Isabella Spartz
My name is Isabella Spartz, and I am a third-year senator majoring in finance and economics. I have a passion for politics, civic engagement and encouraging people to vote. Currently, I hold the position of legislative affairs chair, and throughout my time in SG, I have filled nearly every role, starting from at-large senator and school senator to chair and former Judicial Board member. I joined SG with the intention of enhancing our civic engagement efforts within UTD and demonstrating to students that there are various ways to engage with the community beyond just voting — although voting is extremely important. During my tenure in SG, I have led multiple initiatives both inside and outside of legislative affairs.
I have organized projects such as our annual National Voter Registration Day voter’s drive — taking place on September 19 this year — as well as Party to the Polls events, professor policy panels and the Richardson and Plano City Council panels. I also founded and chaired the special committee on the 88th legislature. In the coming term, my goal is to foster greater connections between local officials and students. I am currently working on bringing Colin Allred to campus for a fireside chat with students. Additionally, I hope to invite House Representatives Angie Chen Button and Mihaela Plesa to speak with students about the legislature and provide a recap of the last session. I also love connecting with student organizations; SG and Comets for Better Transit produced great events together last term. I hope to continue working with Comets to create a better environment for the entire UTD community.
Nandita Kumar
Hello UTD! My name is Nandita Kumar, and I am an at-large senator and chair of the Diversity, Equity and Belonging Committee. I am so excited to lead the DEB committee in making our living and learning environment more equitable and inclusive. One of my goals for the year is to create a Title IX guide that would inform sexual assault survivors on the reporting process as well as the legal, medical and social support resources available to them through UTD. Through partnerships with ODEI (Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), the Galerstein Gender Center and multicultural student organizations, we hope to foster more collaboration between leadership and students. UTD ranks highly in LGBTQ+ acceptance, and among legislative attacks on queer students, I hope to continuously improve the inclusive environment that Comets have created with each other, for each other.
Alisa Model
Hi, my name is Alisa, and I am a sophomore political science major. I am a returning senator and this year’s chair of the Green Initiative Committee. In this role, I am excited to work with students and administration to create a more sustainable campus! One initiative I am pursuing this year is the creation of a graduation gown rental program for students, with the goal of increasing equity so that everyone has the chance to walk their graduation while reducing the waste that single-use graduation gowns contribute to. I also hope to increase outreach to Comets regarding Green Initiative’s Green Fund, which can support student ideas that increase any aspect of sustainability on campus. If you have project ideas, you may be eligible to receive funding and implementation help from us. We want to hear from you! Please contact me at alisa.model@utdallas.edu or fill out the form on the Green Initiative page under Student Government’s “Services”.
Natasha Kokkodil
As a political science major and advocacy leader, I am aligned with the goal of preserving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion on campus. Erasing the things that make our university alive and memorable is extremely problematic, and all gender identities, cultural backgrounds and lived experiences must be lauded.
The student body can rest assured that I am available to address any incoming concerns that are impacting their campus experience. I hope to plan events, informative sessions, interactive activities, and panels that are engaging, informative, and meaningful! Many students are uninformed on the legislative space and how our rights are being violated.
Giana Abraham
Hello! My name is Giana Abraham, and I am a sophomore neuroscience major serving as your Communications Committee chair this year! I joined SG as a freshman to get involved with the community and make a difference. This year, beyond managing SG’s social media accounts and website, I hope to bring back a few popular events. In terms of our committee, last year’s EROL (Comet LORE) writing competition highlighted UTD’s abundant student talent, and we cannot wait to host that again this year. Everyone always asks what SG does, and we hope to answer that question by making a comprehensive magazine on all the work this organization has done on campus.
There are always amazing events coming up, and I love seeing you all there. We also enjoy partnerships, so if you have an organization with brilliant ideas, feel free to email or attend a Tuesday senate meeting and share your thoughts there. We are here to represent you and your concerns, so remember that you can always reach out!
Debopreeta Bhattacharya
Hi! My name is Debopreeta Bhattacharya, and I am a junior sociology major serving as your Student Affairs Committee Chair. This is my third year in SG and second year as chair, and I am excited about our plans for the term! I initially joined SG as a freshman because I am passionate about giving students a voice and making sure campus life is the best it can be for everyone.
As chair last year, I led the second and third iterations of the Finals Scream — now a tradition each semester — and continued the Blank Space project. This upcoming term, I hope to collaborate with other committees on new projects while still continuing Student Affairs Committee traditions from the past. I am always looking to foster more student engagement with SG. Super excited for another year with SG, and I cannot wait to see what it brings!
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