Proposed By-laws

The Old Dominion Athletic Conference

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) 

I.          Name

The name of the committee shall be the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (ODAC SAAC).
 

II.         Purpose

The primary purpose of the ODAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is to serve as a representative body of conference athletes regarding all matters related to the conference. Committee members shall act as liaisons between conference student-athletes and the ODAC Board of Directors. 

Committee representatives should also work to enhance the image of student-athletes both on campus and in the community. The ODAC SAAC will plan community service projects to provide its representatives and campus SAACs the opportunity to serve as positive role models for their peers and younger athletes. 

a.      The primary focus of the ODAC SAAC will be the health and welfare of the student-athlete.

b.      The Conference SAAC will operate in a similar fashion to all other ODAC Sport Committees, with the ability to submit legislation, through proper Conference procedures.

c.      The committee will be advised of Conference and national issues and will, when appropriate, advise the Board of Directors on such matters.

d.      A vital role of the committee members will be to share institutional concerns and activities with other SAAC representatives in an effort to educate each other.

e.      The ODAC SAAC will work to increase community awareness of Division III intercollegiate athletics and develop programs that allow for student-athletes to become involved in community service projects that benefit the locale of their institutions.
           

III.        Membership

a.      Composition

         i.      All 13 members of the ODAC shall appoint two representatives, one male and one female, to the ODAC        
                 SAAC.  Single-gender institutions shall name two representatives.

         ii.     SAAC Representatives must be eligible student-athletes in good academic standing on their campus.

         iii.    Institutional representatives should be from different classes so both representatives from a conference member 
                do not rotate off the committee at the same time.

         iv.    Each conference institution is asked to submit names of its representatives no later than October 1 each year.

         v.     If a student-athlete is unable to attend a scheduled meeting, the school may send a substitute representative to 
                 that meeting.

b.      Officers

         i.      The committee shall select a chair, vice-chair and secretary of the committee each year. All from different
                 institutions.

                 1.      Duties of the chair include: Presiding over the SAAC meetings; working with the AD liaison and 
                          Commissioner to plan the meeting agenda; serving as the spokesperson for the conference advisory
                          group

                 2.      Duties of the vice-chair include: The vice-chair assumes all duties of the chair in the absence of, or at the
                          direction of, the committee chair.

                 3.      Duties of the Secretary include: Serving as the recording agent at each committee meeting; distributing
                          minutes and highlighting meeting activities on the conference SAAC website (through conference SID).

        ii.      The vice-chair shall ascend to the chair position for the succeeding academic year, assuming that the vice-chair
                 remains a member of the committee.

iii.      Terms for the chair, vice-chair and secretary shall be from July 1 to June 30 of each academic year.
 

IV.           Meetings

a.      Frequency

The committee shall meet annually and generally meets in November. Additional meetings will be scheduled on an as needed basis and can be called by any representative of ODAC SAAC or by the conference Executive Committee.

b.      Voting Procedures

Each school shall have one vote on committee issues.

c.      Minutes

Minutes from each meeting will be completed by the SAAC secretary and approved through the SAAC liaison and Conference Commissioner. Approved minutes, including proposed legislation, will be submitted to the ODAC Board of Directors meeting in December of each year.