The Undergraduate Student Government senate heard presentations from several members Tuesday night about progress on their projects. 

Chief diversity officer Yasmeen ElFarra discussed campus polling, chief financial officer Avery Horton explained recognized student organization funding and senator Zehran Muqtadir updated the audience on projects to adjust the Digital Course Materials program and increase bike racks on campus. 

The meeting also included the swearing in of senator Zach Garcia, who won the USG’s special election on Sept. 23 after former senator Dakota Driemeyer vacated his seat to take leave from the University and work on a political campaign in Illinois. 

In ElFarra’s presentation, she looked back on her work over the past two years and presented updates on a diversity poll of USG officers that will be released in November. 

“I believe that it is so important to conduct an assessment on the lived experiences, backgrounds and identities of those who are coming into this organization and contributing [to it],” ElFarra said. “I think it would be a disservice to the student body if our organization, of about 200 officers, didn’t do its best to ensure that we’re truly representing the diversity of the student body.”

In her presentation, Horton also said the first funding allocation among student and professional organizations has been distributed after a funding guideline amendment, SB 145-05, passed on Sept. 9. The bill amending the guideline extended the application deadline from eight to nine weeks for funding travel requests. Horton said she will send a letter to applicants to make them aware of the new policy.

Horton also recapped a funding workshop that hosted more than 50 leaders from recognized student organizations to learn more about USG funding. She said the workshop was an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and navigate the funding process. 

In his presentation, Muqtadir said he and his team have written a proposal to Andrew McConnell Stott, the vice provost for academic programs, and Student Life leadership to make it easier for students to opt out of the Digital Course Materials program. 

Muqtadir said that he met with Darren James, the director of auxiliary services, to explore ways to make the Digital Course Materials program opt-in rather than opt-out. He said the digital platform, Follett, will conduct a survey next week to gauge how students feel about the program.

In Fall 2025, the University launched a Digital Course Materials Program for undergraduate students. The program allows all undergraduate students to access required textbooks and course materials for a flat fee of $292 in the fall. 

“It’s a $300 program that people are paying for, and not everybody’s getting the value of that,” Muqtadir said.

Muqtadir also provided an update on his project to increase bike racks near Fertitta Hall and the Price School of Public Policy buildings. After conversations with chief operating officer Carol Rush and facilities planning management Christopher Toomey, Rush said that new bike racks will be installed in the near future, but did not specify a date. 

Later in the meeting, the senate unanimously approved senate bill 145-07 to change the logo for the Student Assembly for Accessibility, a USG assembly focused on accessibility and disability representation on campus. 

Chief programming officer Ali Edmonds said that the old logo, a blue key, failed to clearly represent the mission of the assembly and was confusing. SAA assistant director Auriona Dyson designed the new logo to be more inclusive and representative of the assembly’s mission.