View source for Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

The '''Student-Athlete Advisory Committee''' ('''SAAC''') is a committee made up of student-athletes affiliated with [[Columbia Athletics]]. Its avowed purpose is to "promote communication between student-athletes and the Columbia University community"<ref>https://www.facebook.com/pages/Columbia-University-Student-Athlete-Advisory-Committee-SAAC/128896287282175?id=128896287282175&sk=info</ref>. Somewhat ironically, the student body at large is unaware of it. It does not have a website or publish minutes of its meetings; little is known of it.

Asides from outreach, the SAAC also organizes charity events and "provides input on NCAA rules and regulations," i.e. their violation by Columbia athletes. It goes on resumes; you can read a little about it on athletes' [[LinkedIn]] pages.

The SAAC is fairly new. Evidently of the 31  eachvarsity sports teams fields two representatives<ref>http://www.linkedin.com/pub/zach-glubiak/23/326/822</ref>. And at meetings they pass resolutions and stuff, much like [[CCSC]], except geared toward athletes. SAAC represents the athletes before the the athletics department.

==SAAC and the 2013 football bigotry scandal==

A little was learned about the SAAC in context of the [[2013 football bigotry]].

First: the following [[email]] was sent under the subject heading, "[SAAC] Message from SAAC Eboard."

<blockquote>

Dear SAAC members,<br /><br />

In light of recent events involving fellow student-athletes, we’re asking you all as SAAC representatives to spread word to your teammates to avoid giving commentaries if approached. Athletics is already under a lot of pressure to deal with the situation, and will probably appreciate if student-athletes support their efforts and withhold from interfering or making statements that could very well go under fire from the rest of the community.<br /><br />

Good luck with finals!<br /><br />

--
Grace Kim 
Columbia University 
Columbia College 2015

</blockquote>

Second: according to a [[Bwog]] commenter, some SAAC representatives anonymously made a petition calling for retribution against the offending [[football]] players, but did it anonymously out of fear of the ire of the Athletics Department (a rumor that is substantiated by the above email)<ref>http://bwog.com/2013/05/09/fix-athletics-petition-made-calling-for-administrative-action/#comment-1098868></ref><ref>http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/suspend-and-remove-columbia-athletes-who/</ref>.

==External Links==
* [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Columbia-University-Student-Athlete-Advisory-Committee-SAAC/128896287282175 The SAAC's Facebook page]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Athletics]]