The Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is continuing its efforts to enhance the voice of student-athletes in NCAA decision-making.

At its January 7-8 meeting in San Diego, the Division II SAAC re-emphasized its efforts to establish formal processes for institutional and conference SAACs. The committee believes that written policies and procedures for selection to conference SAACs are necessary to maintain the integrity of student-athlete advisory committees.

The development of conference SAACs is considered a key element in building a more effective policy-making voice for student-athletes in Division II. However, conference SAACs have been mandated only recently, and they have struggled with uneven support and organization in the early going.

In another matter, the Division II SAAC reviewed what it regarded as a successful communications instrument for proposed Division II legislation. The committee developed a grid that was to be taken back to the conference SAACs for discussions that were to be led by a conference's national representative.

The committee plans to continue with the process this year in the belief that exposing more student-athlete representatives to proposed legislation will lead to better discussion while occasionally raising concerns that may not have been previously identified.

The Division II SAAC also wants to involve campus compliance coordinators in the process in order to achieve the greatest possible understanding of proposed legislation.

In other business, the Division II SAAC viewed presentations on amateurism, gambling and athletic training/medical issues during their meeting. The committee supports proposed federal legislation banning betting on college sports and sent a representative to a January 26 news conference at which that proposed legislation was announced.