MINUTES

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING

Telephone Conference

Sunday, November 23, 2008

 

PARTICIPANTS:

                                   

CHARLOTTE                             Jabrenta Hubbard

DAYTON                                   Kelly Blumenschein, Nikki Dzubay         

DUQUESNE                              Kathleen McNish

LA SALLE                                 Shannon Halleran

MASSACHUSETTS                   Will Ortiz

RHODE ISLAND                        Grace Hedstrom

RICHMOND                               Brian Alas

SAINT JOSEPH’S                      Phil Bayliss

TEMPLE                                   Josue Louis

XAVIER                                    Mark Febus, Katie Wetterau

ATLANTIC 10                             Ed Pasque, Kelly Webb

 

The call was called to order at 8:03 p.m. by Webb.

 

1.     Introduction of Atlantic 10 Associate Commissioner.  

Webb introduced Ed Pasque, associate commissioner for governance and external affairs to the group.  Pasque noted that student-athletes’ opinions were extremely important in the NCAA governance structure.  Pasque noted that he was looking forward to working with the committee.

 

2.     Approval of October 26, 2008 Conference Call Minutes. 

The minutes of the October 26, 2008 conference call minutes were unanimously approved.

 

3.     NCAA Suggestions for Developing a Campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).  

Webb instructed the group to review Supplement No. 22 from the Division I SAAC meeting (“Developing a Campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committee).  Webb noted that this document, provided by the NCAA to the Division I SAAC at its most recent meeting, could be useful to improving the organization of on-campus SAACs.  Alas noted that the Division I SAAC made some revisions to the document at its November meeting and an updated version would be given out in the spring.  

 

4.     Conference-Wide Community Service Project. 

Webb noted that the charitable organization the Conference will use for its community service fundraising project will be the Muscular Dystrophy Association of America [vote conducted with A-10 SAAC via email on November 12, 2008].  Webb noted that she will contact the MDA’s national office to determine the next steps to get the project off the ground.  Webb explained that the idea still needs to be approved by the Directors of Athletics, and that she hopes to put it on the agenda for their January 2009 meeting.  Webb solicited ideas for a creative name for the project from the group.

 

5.     2009 NCAA National Student-Athlete Development Conference. 

Webb noted that registration for the 2009 NCAA National Student-Athlete Development Conference, which is being held May 24-27, 2009 at Walt Disney World in Florida, had opened.  Webb explained the registration process with the group and urged them to discuss the conference with their institutional SAAC advisors if they were interested in attending the conference.  Hedstrom, McNish and Ortiz, all of whom attended the conference in 2008, shared some of their experiences with the group.

 

 

6.     Other Business. 

A.  Division I SAAC November Meeting Update.

      Alas updated the group on the Division I SAAC meeting held November 21-23 in Indianapolis.  Alas noted that Dr. Myles Brand, President of the NCAA, spoke to the committee and addressed a number of topical issues affecting student-athletes including binge drinking, alcohol advertising at collegiate sporting events, commercialism, fantasy leagues and sportsmanship.  Alas noted that the 2nd edition of the Division I SAAC newsletter, “SAAC Speaks,” was approved and that he would be distributing it soon.  Alas informed the group that the 2009 NCAA Regional Leadership Conference is open to student-athletes in the Mid-Atlantic region and that he will be discussing the opportunity in further detail when additional information about the conference is released.

 

7.     Next Conference Call. 

In order to accommodate finals and winter break, the committee’s next call will be on January 25, 2009.  Webb noted that the A-10 Conference office will be closed December 22, 2008 through January 1, 2009.

 

8.     Adjournment.

The call was adjourned at 8:27 p.m.

 

The minutes were recorded by Webb.