A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

A Guide to

Developing an Effective

Student-Athlete Advisory

Committee (SAAC) Constitution

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2

Format of Document ........................................................................................... 3

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)

Constitution Template ........................................................................................ 4

Additional Items for

Discussion and Consideration ...............................................................11

Sample Constitutions ......................................................................................13

Sample Constitution No. 1 ........................................................................ 14

Sample Constitution No. 2 ........................................................................ 17

Sample Constitution No. 3 ........................................................................ 22

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

The goal of this document is to assist institutions in creat-

ing a highly engaged Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

(SAAC). This template showcases optional frameworks

designed to help Division III institutions to create, update

or discuss the constitution and related procedures for their

campus SAAC. This framework will provide a guiding hand

for those looking to maximize the benet of a SAAC within

their unique campus environment.

These guidelines are not meant to be prescriptive, and in-

stead are designed to be conversation drivers and tips on

items that might be considered within the campus SAAC

constitution. The development of a campus SAAC consti-

tution needs to involve many individuals working toward

the common betterment of the campus committee.

Introduction

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

This document was developed to walk step-by-step

through the elements of a working SAAC constitution.

To that end, the layout demonstrates each section worth

discussion and consideration and offers options and dis-

cussion points for determining how that section should be

written for your own campus SAAC constitution.

In the back of this guide are three redacted, but otherwise

unchanged, examples of SAAC constitutions being used

at Division III schools. They are included as examples only.

Note: Throughout this guide, we have deliberately chosen

to use the pronoun they as a gender-neutral singular pro-

noun. We encourage you to do the same within your SAAC

constitution and communications.

Format of Document

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Student-Athlete Advisory

Committee (SAAC)

Constitution Template

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

About SAAC

Mission Statement

Constitution

Article I. Name of Organization

Article II. What is the reason that your SAAC was created?

Article III. Membership

Section I Size

Title of Document

Brief, summarized detail of a campus SAAC

Example: The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is a committee made up of student-athletes from every

sport assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. SAAC offers input on the rules, regulations and

policies that affect student-athletes’ lives at Sample University and works to enhance the student-athlete experience.

Does your campus SAAC have a mission statement? If not, you might want to consider it. If so, it is good to add it into

the preamble section of your constitution.

List the official campus name of your organization.

What role does SAAC play within the athletics department structure at your campus?

There are lots of concepts that might be considered when addressing the size of your SAAC. Regardless of where you

end up, you will want to clearly denote the size parameters within the constitution. Experience has shown that too many

members from each team will sometimes lead to poor attendance at meetings. Here are some suggested size

considerations.

• Two representatives from every team; executive council members do count toward team totals.

• Two representatives from every team; executive council members don’t count toward team totals.

• One representative from each team; executive council members do count toward team totals.

• One representative from each team; executive council members don’t count toward team totals.

• Should membership representatives only be from varsity teams?

• Additional.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Section II Selection Process

Section III Duties of members

Section IV Terms of Service

Article IV. Executive Committee

You will want to detail how representatives are nominated and selected to serve on SAAC? Here are some possible

options. In all cases, diverse gender/ethnicity representation should be considered and promoted.

• Representatives are selected by their coaches.

• Representatives are selected by their teammates.

• Representatives are selected by the athletics department.

• Representatives are selected by the SAAC/executive council.

• Additional.

If there are certain expectations of each member before, during, after or between meetings, this is a good place to detail

those expectations. This will assist in nominations and selections by understanding the time commitment each member

can anticipate.

How long each member will serve is important to think about. You should consider and discuss whether the

appointments will be one-year terms, automatically renewable, etc. … For instance, the Division III SAAC has a

three-year maximum term but allows members to serve one year beyond graduation. Service beyond graduation

probably does not make sense at the campus level.

There are several variations that might be considered in looking at the composition and election of your SAAC’s

executive committee. Here are a few items you may wish to consider within your constitution.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Section I Size/Titles/Duties (all of these are optional)

Section II Election Process for Executive Committee Members

Section III Terms of Ofﬁce

The first decision an institution must make is the size of the executive committee. This is often done by determining

which roles make sense for the SAAC and setting standards for each role. Listed here are examples of potential

executive committee roles. It is important that the duties for each executive committee appointment are spelled out

within the constitution.

Examples of executive committee roles:

• Chair(s) – plans and presides over meetings. Works with the athletics administrator who is the SAAC liaison.

• Vice Chair – assists in meeting planning and presides over meetings in the absence of the chair(s).

• Secretary – records meetings and distributes updates and decisions

• Communications Director – oversees SAAC social media accounts and notices of meetings and actions.

• Student Body Liaison(s) – works with the institution’s student government association.

• Treasurer – handles the committee budget and finances.

• Community Service Chair – organizes and leads service events throughout the year.

• Special Olympics Coordinator – manages the SAAC’s partnership with Special Olympics.

• Liaison to conference SAAC – works with the conference SAAC and serves as a conduit between the two

organizations.

• Additional.

Determining how each executive committee member is elected is an important element to codify in the constitution.

Important items to discuss and consider are: details on who will elect the members (SAAC peers, previous executive

committee, athletics administration), how the election will be held (closed ballot, email), the potential for proxy voting by

absentee members, how the candidates will be nominated (by self, by others), and whether the candidate can or cannot

campaign before any vote.

Similar to the terms of service for all members, how long the executive committee member holds their seat and how

they are replaced or reelected is important to note.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Article V. Standing Subcommittees

Article VI. Meetings

Section I Subcommittee Names and Composition

Section I Timing/Occurrence

Section II Membership Attendance/Attendance Policy

Section II Subcommittee Purposes

In selecting which subcommittees are important for your SAAC to have, you will want to consider the functional needs

of your committee. You might determine that you have meeting-to-meeting needs (food selection, social subcommittee)

or larger-scale needs (annual event planning). For the Division III SAAC, the only standing subcommittee is for Special

Olympics. The other subcommittees are re-formed annually and stem from the annual priorities set by the executive

committee.

It is also important to consider the desired size of each subcommittee based on the goals being pursued. Sometimes it

is important to have a subcommittee with minimal membership, so that it is nimbler and more decisive. Other times, you

want subcommittee sizes that encourage participation. One example of this is asking that each SAAC member pick a

subcommittee to be a part of.

The purpose of each created subcommittee can be defined in its own section or housed within the names and

composition section.

Now that the framework for the SAAC composition has been defined and codified, it is important to detail some of the

functional needs of the committee. This starts by evaluating the details of the committee’s meeting.

Setting the regular recurrence pattern for your meetings is important. Here are some options to consider.

• Every other week for full group. Executive team meets the opposite week.

Chair can call additional meetings.

• Every other week; additional meetings if there is a big upcoming event.

• Once a month.

• Other.

Your constitution should set clear attendance expectations, guidelines on who to contact if a meeting needs to be

missed and the ramifications for missing a meeting(s).

Many SAACs have standing subcommittees that serve important roles in getting the work of the committee

accomplished. These subcommittees also allow leadership development and growth opportunities for members.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Article VII. Voting on Committee Actions

Section I Who Can Vote

Section II Voting Process

Section III Result of a Passed/Failed Vote

Determining how committee decisions are adopted is another important policy matter to include in the constitution.

Here are some items that you will need to discuss and codify.

Here are some considerations to discuss in determining how members vote:

• One vote per member.

• One vote per team.

• One vote per member except the chair(s), who votes only in the case of a tie.

• One vote per team; executive council has its own single vote.

• How do you handle proxy votes in the case of a member’s absence?

• Additional.

Not every piece of committee business will require such formality; however, some committee actions might require a

specified style of voting. When thinking about official committee actions, here are some items to consider:

• Paper ballot.

• Hand vote.

• Electronic polling.

• Ability to request another form of vote in a delicate situation.

• How many votes are needed to pass a motion and does the requirement apply to the full committee numbers or only

those members that are present?

• Simple majority greater than 50% (or “half plus one”).

• Two-thirds majority.

• Three-fourths majority.

• Other.

After a committee action is taken, there needs to be clear policies to address the results of the action. A couple of

things to consider asking are:

• Is there a reconsideration period?

• Yes

• No

• When does the motion become active?

• Immediately.

• End of year.

• Start of year.

• Must be specified in each motion.

• Immediately unless otherwise specified.

• Other.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Article VIII. Amendments to the Constitution

Article IX. Finances (if applicable)

As your committee functions, there will be times when the policies within your constitution need to be modified. Having

details about that process in the document itself will make clear how those modifications can occur. Some things to

consider in this section are:

• When can an amendment to the constitution occur?

• Start of year.

• End of year.

• Any time.

• Other.

• Are the voting requirements for a constitutional amendment the same as other committee actions?

• When will a constitutional amendment be implemented?

Not every SAAC committee will directly handle its own finances. Some campus SAACs operate with the financial

oversight of the athletics department. Other SAACs might operate a separate account through donations, fundraisers or

special events.

It is important to detail the authority and oversight of all committee finances.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Additional Items for

Discussion and

Consideration

Here are a couple of other items to discuss and consider

as you develop your SAAC Constitution. As each of these

items is addressed, it is good to include them into your

newly formed constitution.

1. How does your SAAC want to handle social media?

Options to consider might include:

• Do not have a social media presence.

• Accounts managed by staff.

• Accounts managed by students. If so, which stu-

dents? (e.g., the Division III SAAC Twitter account

– @d3saac – is managed entirely by members of

the committee and overseen by the communica-

tions director, a member of the DIII SAAC execu-

tive committee)

• What is the working relationship between the

SAAC and the campus sports information director?

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

2. Communication and collaboration with others in the

athletics department and across campus is vital to the

success of your SAAC. Some items to consider ad-

dressing within the constitution include:

• Who will serve as the SAAC advisor? What is their

role and duties?

• How often does the athletics director attend SAAC

meetings? How often does the athletics director

meet with the SAAC executive committee?

• Who produces the post-meeting minutes or sum-

mary? Who receives that communication after

each meeting?

• Do members of the SAAC ever attend athletics

department staff meetings?

• How often does the SAAC, or its members, meet

with the Faculty Athletics Representative? We

recommend at least once per semester.

• How often does the SAAC, or its members, meet

with the sports information director? We recom-

mend at least once per semester.

3. When administering ofcial SAAC votes and business,

how formal will the procedures be? For the Division III

SAAC, Robert’s Rules of Order apply for all matters of

parliamentary procedures.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Sample Constitutions

Three redacted, but otherwise unchanged, examples of

the SAAC constitutions being used at Division III schools.

They are included as examples only.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Wartburg College Student-Athlete

Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

About SAAC

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is a committee made up student-athletes assembled to provide

insight on the student-athlete experience. SAAC offers input on the rules, regulations, and policies that affect stu-

dent-athletes’ lives at Wartburg College.

Mission Statement

The mission statement of the Wartburg College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is to enhance the student-ath-

lete experience by promoting opportunity, protecting student-athlete welfare, acting as a liaison between stu-

dent-athletes and administration, and fostering a positive student-athlete image.

Constitution

Article I. Name of Organization

This organization shall be known as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee or SAAC.

Article II. Purpose

1. To generate a student-athlete voice within the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC).

2. To solicit student-athlete response to proposed National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) legislation.

3. To suggest potential NCAA legislation.

4. To create a vision for student-athlete representation on campus, conference-wide, and nationally.

Article III. Membership

1. Any student-athlete is eligible for appointment.

a. Representatives should be selected by the coaches of each athletic team.

b. Two representatives from each team.

2. Academic eligibility must be maintained. Upon becoming academically ineligible, the member will be replaced.

3. To provide continuity, membership will be for the duration of athletic career.

4. One voting member from each sports team.

5. Each member will serve as a liaison between the committee and his/her team.

6. Each team must be represented at every meeting:

Sample Constitution No. 1

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

a. Attendance is required. Absences are excusable only in the following cases: family emergencies,

athletic competitions occurring during the meeting, or for extreme academic reasons.

b. A written notice (e-mail) explaining a missed SAAC meeting must be given to proper position of power.

c. Potential discipline for unexcused absences.

7. While attending meetings, members must be open-minded and respectful of other people’s opinions.

8. Members accept the responsibility of representing the student-athlete population of Wartburg College.

Article IV. Executive council

1. Ofcers will be nominated at the second-to-last meeting and will be elected during the last meeting of the year.

2. Five total executive members.

a. Three position exec members

i. President, Vice-President, Secretary

b. Two members to be non-position execs

3. All ofcers shall serve for a one-year term. Ofcers are eligible for re-election for a consecutive term provid-

ing they will be a full-time student-athlete for another term of one year.

4. Ofcers can only be elected if they have been a member of SAAC for at least one year.

5. Only one member from each sport team can be on the executive council.

6. If elected to executive council, they give up voting rights.

7. Two members of the executive council must attend IIAC SAAC meetings.

8. In the event of removal, resignation, or vacancy of the president, the Vice-president will move into the Presi-

dent position, and the executive team announces a new Vice-President.

9. Impeachment of an elected ofcer can take place when two-thirds of the membership votes for impeach-

ment. Two-thirds of the committee must be present for this to take place.

10. Additional exec meetings may be held on top of committee wide meetings.

President

1. Presides over and creates the agendas for the meetings.

2. Communicates all relevant information to ofcers and members.

3. Serves as liaison and spokesperson to Wartburg administration.

Vice-President

1. Presides over meetings when the President is absent.

2. Oversees subcommittees that may be formed as a response to the needs of the Wartburg SAAC

3. Exercises all functions of the President in absence of the President.

Secretary

1. Responsible for maintaining attendance records

2. Responsible for a summary of meeting within 48-hours after meeting end.

a. Distribute to members, advisors, athletic administration, FARs, and coaches. Can be done

through the president if needed.

Other Exec Members

1. Be the eyes and ears of the committee.

2. Help with any other tasks needed by the rest of the exec team.

3. Help make sure that the committee is keeping in line with mission statement.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Article V. Standing Committees

1. The chairperson of each committee will be decided at the beginning of the year during the committee sign

ups and will then be voted on by members of each committee.

2. Additional committees can be formed if necessary.

Article VI. Meetings

1. There will be one meeting on the rst Tuesday of every month, during community time. This is subject to

change if necessary.

2. Meetings will be set for the academic year.

3. Special meetings may be called by the President when business demands immediate attention.

Article VII. Voting

1. There will be one voting member from each team.

2. In a vote, the majority is needed.

3. If a majority cannot be attained, that piece of legislation shall be considered abstained.

Article VIII. Amendments

1. Amendments to this constitution may be introduced at the conclusion of any meeting. Voting shall occur at

the next meeting with the new amendment taking effect following the decision.

2. If the amendment passes, it shall be written in the constitution and followed immediately.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Hamline University Student-Athlete Advisory

Committee (SAAC) Constitution/By-Laws

Preamble

To be the voice for student-athletes in order to provide communication, uphold a positive image, and build a sense

of community at Hamline University.

Mission Statement

Student-Athletes working together to be ambassadors, to unify Hamline Athletics, Hamline University and our community.

Article I – Name

The name of the organization shall be the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Article II – Membership

Section 1. All registered students, faculty, and staff shall be eligible for voting membership in the Student-Athlete

Advisory Committee (SAAC) at Hamline University abiding by the university’s diversity policy.

Section 2. Voting members, in addition to Section 1, shall be designated as those persons who have attended

one member in an academic semester.

Section 3. Honorary (non-voting) memberships can be given to individuals as the voting members see t.

Article III – Ofﬁcers

Section 1. The ofcers of the organization shall be:

a. Two Co-Presidents

b. Two Co-Vice Presidents

i. One Vice President will serve as the treasurer and one Vice President will serve as the secretary

c. Vice President of Athletic Relations

d. Hamline Undergraduate Student Congress Representatives

Sample Constitution No. 2

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Section 2. All student-voting members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in good academic

standing shall be eligible to hold ofce.

Section 3. The term of ofce for the ofcers of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) shall be from the

beginning of the regular academic year to the end of the regular academic year.

Section 4. The ofcers shall be elected by a majority of the voting members of the Student-Athlete Advisory

Committee (SAAC) at the annual elections held in April at the end of the regular academic year.

Section 5. Vacancies of ofces shall be elected by the athletic director or advisor(s).

Article IV – Executive Board

Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the two Presidents, three Vice Presidents, HUSC Representative,

Athletic Director, and Advisor(s).

Section 2. All executive and legislative power granted herein shall be vested in the Executive Board.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall be empowered to recommend priorities for various projects and to plan activities.

Article V – Meetings

Section 1. The regular meetings of the voting membership shall be held at least twice a month.

Section 2. Special meetings of the organization may be called by the President(s), or by the Executive Board, or

upon the written request of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) members of the organization.

Section 3. A quorum shall be a number greater than the majority of the voting membership.

Article VI – Committees

Section 1. Special Olympics Committee

a. Assist HU athletic programs in nding Special Olympic Volunteer activities

b. Work with Special Olympics MN (Devin Kaasa) for event planning

c. Responsible for organizing and nding volunteers for the following events:

i. Hamline Bags Tournament

ii. SOMN Unied Rivalry with Augsburg

Section 2. Campus Outreach Committee

a. Brainstorm and implement ways to promote HU Athletics

b. Submit events online to promote via HU digital signage

i. Submit events to Hamline SID to be placed in Red & Gray Matters

c. Create Banners for Anderson

d. Fill out and Display weekly sandwich boards

Section 3. Community Service Committee

a. Actively seek out community service projects

b. Bring community service to campus for department wide service

c. Share community service opportunities with SAAC and coaches

d. Assist Special Olympics with Soliciting Volunteers

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Section 4. Student Activities Committee

a. Communicate with sports programs for Code Red competitions

i. Assist brother and sister teams to ensure Code Red game events are happening

b. Schedule blood drive (s)

c. Solicit businesses for prizes for Code Red competitions, scavenger hunt, and athletic competitions

d. Coordinate fun and engaging ways to unify campus and athletic teams

i. Fall game/activity

ii. Fall BBQ- night football game

iii. Winter game/activity

iv. Spring Scavenger hunt

Section 5. Media and Promotions

a. Fundraising/tabling on campus and at athletic events

b. Control Social Media accounts

c. Promote individual programs and throughout the year

d. Creating videos and promotional posts for:

i. Game Days

ii. Code Red Events

iii. Student-athlete promotions

iv. Campus activities with athletics

Article VII – Impeachment and Removal

Section 1. Ofcers may be impeached and, if convicted, removed from ofce by a two-thirds majority of the vot-

ing members on the basis of not fullling their duties as outline in the Constitution and By-Laws.

Section 2. Members may be impeached and, if convicted, may be expelled from membership by a two-thirds

majority of the voting members on the basis of not fullling the purpose of the organization.

Section 3. Any individual who is impeached shall be given full notice of the allegations against them and shall

have an opportunity to respond to them.

Section 4. Any member of the organization may initiate impeachment proceedings.

Article VIII – Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution shall be proposed either by two-thirds of the Executive Board or by a

petition submitted by ten percent of the voting members.

Section 2. A two-thirds majority of the voting members shall be necessary to approve amendments to this constitution.

Article IX – Active Status

In order to maintain active status, the organization agrees to abide by those rules and regulations, including nan-

cial procedures, of Hamline University which pertain to all student organizations.

Article X – Parliamentary Procedures

Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised) shall be the parliamentary authority of this organization. Should Robert’s Rules of

Order conict with this Constitution, this Constitution take priority.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Article XI – Duties of Ofﬁcers

Section 1. Two Co-Presidents

a. Oversee the entire Student Athlete Advisory Council

b. Have ultimate responsibility of the activities and actions of our committee

c. Have nal say of committee activities and actions

Co-President (A)

a. Student Development/Faculty Sponsor Relations

i. Develop a monthly student-athlete enrichment activity

b. Attend and relay information from PAA and MIAC Meetings

Co-President (B)

a. NCAA/MIAC/HU Communications

b. Create and share monthly agenda

c. Schedule and manage guests to attend monthly SAAC meetings

d. Attend and relay information from PAA and MIAC Meetings

Section 2. Three Vice Presidents

a. To support the Co-President’s opinions and actions

b. Assume presidential responsibilities if there is an absence

c. To serve the president’s, other ofcers, committee chairs and other SAAC members

Vice President/Treasurer

a. Retrieve and manage cash for all sales

b. Receive and submit checks

c. Make SAAC Purchases

d. Maintain relationship with HUSC treasurer

e. Maintain and acquire knowledge to maintain budget

Vice President/Secretary

a. Approve team community service

b. Communicating and recording points for Piper Cup

c. Responsible for taking and sharing all meeting minutes

Vice President/Athletic Relations

a. Attend all Hamline Athletic Staff meetings

b. Supervise all SAAC Committees

c. Communicate regularly with Hamline Athletic Director

Section 3. HUSC Representative

a. Attend weekly General Assemblies

b. Serve on Board of Elected Representatives (BER)-Required

c. Serve on Student Org committee (Soc)

d. Volunteer for HUSC sponsored events, tabling, elections

e. Communicate to and assist SAAC with resources and responsibilities

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Section 4. SAAC Representative (All Members)

a. Communicate all information back to teams (important dates, events, and volunteer opportunities)

b. Be active in SAAC committees - each member must serve on a minimum of one committee

c. Volunteer for SAAC events and activities (expect to provide more assistance during off season)

Article XII – Duties of Advisor

Section 1. Faculty advisor(s) shall be appointed by the Athletic Director at their discretion.

Section 2. The advisor(s) shall be a member of the Executive Board.

Section 3. The duties of the Advisor(s) shall be to:

a. Act as a consultant for projects and special committees of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

b. Attend social activities sponsored by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)

Section 4. The advisor(s) shall not have voting privileges in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Article XIII – Elections

Section 1. Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) elections shall be held during the second semester of

each academic year

Section 2. Candidates for ofces shall be eligible provided they have met the requirements for that ofce state in

Article III of this Constitution.

Section 3. Candidates running for ofce shall be members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at

the time of their election and during their term of ofce.

Section 4. Candidates running for ofce must be registered students in good standing at the time of their nomi-

nation and must maintain that status during their term of ofce.

Section 5. Candidates shall be selected anonymously by voting members before the running for ofces commences.

Article XIV – Finances

Section 1. Funds will be used for the operation of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as directed by

a majority vote of the voting members.

Section 2. All nances shall be handled in accordance with the established policy and scal procedures in effect

for the college as outlines in the Student Activities Manual.

Section 3. In the event of loss of organization recognition, any funds remaining in Student-Athlete Advisory

Committee (SAAC)

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

University of Valley Forge Student-Athlete

Advisory Committee Bylaws

Article I: Name

This organization shall be known as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Article II: Purpose, Mission and Duties of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)

Section I: Purpose and Mission

The University of Valley Forge (UVF) SAAC is a committee made up of student-athletes chosen to provide insight

on the student-athlete experience and promote growth and education through sports participation at UVF. This

committee meets on a bi-weekly basis addressing current topics of interest of UVF student-athletes and serves as

a conduit of communication among student-athletes, coaches and athletic administration. These student-athletes

enjoy the responsibility of maintaining a positive leadership role in the surrounding community by organizing, pro-

moting and hosting several service projects throughout the year.

SAAC Mission Statement

SAAC exists to enhance the athletic experience for both student athletes and our UVF community by encouraging

spiritual development, purposeful relationships, and being a voice for athletes.

Section II: Duties

Duties of SAAC representatives include but are not limited to:

A. Attend all SAAC meetings and related events.

B. Serve as a liaison between the member’s respective sport to the committee and the athletics department.

C. Serve the needs of fellow student-athletes via leadership and support.

D. Promote a positive student-athlete image on campus and in the community.

E. Assist in the growth and development of SAAC.

F. Play an integral role in the structure of our athletics departments and its formulation of policies regard-

ing student-athletes.

G. Work to enhance student-athlete well-being on campuses.

a. Encourage the establishment or improvement of campus environment

b. Help establish professional and/or personal development programs for student- athletes (e.g.,

resume development, spiritual and character development).

c. Be an active leader in activating and jumpstarting new ideas and programs.

Sample Constitution No. 3

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

Article III: Selection Process

A. Student-athletes interested in becoming members of the committee must submit a SAAC application to

the SAAC advisor during the preceding spring semester.

B. All members must be participating members of their respective sports.

C. Chosen representatives must be in good academic standing with the university and be trusted to uphold

the rules established by the NCAA guidelines and the UVF Student-Athlete Handbook.

D. Representatives will serve a two semester term.

E. There is no limit to the amount of terms which one may serve.

F. The SAAC will request that student athletes from each team apply to be representatives in the spring of

each academic year.

Article IV: Attendance Policy

A. Each voting member will only be given 4 unexcused absences a semester to meetings.

B. The president should be informed of an excused absence at the time which the meeting is scheduled or

at least 24 hours prior to the anticipated start of the meeting.

a. Exceptions to the rule may be deemed necessary by the SAAC ofcers.

C. Representation from each team at all SAAC meetings is mandatory.

a. After two (2) unexcused absences, the head coach and team representative will be notied by

email of their warning. After two (4) unexcused absences, the member shall be expulsed and the

search for a new representative will begin. If a member is removed due to attendance issues, his/

her team will not be able to gain another voting seat in SAAC until the following year.

b. Unexcused Absences Dened. An unexcused absence is dened as an absence from a regularly

scheduled meeting without providing written notice to the Secretary at least 24 hours in advance.

Documented medical emergencies are the only excused absences without prior written notication.

Article V: Executive Board and Nomination Process

Section I: Executive Board

A. The NCAA recommends the creation of some type of executive board to oversee the operation of SAAC.

UVF’s will consist of two (2) Co-Presidents, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

B. Co-President-Role Description

a. As the Co-President of SAAC, they will represent all student-athletes at the University and Ath-

letic Department level. These persons are responsible for helping to set the vision, goals, and

objectives of SAAC, with assistance of the SAAC Advisor and executive board. They will represent

SAAC and all student-athletes at athletic department, coaches, and leadership team meetings.

Co-Presidents will set the executive board meeting agenda and the SAAC meeting agenda.

b. They will be responsible for communicating with internal and external organizations, as needed.

1. Expectations:

a. Comfortable speaking in public.

b. Organizes, conducts and oversees bi-monthly SAAC meetings and any executive

board meetings.

c. Prepares bi-weekly SAAC meeting agendas.

d. Disseminates meeting reminders with prepared agendas at least 24 hours prior to every meeting.

e. Serves as a representative of student-athletes for all departmental functions and meetings.

2. Time Commitment

a. Co-Presidents can expect to work 3-6 hours per week. This includes, but is not limited to,

b. SAAC meetings (bi-weekly, one hour)

c. Athletic Department meetings (quarterly, one hour)

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

d. Athletic Department Leadership

e. Team meetings (as needed)

f. Coaches meetings (as needed)

g. Projects (as needed)

3. Value/Benets

a. As Co-President of SAAC, you will have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from high

level athletic department team members, University faculty, and staff. You will gain leader-

ship experience and the skills to manage an organization. You will have the opportunity to

serve as the face of an organization and hone your professional development skills.

C. Vice President Role Description

a. The Vice President is responsible for overseeing the operations of the Committee. This includes

attendance, keeping track of participation on committees, facilitating meetings, etc. They will

be expected to keep a pulse of the student-athlete representatives, making sure all needs are

addressed. In addition, they will be responsible for assisting the Co-Presidents as needed and

handling requests to the marketing department.

1. Expectations

a. Comfortable speaking in public.

b. Performs duties of the President(s) in their absence and assumes position of President if

one or both are unable to properly fulll presidential obligations.

2. Time Commitment

a. The Vice President can expect to work 2-4 hours per week. This includes, but is not lim-

ited to, SAAC meetings (bi-weekly, one hour)

b. Quarterly Athletic Department meetings (as needed)

c. Coaches meeting (as needed)

d. Special Projects (as needed)

3. Value/Benets

a. The Vice President will have the opportunity to gain valuable leadership experience.

They will learn how to effectively manage one’s peers. They will improve their public

speaking and facilitation skills.

D. Secretary Role Description

a. The Secretary is responsible for keeping a written or electronic record of all meetings. They will

distribute minutes of meetings to the members via e-mail. In addition, they will be responsible for

assisting the Co-Presidents as needed.

1. Expectations:

a. Responsible for taking minutes at every meeting.

b. Responsible for keeping attendance at all SAAC meetings and functions.

c. Emails minutes to the SAAC advisor, ofcers, and other committee members.

2. Time Commitment

a. The Secretary can expect to work 2-4 hours per week. This includes, but is not limited

to, SAAC meetings (bi-weekly, one hour)

b. Special Projects (as needed)

c. Coordinating with other leadership groups on campus (as needed)

3. Value/Benets

a. The Secretary will have the opportunity to gain valuable leadership experience. They will

learn how to effectively manage one’s peers. They will improve their public speaking and

facilitation skills.

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A Guide to Developing an Effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Constitution

E. Treasurer Role Description

a. The Treasurer is responsible for preparing, maintaining and reporting on the annual SAAC bud-

get. This includes balancing the SAAC account, tracking all expenses and revenue and reporting

to the committee.

They will be in charge of organizing and coordinating all fundraising activities within SAAC. These

documents and records should be available for public display upon request.

1. Expectations

a. Manages the SAAC budget, including serving as liaison to the budget ofce, balancing

the SAAC account, reporting revenue, and processing reimbursements.

b. Works directly with the SAAC advisor to oversee the SAAC budget

c. Gives monthly updates at each meeting to the committee of what has been spent and

projected expenses.

2. Time Commitment

a. The Treasurer can expect to work one-two hours per week. This includes, but is not

limited to:

b. General meetings (bi-weekly, one hour)

c. Coaches meetings (as needed)

d. Special Projects (as needed)

3. Value/Benets

a. The Treasurer will have the opportunity to gain valuable leadership experience. They will

learn how to effectively manage a budget. They will improve one’s public speaking and

facilitation skills.

Section II: Election Procedure

A. Eligible SAAC general assembly representatives (those not on social, academic or disciplinary proba-

tion) have the opportunity to apply for an executive position.

B. Applications shall be submitted to SAAC advisor or Director of Athletics.

C. Prospective ofcers will be announced at the second to last meeting of the school year and voting will

take place via email the next week.

D. The advisor will announce the ofcers for the following year at the last regularly scheduled meeting.

E. Elections for officers will be conducted the last meeting of the school year prior to the year which

they will serve.

F. Term of Ofce

a. A member of the Executive Board will serve one (1) academic calendar year in his/her role. A mem-

ber of the executive board may elect to resign from his/her position prior to election time. The entire

SAAC will be notied of this vacancy and will have the opportunity to ll the open position. If the

vacancy occurs during the fall semester before elections, the newly elected member will maintain

the position until the following fall semester. If the vacancy is the position of the President, the Vice

President will assume the role of President and the election will be for the Vice President position. A

member may run for the same position again, or another executive position if they so choose.

Article VI. Removal of an Executive Board Member

A. Violations of the requirements prescribed as standards for all members of SAAC (Article III, C)

B. Failure to fulll the assignment of his/her position (Article V)

C. Violations of the attendance policy required of all SAAC members. (Article IV)

NCAA is a trademark of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Summer 2019