USAC recap – June 23

The Undergraduate Students Association Council appointed students to the USA judicial board, elections board and USAC committees at its June 23 meeting.

USAC is the official student government representing the undergraduate student body at UCLA. Council meetings are open to all students and usually take place in person at the Bruin Viewpoint Room and on Zoom every Tuesday at 7 p.m., though the council will meet biweekly and virtually over the summer. Students can find the links for the meetings on the agenda posted on the USAC website or watch a livestream on the USAC Live! channel on YouTube.

Public comment:

• No public commenters spoke.

Special presentations:

• Anna Capinpin, a Student Organizations, Leadership & Engagement student advisor, presented on SOLE advisor training and said SOLE advises student leaders, student organizations, USAC entities and signatories. Capinpin added that SOLE helps student leaders navigate event approvals, leadership development. She said each USAC entity must have three signatories who are responsible for accessing resources for their organization. She added that only signatories can reserve rooms, access additional funding and submit events online forms.
• Orlando Luna, a SOLE advisor, said SOLE works with registered campus organizations and encouraged council members to reach out to SOLE when working with student groups. Luna added that the Bruin Leaders Project – a leadership development program on campus – is a resource council members may want to share with their staff members.
• Jessica Alexander, the Student Government Services Division Manager, presented on USAC’s budget and student fees. Alexander said the 2026-27 budget was in progress because not all data was ready, adding that some figures in the presentation came from the current fiscal year. She added that UC policy requires many campus-based student fees to set aside 25% of collected revenue for financial aid and requires funding bodies to make decisions with viewpoint neutrality. Alexander said some student fees go directly to other campus entities or are delegated to campus departments, while direct oversight funds stay within USAC.

Funding:

• The council did not allocate any funding during the meeting.

Appointments:

• The council unanimously appointed Maleeyah Frazier, a rising fourth-year education and social transformation and public affairs student, to the Judicial Board for a one-year term.
• The council unanimously appointed Russell Mo, a rising fourth-year economics student, to Finance Committee chair for a one-year term.
• The council unanimously appointed Skylar Kane, a rising third-year education and social transformation student, to the Student Fee Advisory Committee for a two-year term.
• The council appointed Mbali Songelwa, a rising fourth-year political science student, to Elections Board chair for a one-year term.

Officer reports:

• President Jayha Buhs Jackson said in her written report that her office submitted hiring materials to human resources and is developing staff descriptions, outreach and recruitment strategies for her office. Buhs Jackson added that her office plans to recruit USAC staffers at New Student Welcome, Parents Weekend and New Student Orientations, with a goal of hiring more than 100 staff members.
• Internal Vice President Gabi Trujillo said her office posted on its Instagram about a Graduate Students Association collaboration on a resolution calling for the retroactive removal of “Incomplete” notations from undergraduate student transcripts, which passed at a previous meeting with a 13-0-0 vote. Trujillo added that she is working on a report about the resolution, as well as on setting up a meeting with the Afrikan Student Union to discuss the Mother Organizations coalition – a group of student organizations that advocates for historically-marginalized communities at UCLA – and how her office can assist ASU.
• External Vice President Cecilia Choy said her office submitted application materials to human resources. Choy added that Assembly Constitutional Amendment 18 – an amendment that would require the UC Board of Regents to increase its number of voting students from one to two – did not move forward ahead of the June 25 deadline to qualify for the November 2026 ballot.
• General Representative Evan Salazar said in his written report that his office finalized meeting details with Associate Vice Chancellor Mick Deluca and Nicole Presley, the senior executive director of UCLA Student Resilience and Mental Health Services. Salazar added that his office conducted Appointment Review Committee interviews and continued onboarding staffers.
• General Representative Pranaya Vijay said in her written report that her office began outreach to mutual aid organizations, and collaborated with Survivors + Allies at UCLA – a UCLA student organization that advocates for survivors of sexual violence across the UC system – to phone bank for Assembly Bill 2212, state legislation that would update postsecondary education policies on sexual harassment. Vijay added that her office met with state legislative staff to discuss the bill, attended Afro Grad and the EVP office’s phone banking event for Assembly Constitutional Amendment 18 with the University of California Student Association.
• General Representative Susie Turner said in her written report that her office co-sponsored the resolution calling for the retroactive removal of “Incomplete” notations from undergraduate student transcripts with the Internal Vice President’s office and the Graduate Students Association. Turner added that her office completed Student Government Services training, reviewed Undergraduate Students Association bylaws and transitioned its email and Instagram accounts.
• Academic Affairs Commissioner Angela Ledesma-Grattarola said her office is trying to begin outreach early and appoint students to positions within the office before a “soft” Sept. 15 deadline.
• Campus Events Commissioner Salem Walsh said in her written report that her office held a ticket giveaway for a Don Toliver concert that took place June 29. Walsh added that her office held budget, marketing, sponsorship, artist and repertoire, website development and graphics meetings for Bruin Bash – the annual concert held before fall quarter – and decided on a theme for the event.
• Community Service Commissioner Maya Gheewala said in her written report that her office held a transition meeting with incoming and outgoing staff, submitted all 2025-26 commission expenses and began vision boarding meetings with its executive team and committees. Gheewala added that Community Service Commission vans now have cards for gas and electric charging, and her office is identifying candidates for Community Service Mini Fund and Student Risk Education Committee appointments.
• Cultural Affairs Commissioner Divine Trewick said in her written report that her office began planning Bruin Bash alongside CEC.
• Facilities Commissioner Paige Zwerner said in her written report that her office held Sustainable Bruin Move Out during finals week and met with administrators to discuss plans to continue the Lily Shaw Disability Cultural Center in the BruinHub. Zwerner added that her office onboarded its executive team, released staff and director applications and began general office maintenance.
• Financial Supports Commissioner Corea Kim said in her written report that she held lab coat returns during finals week and reorganized her office to store more than 150 lab coats and goggles each. Kim added that her office is beginning to schedule meetings with the Mother Organizations and campus financial resources to develop ideas for a new program.
• Student Wellness Commissioner Daniela Castro said in her written report that her office conducted interviews for the Student Wellness Commission’s assistant commissioner and chief of staff.
• Transfer Student Representative Ashley Ma said in her written report that her office reviewed application materials and interviewed 16 director candidates. Ma added that her office met with the USAC webmaster to discuss its webpage and with photographers to discuss annual free graduation photo sessions for transfer students.
• International Student Representative Charbel Chehade said in his written report that he met with former representatives and reviewed the previous International Student Representative report to prepare for his role. Chehade added that he completed required modules and learned more about the responsibilities of the position.

Agenda items:

• Buhs Jackson introduced an appointments bylaw change that would make Campus Retention Committee and Student Initiated Outreach Committee appointments consent items instead of action items, meaning that they would pass by default unless someone objects. She said the change would allow applicants to bypass the Appointment Review Committee and council interview process.
• Buhs Jackson said the proposed bylaw change would help appointees be seated by the middle of July for funding and onboarding purposes.