For Saad Khan, president of the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA) at UAB, the goal during his leadership is simple: to make student government more visible, accessible and responsive to student needs.

Khan, a senior majoring in neuroscience, did not always see himself as a student government leader. In fact, he says he entered college with little interest in student government at all.

“I wasn’t very passionate about student government in middle school or high school,” Khan shared. “I didn’t really see the point of it.”

That changed during his freshman year at UAB when he joined the USGA’s Freshman Forum. Through that experience, Khan said he realized student government could be a real avenue for impact.

“They showed me that what I did within student government could actually have an impact on the student body and on campus,” said Khan. “An impact I didn’t think I would be able to have.”

After his freshman year, Khan continued with the USGA, serving as a College of Arts and Sciences senator during his sophomore and junior years. Over time, he found that advocating for student concerns and working directly with administrators became the most rewarding part of the role.

“When I was looking toward the next step, I felt like being the USGA president was the best way I could advocate for the undergraduate student body, and for the needs of the campus,” Khan said.

From Input to Action

Rather than entering office with a fixed agenda, his leadership philosophy is based on student input.

“I didn’t want to come in saying, ‘These are things I’m going to do,’” he started. “I wanted students to tell me what they want to see, and then I will go out and accomplish those things to the best of my ability.”

One of the most frequently requested initiatives, Khan noted, is digital One Cards. The USGA representatives have met with UAB Information Technology to discuss the possibility, though Khan emphasized that timelines for campus-wide changes can be lengthy.

“It’s possible we’ll see it within the academic year, but it’s unlikely,” he said. “It is something UAB is looking toward in the next few years.”

Another major initiative involves including undergraduate honors on diplomas, an issue that has received significant student interest. USGA has been meeting with the Office of the Provost and other administrative leaders to explore what that process could look like.

“These initiatives take time,” Khan said. “A lot of time.”

Visibility and Engagement

Beyond policy discussions, Khan said this year’s USGA has focused heavily on increasing visibility in student engagement.

“Oftentimes, people don’t know what the USGA does or don’t really care,” he said. “So we’re trying to be more present with the student body and meet students where they are.”

Khan said that efforts were made to revamp the USGA social media presence with standardized graphics, increased tabling, greater engagement with Greek life organizations and involvement in campus traditions like Blazer Showdown. The organization has also launched “Day in the Life” social media takeovers to humanize the student leaders.

Additionally, USGA now has a designated meeting space with meetings held Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Student Assembly Building, rooms 115 AB.

“That helps students know where and when they can find us,” Khan said.

Budget and Challenges

Khan said that many students overestimate the power of the USGA presidency.

“People think when you become USGA president, you get a magic wand and can fix everything on campus,” he started. “But there are administrative hurdles, cost issues, safety concerns, things that don’t always make changes possible or immediate.”

One of the biggest challenges the USGA faces, Khan said, is its operating budget. Compared to other universities in the University of Alabama System, UAB has the smallest student government budget despite serving the 2nd largest student population.

UAB‘s undergraduate population is nearly 12,000 students, compared to the University of Alabama at Huntsville with an undergraduate population of less than 7,000 and the University of Alabama with more than 35,000. Yet, according to Khan, the UAB USGA operating budget has remained the same for the past decade.

For the 2025 – 2026 academic year, USGA‘s operating budget totals $123,400. Budget allocations include funding for registered student organizations, club sports, travel grants, and financial support, leaving roughly $36,000 for USGA internal operations and programming.

“36,000 dollars seems like a lot,” said Khan. “But it’s not a lot of money if you want to represent the student body. So we’re trying to advocate for more funds.”

USGA is currently preparing to advocate for increased funding for the 2026 – 2027 academic year, with allocations determined late September to early October.

Vision for the Future

As a senior, Khan hopes the standard he has emphasized will continue after his term ends.

“I hope the next president is present with both administration and students,” he said. “That they engage with students and continue communicating what USGA is doing.”

Ultimately, Khan wants students to view USGA as a first point of contact when issues arise on campus.

“If students want to see change, I want the first thing they think of to be USGA,” Khan emphasized. “We want them to tell us their concerns. Come to our events. Come to our meetings. No one in USGA is going to turn you away.”