Announcements:
- The association passed a legislation to hold cabinet members more accountable for their actions by holding nonpublic hearings with the association’s appointment board.
- UCLA transit manager Connie Englert said UCLA Transportation is looking at ways to inexpensively improve BruinBus to make it more efficient for students. She added UCLA Transportation is expanding bus operating hours from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., adding more buses and creating real-time data of the bus times on Google Transit feeds.
- Graduate Writing Center Director Marilyn Gray said the center is considering increasing fees by $5.75 or $9 per quarter to shorten waiting times for staff appointments, add more staff and create new programs for science, technology, engineering and mathematics students. She added GWC needs more professional employees than they can afford with current funding.
Officer Reports:
- GSA President Michael Skiles said he negotiated with Peter Angelis, assistant vice chancellor of UCLA Housing and Hospitality Services, to lower the average graduate student housing rate increase from 5 percent to 3.5 percent for the next school year.
- Skiles said the election for the North Westwood Neighborhood Council, a new council that would serve those who live, work or own property near UCLA, the North Village and Westwood Village, will take place in spring.
- Alexander Fung, vice president of internal affairs, said under new Department of Homeland Security rules, international students who are arrested for any level of crime, including a misdemeanor, can have permanent changes on their visa status and might not be allowed to enter the country. He added the Dashew Center will be sending out emails to students regarding the new policy.
- Fung said UCLA’s GSA will partner the UC Riverside GSA to advocate for more funding for international students across the UC system.
- Parshan Khosravi, vice president of external affairs, said applications for the UCSA Student Lobby Conference are now open. Participants at the conference, taking place in Sacramento from March 23 to 26, will lobby state legislators on various issues impacting the UC system. He added the association will soon be conducting training sessions to prepare for the trip.