USAC to restrict access, limit public comment at divestment meeting

The undergraduate student government will limit public comments to two hours and restrict access for the press and public at its next meeting, where councilmembers will vote on a controversial divestment resolution.

The meeting, which will be held seventh week, will include a vote on a resolution calling for the University of California to divest from companies that some students say profit from the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Students for Justice in Palestine is bringing the resolution before the council.

Last year, a similar resolution failed in a 5-7-0 vote after about nine hours of public comments. Many students and former councilmembers said they felt unsafe before, during and after the meeting.

The Undergraduate Students Association Council will attempt to hold the meeting in Ackerman Grand Ballroom at its normal meeting time at 7 p.m. on Nov. 18.

USAC added a discussion item to its agenda at the beginning of the meeting Tuesday, and the councilmembers informally approved the special guidelines to prevent some of the challenges that faced last year’s council.

To ensure only members of the UCLA community attend the meeting, attendees will have to present a BruinCard, said USAC President Devin Murphy. The meeting will have security, likely provided by UCLA community service officers, he added.

UCLA Student Media representatives will be the only members of the press allowed to attend the meeting and will be required to register through the USAC Office of the President and bring a valid press pass.

The council will only allow undergraduate students to speak during public comment, which will be restricted to two hours. USAC’s bylaws allow for 30 minutes of public comments, but the council plans to suspend its bylaws at the meeting, Murphy said.

For the two hours, a limited set of public commenters – 30 in support of the resolution and 30 against it – will be allowed to speak, followed by two special presentations from student groups for and against the resolution. The council will determine public commenters on a first-come, first-served sign-up sheet, operated through the Resolution Reform forum on the USAC website.

Avinoam Baral, USAC internal vice president, will be responsible for organizing the two special presentations. Councilmembers said they hope one presentation will be given by Students for Justice in Palestine to represent support for the resolution and one will be given by Bruins for Israel to present the opposing arguments.

Compiled by Jillian Frankel, Bruin contributor.