NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committees
Introduction
What is a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee? (SAAC)
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A
student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) is a committee made up of
student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience.
The SAAC also offers input on the rules, regulations and polices that
affect student-athletes' lives on NCAA member institution campuses.
Presently, there are separate national SAACs for NCAA
Divisions I, II and III. NCAA legislation mandates that all member institutions
have SAACs on their respective campuses. Further, NCAA legislation requires
that all member conferences have SAACs.
The information that follows will assist you in
understanding how the network of SAACs, from individual campus committees to
the conference and/or national committees, interact and support one another to
shape intercollegiate athletics policy and enhance the student-athlete
experience.
History of the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
An
Association-wide SAAC was adopted at the 1989 NCAA Convention and was
formed primarily to review and offer student-athlete input on NCAA activities
and proposed legislation that affected student-athlete welfare.
The initial national committee was comprised of
student-athletes from all membership divisions for the purpose of ensuring that
the student-athlete voice was one that accounted for the myriad of educational
and athletics experiences of both female and male student-athletes at all NCAA
member institutions. In August 1997, the NCAA federated along divisional lines.
The federation caused the SAAC to expand to three SAACs representing NCAA
Divisions I, II and III.
Each national divisional committee is comprised of both
female and male student-athletes charged with the responsibility of assisting
in the review of NCAA proposed legislation and representing the voice of
the student-athlete in the NCAA governance structure. This is accomplished by
providing student-athlete input on issues related to student-athlete welfare
that are division-specific. (Federation has increased student-athlete
participation in the governance process of intercollegiate athletics by
increasing the number of SAAC members from the former Association-wide
committee of 28 student-athletes to a sum total of 79 members serving on the
national Divisions I, II, and III committees).
The input of the respective Divisions I, II and III SAACs
continues to be sought by a variety of constituencies within the Association.
Student-athlete committee members have the opportunity to speak with their
respective NCAA Management Councils, and the Divisions II and III SAACs
continue to speak to legislative issues on the NCAA Convention floor.
National SAACs (Divisions I, II and III) at a glance:
·
Generate a student-athlete voice within the NCAA
structure.
·
Solicit student-athlete response to proposed NCAA
legislation.
·
Recommend potential NCAA
legislation.
·
Review, react and comment to the governance
structure on legislation, activities and subjects of interest.
·
Actively participate in the administrative process
of athletics programs and the NCAA.
·
Promote a positive student-athlete image.
Mission Statement of the National SAACs
"The mission of the National Collegiate
Athletic Association Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is to enhance the total
student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity, protecting student-athlete
welfare and fostering a positive student-athlete image."
NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committees
Campus, Conference and Division SAACs
Campus SAACs
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Though
the focus of campus SAACs is intended to be more parochial in nature,
communication among campus and national SAACs offers student-athletes the
opportunity to shape the landscape of intercollegiate athletics.
Functions of campus SAACs:
·
Promote communication between athletics
administration and student-athletes.
·
Disseminate
information.
·
Provide feedback and insight into athletics
department issues.
·
Generate a student-athlete voice within the campus
athletics department formulation of policies.
·
Build a sense of community within the athletics
program involving all athletics teams.
·
Solicit student-athlete responses to proposed
conference and NCAA legislation.
·
Organize community service
efforts.
·
Create a vehicle for student-athlete representation
on campus-wide committees (e.g., student
government).
·
Promote a positive student-athlete image on campus.
Members of a campus SAAC have the opportunity to address
issues affecting student-athletes at their institution;
furthermore, members have the opportunity to offer input on issues which
may be national in scope.
The campus committee is meant to serve as a local
student-athlete voice in addressing issues of student-athlete welfare
at their respective institutions. Campus committees can facilitate
better communication among student-athletes from various athletics teams to
address issues common to all.
The campus SAAC may also serve as a conduit of communication
among student-athletes, coaches and athletics administrators on issues to
improve the student-athlete experience and promote growth and education through
sports participation. Concerns can be voiced and solutions offered regarding
any issue that may be relevant to NCAA student-athletes.
Through the grass-roots efforts of campus SAACs,
student-athletes have the opportunity to change the face of intercollegiate
athletics.
Campus SAAC Executive Board
The NCAA recommends the creation of some type of executive
board to oversee the operation of campus SAACs. Traditional board member
positions include chairperson, chair-elect, secretary/treasurer and
chairpersons of any standing subcommittees. All of these positions should be
held by student-athletes.
Constitution and Bylaws
The constitution
of the campus SAAC is a document written by the executive board and approved by
the representatives. The constitution is essential to outline the policies and
operating procedures of the committee. It should include the name and
purpose of the committee, membership, leadership structure, standing
committees, philosophy, advisors, impeachment process, veto powers,
ratification and amendment procedures and voting and meeting requirements.
It should be noted that many institutions require that an organization have
bylaws to be an officially recognized student committee. Copies of campus SAAC
bylaws and models are available through the NCAA national office.
Campus SAAC Enhancement Ideas
Create an annual report for your campus SAAC. Include
concerns, committee actions, yearly activities, special honors or recognition
received by teams or student-athletes, graduation rate information and other
relevant topics. Present and distribute the annual SAAC report to constituent
groups (e.g., athletics administrators, athletics council, Board of Trustees,
coaches, faculty, CHAMPS/Life Skills Advisory Team, your conference SAAC and
national SAAC). Collaborate with other student organizations on campus to
organize activities. Support your institution's CHAMPS/ Life Skills Program.
Conference SAACs
Many NCAA
conferences have created conference SAACs in order to strengthen the
communication between the campus and national committees. Through
increased communication and networking, the SAACs hope to better represent the
views of all student-athletes.
Division SAACs
Division I
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The Division I national SAAC
consists of one student-athlete from each of the 31 Division I conferences.
Members are selected by the Division I Management Council from a pool of three
nominees from each of the represented conferences. Each student-athlete serves
a two-year term.
The Division I SAAC reports directly to the Division I
Management Council, and two SAAC members participate in each meeting of the
Management Council as nonvoting members. It is through these two mechanisms
that NCAA Division I student-athletes offer input and assist in shaping the
proposed legislation by which their division is governed.
Division II
The Division II SAAC consists of one student-athlete
representative from each of the Division II multi-sport voting conferences, one
student-athlete representative of Division II independent institutions, and two
student-athlete at-large positions.
The Division II SAAC affects the legislative process via an
annual summit held each July with the Division II Management Council, during
which members of the SAAC have an opportunity to interact with members of the
Management Council on proposed NCAA legislation and current Division II issues.
Also, committee members participate in the NCAA Convention each January where
they express the student-athlete voice on collective concerns regarding
proposed Division II legislation.
Division II national SAAC members actively take the lead in
addressing issues facing Division II student-athletes such as the development
of campus and conference SAACs, Title IX education, faculty/student-athlete relations
and championships enhancements.
Division III
There are 24 members on the Division III SAAC, 16 of which
are chosen from each of the four Division III regions across the nation, and
eight student-athletes serve on the committee as at-large selections.
Two student-athletes from the committee are voting members
on the Division III Management Council. In Division III, legislation is proposed
to the Management Council from Division III committees, and the Mangement
Council then has the option of forwarding the proposed legislation to the
Division III Presidents Council for approval. If the legislation is approved by
the Presidents Council, it is voted on annually at the NCAA Convention in
January by each Division III member institution to determine if it will become
new legislation.
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