USAC Recap – Feb. 11

The Undergraduate Students Association Council is the official student government of UCLA’s undergraduate students. Council meetings are Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Kerckhoff 417 and are open to all students.

Agenda

• With a 9-1-0 vote, the council allocated almost $100 from the USAC Discretionary Fund to pay for a webcam to live stream its meetings. The council also discussed concerns about student privacy associated with live streaming and archiving meetings.

• The council unanimously approved the timeline for the spring USAC elections.

• USAC discussed the possibility of having council members sit on the Finance Committee to be more involved in the funding process.

• Multiple members of Students for Justice in Palestine spoke about the difficulties they have experienced while trying to bring a resolution to council. Council members agreed to reach out to Students for Justice in Palestine members individually and choose whether to sponsor the resolution.

Officer Reports

• USAC President John Joanino said he plans to include fundraising for the USAC endowment as part of UCLA’s upcoming centennial fundraising campaign. Joanino also said his office is still accepting design ideas for the new BruinCard.

• USAC Internal Vice President Avi Oved said his office is still pursuing funding for the UCLA Circle of 6 campus safety application from multiple campus funds and private sponsors.

• USAC External Vice President Maryssa Hall said her office and the USAC Office of the President will be in solidarity with a group of UC Berkeley students who are campaigning for the impeachment or resignation of UC President Janet Napolitano. Hall also said the UC student Regent application is due Feb. 20.

• USAC Academic Affairs Commissioner Darren Ramalho said his office’s online education survey is in progress and will be closing at the end of this week. Ramalho also said there is an online education summit meeting Feb. 27 in the Young Research Library.

• USAC General Representative 2 Sunny Singh said his office plans to bring food trucks to Landfair Avenue and Roebling Avenue Thursday night.

Appointments

• The council unanimously appointed five students to the Election Board Committee that will run the USAC elections this spring. Cristina Quezada, a third-year political science student, was appointed Election Board Vice Chair. Melissa Merida, a third-year mathematics student, was appointed to run the USAC election endorsement hearings. Kimberly Paredes, a second-year psychobiology student, was appointed to publicize the spring elections. Gabrielle Scheder-Bieschin, a second-year communication studies student, was appointed head of external relations. Jewana Khurshid, a third-year history and environmental studies student, was appointed to lead any investigations into wrongdoing during the elections.

• The council unanimously appointed Jacob Finn, a second-year psychology student, to the Wooden Center Board of Governors.

Compiled by Joseph Vescera, Bruin contributor.