Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)

The mission of Penn State Berks’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity for all student-athletes, protecting student-athlete welfare, and fostering a positive student-athlete image while maintaining the tenants of the NCAA Division III philosophy. This will be done through legislative process, community involvement, and team bonding events. 

SAAC, which is mandated by the NCAA and the United East encourages open communication and discussion between coaches, administration, and student-athletes. SAAC serves as the voice of the student-athlete on campus and provides valuable insight into how University and NCAA policies may affect them.

Supporting the principles and beliefs of the NCAA Division III, Penn State Berks and the athletic department are important guidelines of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.

PURPOSE OF PENN STATE BERKS SAAC

  • To foster an environment where it enables student-athletes to accept responsibility for their education and behaviors.  

  • To serve as the voice for all student-athletes to administrators, on student-athlete experience, gender, equity, equality, and concerns.  

  • To promote effective communication among the Penn State Berks athletic department, including but not limited to coaches, varsity athletes, administrators, faculty, and the surrounding community.  

  • To create a vehicle for student-athletes representation on campus-wide committees.  

  • To increase campus awareness of athletic events.  

  • To give student-athletes a voice in determining the rules, regulations, and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on campus and within the NCAA governance.  

MEMBERSHIP 

Penn State Berks’ Student Athlete Advisory Committee shall consist of two representatives from each varsity team (preferably one upperclassman and one lower classman) who are selected after coaches’ consideration and submission of a written statement. Members must be student-athletes who actively participate in their sport and who are deemed eligible by Penn State Berks and NCAA rules and policies. Representatives shall inform their respective teams of all committee decisions and generate team involvement with Student Athlete Advisory Committee fundraisers and community service projects. 

REPRESENTATIVES

  • Are selected by the coaches of each athletic team. 

  • Must be in good standing academically. If a representative becomes ineligible or transfers, the coach must provide a replacement, with the exception of injury.  

  • Are responsible for relaying updated information from the committee to his/her team and coaches. 

  • Representatives can be a transfer if the coach deems fit. 

EXECUTIVE BOARD 

President – Mark Shiroshita (Men's Cross Country) mvs7372@psu.edu 

Vice President – Abby Pfander (Women's Cross Country) amp8378@psu.edu 

Treasurer – Devon Deery (Women's Soccer) dhd5131@psu.edu  

Secretary – Zoe Mackinicki (Women's Soccer) zam5210@psu.edu  

ADVISOR

Kristin Hawley, Assistant Athletic Director for Internal Opperations – kay134@psu.edu   

CONFERENCE OFFICE CONTACT

TBD

To view the entire SAAC Constitution, please Click Here