Student Government held its fifth and sixth meetings of the semester Oct. 28 and Nov, 11, respectively, focusing on end-of-semester event funding and a presentation from the Richardson mayor.
Mayor Amir Omar outlined his goal to break barriers between UTD and the city of Richardson by being a mayor who is on campus regularly during a speech at the Nov. 11 meeting. Omar said he saw the future of the city in the students of UTD, and that he wants them to contact him with their ideas and concerns.
Fourteen new senators were sworn in Oct. 28 to represent freshmen, transfer students, graduate students and the BAHT, BBS, JSOM, NSM and ECS schools. An additional senator was sworn in during the Nov. 11 meeting, bringing SG to a total of 68 members.
SG passed five allocations during the Oct. 28 meeting. S.A. 2025-05 is an allocation to set aside $133.72 to fund the Transgender Day of Remembrance memorial event Nov. 20, which will be done in partnership with the Synergy Wesley Foundation. The allocation will provide coffee, water and pink, white and blue sticky notes to display the names of trans people who have lost their lives to transphobia over the last year.
S.A. 2025-06 is an allocation to set aside $503.99 to purchase period products for dispensers in women’s restrooms throughout University Commons and Canyon Creek Heights.
S.A. 2025-07 set aside $1,100 to restock medical supply boxes in freshman residence halls. The boxes provide antacids, condoms, ibuprofen, sinus and congestion medication and Tylenol to students for $0.50 each and used to be restocked on a quarterly basis. Band-Aids available at residence hall front desks will also be provided as part of the restock, free of charge to students.
S.A. 2025-08 set aside $57.66 for the Party to the Polls event, which was held for the Nov. 4 election. The allocation funded the purchase of Little Bites muffins that were handed out as an incentive for students to learn about the 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution on the ballot. All 17 proposed amendments passed.
S.A. 2025-09 set aside $431.54 for the annual Love the Earth event, to be held Feb. 11 at the Plinth. The event will feature student organizations and departments involved in sustainability and will distribute sustainable, waste-free products to students.
SG also passed four allocations and three resolutions during the Nov. 11 meeting. The International Students: Know Your Rights Allocation set aside $263.78 for a Nov. 17 event led by the Legislative Affairs Committee. The allocation will be used to provide visitors of the educational tabling event with free pizza and cookies.
The Finals Scream Event Allocation set aside $1,486.67 for the annual Finals Scream event, which has been hosted by SG since 2021. Finals Scream, which is known for repeatedly running out of pizza in its previous iterations, will set aside $1,012.36 to purchase 50 cheese pizzas and 40 pepperoni pizzas as well as peppermint tea and hot chocolate. Finals Scream will be held at the Plinth Dec. 4, the last Thursday before finals.
The Student Government Budget Breakdown Taskforce Allocation set aside $204.03 for website hosting fees and printing costs for SG’s upcoming budget breakdown report. SG’s budget breakdown taskforce currently has 20 members working to document and analyze UTD’s current budget and document where the campus gets its money and how that money is then used. The taskforce met with UTD Chief Financial Officer Orkun Toros Nov. 7.
The Graduation Cap Allocation set aside $609.61 to provide students graduating this semester with supplies to decorate their graduation caps. Supplies include rhinestones and stickers. Students will also be provided with free pizza and drinks.
A resolution seeking to increase access to Supplemental Instruction resources was also passed. SI is a free and voluntary tutoring resource offered by the Student Success Center; a list of scheduled study group sessions can be found on the SSC’s website. The resolution recommends the SSC provide more virtual options on platforms like eLearning for students unable to attend in-person sessions. The resolution also asks that the contact information of SI tutors be made available on eLearning.
Also passed was a resolution that created an ad-hoc committee to discuss transportation reform. The resolution’s author, business analytics junior Pranav Gehlot, currently serves on the university-wide committee on Parking and Transportation and he said that having a student-only committee could help find out what key parking issues are currently plaguing students. As of publication, a chair for this ad-hoc committee has not yet been elected.
A resolution that formally urges UTD and UT Austin to reject the White House’s Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, on the grounds that the compact goes against the values of the student body and endangers students, was passed as well. The resolution calls for student input and transparency from UT System administrators.
SG meetings are open to the public. The next senate meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2 in the Student Union Galaxy Rooms.