By Jacob Seawright
What Is SAAC?
A few months ago, when walking around SVU’s campus, I saw pictures of students who were in SAAC. At the time, I had no idea what that meant. I think many students like myself don’t really know what it is. So what is SAAC? SAAC is a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The whole point of it is so that student-athletes have a voice. SAAC offers input on the rules, regulations, and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives. At first, I thought it was a committee that the school made, But I learned that SAAC is NCAA- wide and there are different levels at the institution, conference, and national levels.
Division III logo (NCAA.com)
SAAC History
SAAC’s origins date back to 1989, in the NCAA convention and it was formed to “review and offer student athlete input on NCAA activities and proposed legislation that affected student-athlete welfare.” For a while, there was one SAAC institution across the DI, DII, and DIII levels. And it wasn’t until August of 1997 that they split along divisional lines, and expanded to three separate SAACs.
SVU’s SAAC
At Southern Virginia University, student-athletes’ voices matter, especially with a large amount of our student body being student-athletes, and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is one of the forces behind ensuring their concerns are heard and make athletics an overall better experience.
How it is set up
SVU SAAC comprises representatives from every sports team at the university. The selection process usually starts with coaches nominating representatives, and teammates confirming their choice. When selected and you accept the role, you are committing to attending meetings and fulfilling your responsibilities.
The Executive Committee
The executive committee, comprising of four primary officers:
- President: Leads meetings, delegates tasks, and communicates with advisors and the Athletic Director. Also serves as a USA South representative.
- Vice-President: Steps in when needed and serves as a USA South representative alongside the president.
- Secretary: Records meeting minutes and maintains attendance records.
- Treasurer: Manages finances and presents budgets.
Standing Committees
SVU SAAC has established standing committees:
- Activities Committee: Enhances the student-athlete experience with special events.
- Service Committee: Engages in community service projects.
- Public Relations Committee: Promotes SAAC activities to the campus and local community.
- Knight Awards Committee: Organizes the annual Knight Awards event.
Our SAAC president
Meet Riley Jo Heward, the dedicated President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at Southern Virginia University. Riley’s journey to the presidency was marked by unexpected opportunities and a deep sense of gratitude for the experience. She stated: “I actually didn’t really choose to be president. I was nominated last year to be vice president and then was voted president. I am grateful for the experience it gives me and the way I feel like I get to truly connect with all the sports teams and I love getting to hear what they are succeeding with and working on!” Starting as Vice President and transitioning into the top leadership role, Riley has embraced the chance to connect with SVU’s various sports teams, becoming the voice of student-athletes. In her role as SAAC President, Riley not only ensures that student-athletes’ concerns are heard and addressed, but also does her best to facilitate open communication and collaboration among SVU’s athletic community. Her leadership embodies the spirit of SVU’s SAAC, which strives to enhance the student-athlete experience and represent their interests within the school’s conference and ultimately the NCAA Division III.
With many other great students who make up this committee, I have nothing but confidence that the goals of SAAC will be fulfilled. It is a great support to our student- athletes, and ensuring that all students can be heard.
If you have any problems in your sport, contact the SAAC representative in your sport… I’m certain they can help you through it.
Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
S.A.A.C- Student Athletic Advisory Committee was originally published in The Herald on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
