This article has been updated as of Dec. 10 with the most up-to-date information that reflects several corrections.
Student Government held its final Senate meeting of the fall 2025 semester on Tuesday, Dec. 2. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 5:30 p.m. in the Galaxy Rooms.
Ongoing and upcoming events
Student Affairs Stressbusters’ concludes Dec. 8 with the International Candy Bar event in the Student Union from noon to 1:30 p.m. and the Late Night Final Exam Breakfast from 10 p.m. to midnight in Dining Hall West, where free hot breakfast will be served. They are included in Student Affairs’ semiannual Stressbusters Week held before finals each spring and fall semester.
Snacks part of “finals baskets” are available in the Student Engagement Suite for SG senators and SOC staff. Senators and staff are encouraged to stop by for food from the baskets, refrigerator and freezer while supplies last.
Past event updates
Diversity, Equity and Belonging Committee Chair Caden Brenner reported that UTD’s Trans Day of Remembrance – hosted in collaboration with the UTD Rainbow Coalition saw its largest turnout to date. The event, hosted Nov. 20, honored the 55 transgender Americans who lost their lives this year due to suicide or homicide. The Mercury reached out to Brenner on Dec. 3 to fact-check the number of attendees and to request the names of student organizations that participated through the UTD Rainbow Coalition. As of publication, The Mercury had not received a response.
Legislative Affairs Committee Chair Tanay Shrivastav announced a successful Know Your Rights event, held Nov. 17, in partnership with the Office of Immigrant and Citizenship Services and local immigration attorneys. It aimed to provide international students and those with immigration concerns direct access to legal guidance which may otherwise be difficult to obtain.
Campus services and dining expansion
Auxiliary Services plans to expand campus and Northside amenities. More details are expected in upcoming meetings.
Allocations
Funding was approved in support of the Lavender Graduation, a ceremony for graduating LGBTQ+ students. According to Brenner, this year’s graduation event was cheaper than last year’s, saving about $800 by reducing catering costs. The allocation passed unanimously.
Student government elections and appointments
Current senator terms will continue into the spring and appointments to open seats will occur on a rolling basis. Applications are reviewed at biweekly Executive Committee meetings that will resume next semester. There will be no structural changes, but SG expects more seats available next semester because SG is waiting on pending resignations.
Marketing senior Tanay Shrivastav was elected as Spring Elections Board Chair. Business analytics junior Pranav Gehlot was elected as Parking and Transportation Reform Ad Hoc Committee Chair.
Budget breakdown
Colton Rupe, Ashmita Senthil, Maryam Usman, Fatimah Yousaf and David Baker presented a detailed 29-page transparency report detailing changes to university revenue, expenses and budget cuts for fiscal year 2026. This report will soon be available on the Student Government website.
The Office of Budget and Finance instituted a 5.3% cut across all university units aside from those deemed “mission critical.” It did not mandate how each dean and vice president should meet their goal. UT Dallas is using cash reserves, allowing it to operate without income for up to 14 months as a buffer. The university expects to run deficits this year and potentially next year.
Operating revenue decreased 3.5% while non-operating revenue increased 3.9%. Overall expenses are down 2.5%. SG has requested more detail on salary expenditures and breakdowns in auxiliary units such as housing and parking from the Office of Budget and Finance.
Opportunities for Involvement
The Budget Breakdown Committee is seeking students interested in marketing, data visualization and programming. This is open to all UT Dallas students. Contact Student Government Vice President David Baker for more information.
Membership for the Parking and Transportation Reform Ad Hoc Committee is now open to all UT Dallas students. Contact Student Affairs Senator Pranav Gehlot to learn more.
