Salve Students begin SAAC to support athletes

By: Megan Garvey
Posted In: News

Is it possible to receive healthier snacks after our games? Why do some teams receive coach buses to travel to game sites and some receive Salve vans? How am I supposed to make my class schedule around my practices and games when the only classes left are during my practices?

These are all questions asked on a regular basis by the student-athletes who are looking for answers in order to improve their athletic program.

A group on campus is beginning to address these problems with the athletic program and is finding answers for the athletes. The SAAC board is comprised of three students, Cara Dunn, a senior Biology major and Kate Callahan, a senior Elementary Education major, are the co-chairs and Marissa Giaimo, senior business studies major, is the secretary of the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

The mission statement for the Division III SAAC is “to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity for all student-athletes; protecting student-athlete welfare; and fostering a positive student-athlete image, while maintaining the tenants of the Division III philosophy.”

The Salve Chapter creates communication between the student-athletes and the athletic program, including Del Malloy, the Athletic Director at Salve.

The club brings student issues to Malloy to create solutions or bring answers to the athletes. SAAC also participates in community service opportunities in Newport to build commitment within the club and to build teamwork.

Some of the issues that SAAC is working on now deal with the food for the athletes after the games, the sizes of buses teams travel in, and trying to get a priority in their class selection.

Once the committee brings an issue to Malloy and the athletic program’s attention, Malloy either informs the committee of the policies granted by Salve and the NCAA or ways to find solutions for the question.

The primary purpose for SAAC on all college campuses is to improve the student-athlete experience and offer information about the rules, regulations, and policies that are a part of the student-athletes lives on their campus during their four years.

In 1989, an Association-wide SAAC was approved at the 1989 NCAA Convention. The committee was formed to present input from the student-athletes to the NCAA and to try to improve the student-athlete experience.

The SAAC meets every other Friday with times determined the week before based on team schedules. Their next meeting is Friday, February 10, on the second floor in the conference room of Rodgers Recreation Center. Interested students can contact Dunn through e-mail at cara.dunn@salve.edu.

“If you have an issue within your team or the athletic department, you will be able to address it through SAAC,” said Dunn. “Already we have changed a lot of minor issues and problems, so if you have a concern bring it forward and we will discuss it and determine if and how it can be changed.”