The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- February 1, 1999

SAAC issues include study of diversity, championships

The Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's nomination subcommittee recently discussed the difficulty that the SAAC is experiencing in acquiring a diverse membership.

Although the membership of the committee is balanced with regard to gender, the committee noted at its January meeting that the slate of candidates being submitted by the membership is not diverse by race or by sport.

The committee also received an update on SAAC activity at the conference level and noted that much progress is being made in that area. Most conference SAACs have met and in most cases, a set of bylaws have been developed.

Each Division II SAAC member has been asked to provide a copy of its conference and institutional SAAC bylaws. The belief is that not only are such bylaws a useful resource for certain conferences and institutions, they also are a good indicator of the effectiveness and activity of SAACs at the institutional and conference levels.

The Division II SAAC also is beginning an examination of what makes the championships experience special. The examination is meant to be a "big-picture" review of the championships experience, going beyond the receipt of mementos and other similar benefits.

The SAAC also made recommendations relating to the 1999 NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference. It asked for the production of a video that could be used for instructional purposes at institutional and conference SAAC meetings. It also recommended that student-athletes who are chosen for the event should be advised in advance of their participation regarding what the Leadership Conference is designed to accomplish.