events.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said the commission plans to hold another Word on Wednesday event – an open-mic event inviting students to share spoken-word poetry and other presentations – next week. Trewick said in their written report that the commission is planning additional fall quarter events and seeking sponsors for the JazzReggae Festival.
• Facilities Commissioner Paige Zwerner said her office will table at the Sustainable Transit Fair on Oct. 22 and is working with UCLA Sustainability on Earth Day programming. Zwerner said in her written report that her office is working with administrators and the Disabled Student Union to secure space in Ackerman Union for the Lily Shaw Disability Cultural Center, which supports disabled members of the UCLA community. The commission is also planning a campus water fountain audit and FAC Fest, an event introducing students to its programs and involvement opportunities, she added in the report.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Corea Kim said in her written report that students who rented lab coats will receive information about returns during week nine.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Daniela Castro said the commission will host Healthcoming – the office’s annual fall health festival event – in Wilson Plaza from 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 22. Castro listed a mechanical bull, a petting zoo and goat yoga as activities during the meeting, while her written report described them as activities the commission hopes to offer. Castro also said applications are open for the Student Health Network, which connects campus health and wellness organizations with commission funding and other resources.
• Transfer Student Representative Ashley Ma said her office discussed club recruitment processes with their representatives to make the processes more accommodating of transfer students. Ma said in her written report that her office is seeking club application data and developing criteria to evaluate how welcoming clubs are to transfer students. Her office is also developing a transfer student experience survey, planning a résumé-building workshop and creating a guide to research opportunities for transfer students, she added in the report. Ma said in the report that her office plans to hold an ice cream social Oct. 21.
• International Student Representative Charbel Chehade was absent and did not update his written report.

Agenda items

• The council approved a letter calling on UCLA administrators to support survivors and reform campus sexual violence procedures in a 13-0 vote. Choy said the council is seeking greater transparency about UCLA’s handling of Title IX reports, funding for CARE programs and changes to sexual violence training requirements. Choy added that she hopes to advocate for the issue at the UC Board of Regents’ November meeting.
• The council approved amended Bruin Advocacy Grant guidelines and an application for the 2026-27 academic year in a 13-0 vote. Choy said the changes adjust the allocation schedule and allow staff members in her office to rotate through the grant’s hearing committee.
• Gheewala introduced a proposed bylaw change that would transfer responsibility to select the five Community Service Mini Fund appointments from the president to the community service commissioner. Two appointees would continue to be affiliated with the Community Service Commission, while the remaining seats would retain their existing affiliations, Gheewala said. She added that the change would give service funding bodies a single point of contact. The council plans to vote on the proposal at its next meeting.
• Gheewala introduced a second proposed bylaw change to add two organizations to the commission’s list of affiliated groups: Women and Youth Supporting Each Other – which seeks to empower young women – and SPROUT at UCLA, which provides STEM activities for elementary school students. Gheewala said both groups already work with the commission but are not in the bylaws. The council plans to vote on the proposal at its next meeting.
• The council postponed an executive session concerning a personnel matter until its next meeting in a 13-0 vote.