The Undergraduate Students Association Council is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Council meetings usually take place every week on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Kerckhoff 417 and are open to all students. Watch a livestream of the meeting on the USAC Live! YouTube channel.
Special presentations
- Members from Bruins Against Sexual Harassment presented their petition to dismiss Gabriel Piterberg, a history professor accused of sexual assault, and asked for the council’s public endorsement.
- Andrew Bottom, the programs and marketing coordinator at the Dashew Center, discussed the idea of collaboration between Dashew and USAC.
- Miranda Baker, the Academic Affairs Commission’s executive director of appointments, presented an update on academic appointments to the Academic Senate.
- President Danny Siegel, External Vice President Rafi Sands and Internal Vice President Sabrina Zeigler presented their resolution against Measure S, which would result in the limitation of new housing construction in Los Angeles.
Appointments
- The council unanimously appointed second-year biochemistry student Kshitija Shah as the Internship Engagement Committee chair.
Officer reports
- Siegel said he released his online housing pamphlet about off-campus living.
- Zeigler said her office’s off-campus living fair will include information on apartment safety and legality, and will take place from 11 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 1.
- Sands said there will be a kickoff event from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 9 to publicize the “No to Measure S Campaign.” He added his office will be hosting a forum on Feb. 22 regarding the upcoming election for the district school board race.
- Academic Affairs Commissioner Ashly Mohankumar said her office is hosting enrollment workshops this week and during weeks five and six. It will hold its first Stress Free Day of winter quarter on Feb. 7 and will provide blue books and scantrons to students.
- Student Wellness Commissioner Christina Lee said her office will hold its “I Love My Body Week” starting Feb. 13, and a mental health networking night on Feb. 22.
- Facilities Commissioner Sandra Rhee said solar umbrellas will be installed Feb. 1 on Kerckhoff Patio. Rhee added her office is working on a video where students go vegan for a week and comment on their experience.
- General Representative Inan Chowdhury said his office is putting together a mental health pamphlet for students. He added it is collaborating with the California Public Interest Research Group, or CALPIRG, at UCLA for an event regarding the plastic bag ban.
- Transfer student representative Divya Sharma said his office is creating transfer scholarships and is looking to create affordable student housing outside of Westwood. Next year, a transfer fiat lux course will be offered to aid with transfer student immersion, he added.
Fund allocations
- The council unanimously approved allocations to the Contingency Programming and Bruin Defenders funds. It approved by consent allocations to the Academic Affairs Commission Mini Travel Fund and the Student Wellness Programming Fund.
- The council unanimously approved allocations to the winter Student Organization Operational Funds for 2017. The council did not approve funding from SOOF to the Cultural Affairs Commission.
Election Board hearing
- Election Board chair Danielle Fitzgerald and external relations committee director Sam Ryklansky presented the board’s 2017 election calendar, plans and proposed changes to the election code.
- The council voted unanimously to approve the calendar, but barred the candidate debate dates and campaign expense release date. The council will deliberate on a different time for both dates.
- Two major election code changes were approved unanimously: the decision to ensure only eligible candidates are present on the ballot, including in write-in space options, and the decision to enforce the ballot proposition spending maximum. The council is planning to make alterations to other proposed election code changes.
- Siegel said he is looking to put together a focus group to collect information on campaign spending.
- Zeigler said she wants to lessen campaign spending in general for USAC elections.
- The approval for the Measure S resolution was tabled until next week’s meeting.