USG approves funding to aid DACA students
Adrian Hernandez | Daily Trojan
On Tuesday night, the USG Senate approved the allocation of $10,000 for students affected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program policy change that will help fund their reapplication fee.
After President Donald Trump’s announcement to phase out DACA, Dunn urged decisive action.
“I will make it my absolute personal mission to ensure that every student’s needs are met,” Dunn said.
Dunn credited the writing of the DACA proposal to Vanessa Gomez Brake, the associate dean of religious life.
The proposal states, “With the latest news from the White House, the emergency fund is as important as ever.” Dunn also highlighted prescribed actions for DACA students in the proposal.
“Any USC students who are already on DACA and have a renewal date in the next six months are being instructed to complete their renewal documentation before Oct. 5 of this year,” the proposal said.
The reapplication fee for DACA students is $500, and the $10,000 will be distributed to students for whom this cost is a heavy burden.
The senate also confirmed USG President Austin Dunn’s Chief Justice nominee, Charlynn Yeung.
Last week, Dunn nominated Yeung to be the new chief justice of USC Student Judicial Affairs, pending Senate approval. She was confirmed unanimously by the Senate Tuesday night without debate or dissent.
Dunn also detailed some of the issues that he has been working on personally. One of the central issues that he hopes to address is sexual assault prevention.
“We want to educate our student leaders of our over 100 student organizations on campus to be effective bystanders,” Dunn said.
An ambitious goal that Dunn presented was more effective utilization of space on campus. However, he acknowledged, that it will be complicated.
“It is probably going to be the most difficult project I’ve worked on,” Dunn said.
He explained, though, that the aim is focused.
“The ultimate goal is just to meet the needs of every single community or student that needs a resource center or lounge,” Dunn said.