"Student-athlete welfare consists of the ability to ensure that a student-athlete will be fairly treated and cared for in and out of sports. Providing student-athletes with the equal chance to succeed -- like any other student on campus -- plays a part in showing or providing student-athlete welfare."

--John Keahi Dano,
baseball student-athlete,
Missouri Western State College,
Division II Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee

"Student-athlete welfare involves the policies and procedures necessary to ensure a quality and complete experience for the student and the athlete during his or her time at a college or university."

--Angela Swider,
volleyball student-athlete,
Ferris State University,
Division II Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee

"Student-athlete welfare concerns my overall well-being as a student and as an athlete. It protects my best interests to be able to compete at a certain level and in a safe environment and to still have time for academics and other extracurricular activities. It's not just about being an athlete or just about being a student, but to be able to balance both."

--Jamie Fluker,
track student-athlete,
Carthage College,
Division III Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee

"Student-athlete welfare means that my personal well-being is ensured while I play college athletics, and that my personal well-being is taken into account when decisions are made about me, my sport or the NCAA.

"The term gets tossed around a little when legislation is being discussed, but that doesn't mean that it is being used negatively. Sometimes, administrators dealing with legislation truly believe they are taking care of student-athlete welfare when they really aren't. They may not be taking advantage of the term to pass legislation, but they just might not fully understand what the student-athletes think of that piece of legislation."

--Katie Groke,
soccer student-athlete,
University of Wyoming,
Division I Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee

"Student-athlete welfare relates to the overall well-being of the athletes, meaning that the student-athletes' best interests are always the main focus. The objective should always be to keep students healthy, safe, educated and prepared for competition."

--Laurie Epps,
softball student-athlete,
Newberry College,
Division II Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee

"Student-athlete welfare is whatever directly benefits student-athletes' livelihood on campus and what will improve the educational experience, not only in athletics, but socially and academically."

--Dylan Malagrino,
swimming and diving and
track student-athlete,
Syracuse University,
former Division I
Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee Chair

"Student-athlete welfare has so much to do with choices. Most student-athletes can balance their time when they choose to play a sport -- in a sense, we already have proven that we deserve to be able to make some choices on our own. We need to be given some autonomy to make some of those decisions."

--Andrew Baldwin,
tennis student-athlete,
Nazareth College,
Division III Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee

"Student-athlete welfare is looking out for and providing adequate opportunity for the student-athlete. Student-athlete welfare suggests that student-athletes be given proper treatment and consideration as it relates to academics, safety, facility usage and other issues within the athletics arena. Student-athlete welfare is not preferential treatment of athletes; rather, it is making sure that athletes are provided the means to have an extremely meaningful and fulfilling collegiate athletics experience."

-- Mike Patrick,
basketball student-athlete,
Wheeling Jesuit University,
Division II Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee

"When I think of student-athlete welfare, I don't think very much about when a season starts or how many games should be allowed in a season. I think of all the energy and time commitments that a student-athlete makes above and beyond those of a non-athlete, such as the community-service and fund-raising expectations beyond the 20 hours of play, practice and travel.

I think about the long weekends of competition that make good academics more challenging, and I think about legislation that would make the lives of student-athletes better. I also think about ensuring safe travel and providing enough training staff. Student-athlete welfare is the little things that ensure our well-being."

--Jessica Gertz,
cross country and track
student-athlete,
Concordia University, St. Paul,
Division II Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee

"Student-athlete welfare involves making sure that student-athletes enjoy a well-rounded college experience while participating in intercollegiate sports. This experience includes interacting with the campus and external communities, learning how to become a stronger individual by being a leader, having our health and safety at the forefront of policy decisions, and helping us obtain a college degree"

-- Lauren Perez,
basketball student-athlete,
Sonoma State University,
Division II Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee

"Clearly, through campus, conference and national SAACs, student-athletes have gained a great voice to provide the Management Councils with information on issues regarding student-athlete welfare. However, in some instances those voices go unheard."

-- Ian Gray,
cross country and track
student-athlete,
University of
Nebraska, Lincoln,
Division I Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee

"Student-athlete welfare can be anything used to level the playing field between students and student-athletes, including services provided to help those student-athletes manage a lifestyle in which they are both a student and an athlete. It also can be things such as health concerns, safety issues or general treatment of a student-athlete. Student-athlete welfare is anything that provides an athlete with a more productive environment for academics and athletics."

-- Members of the
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee