Park University Gilbert 

Student-Athlete Council (SAC)

2023-2024

 

Mission Statement

The mission of the Student Athlete Council (SAC) at Park University- Gilbert is to build and uphold a culture of respect, equality, and good sportsmanship. Members strive to enhance the total student-athlete experience and enact positive change through service and event collaboration with the community.

 

Champions of Character

The NAIA, Champions of Character provides training to ensure student-athletes know, do and value the right things in all areas of life. The five core values: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership are put into play, accounted for and tracked at all NAIA schools.

 

As an NAIA institution, Park University- Gilbert will strive to be a Champions of Character campus that includes:

• Ongoing character education for all student-athletes using the Champions of Character Live 5 orientation program.

• Professional development for coaches, athletics administrative staff including completion of the Character-Driven Coaching course.

• Emphasis on hospitality and game management of athletics events and conduct in competition.

• Servant leadership activities that promote student leadership and athletic community engagement.

• Ongoing oversight and assessment of progress in the program's implementation by both Park University Gilbert (Arizona) and the NAIA.

 

ARTICLE I – PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION 

Purpose: The Student Athlete Council (SAC) was formed for the purpose of, 

• Providing a communications link between the needs of the student-athletes, athletic department and the University. 

• Discussing issues relevant to the University student-athletes with the Director of Athletics and Administration. 

• Encouraging communication and unity between teams. 

• Creating a stronger relationship between nonstudent-athletes and student athletes by promoting support at games, other campus activities and being involved socially. 

 

ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP

Membership/Representative: In order to become a representative of SAC, you must be a student athlete at Park University Gilbert. Being a student athlete at Park University Gilbert requires at least a 2.0 GPA, be enrolled in at least twelve (12) institutional credits for the semester, must have accumulated at least twenty-four (24) institutional credits each year, and be an active member of any Park Gilbert Athletic Team. 

 

Selection of Member/Representative: Two (2) representatives or more from each athletic team at Park Gilbert are recommended by their coaches. Each member serves on a team for at least one year, however may be reappointed. The chosen representatives are based on the judgment of the coaches, those that they feel can take on the responsibilities of being a SAC representative. 

 

Student-Athlete Member/ Representative Responsibilities: 

Each team’s representatives are expected:  

• To attend all scheduled committee meetings and activities.

• To represent their teams’ views at all meetings (this means that team representatives should talk frequently to their teammates about issues or projects that would impact athletics at Park University- Gilbert). 

• To report back to their teams on committee meetings and solicit feedback.

• To organize and inform members of their respective teams to support projects and events.

 

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS AND ADVISORS 

Officers: The officers of the committee shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Social Media Coordinator, and Assistant Social Media Coordinator.

 

Election: 

To become an officer of SAC, you must be an active representative from your sports team that attended all of the provided club meetings for at least a year. You are then nominated and voted into the position by advisors and present officers. 

 

President: 

• Presides and begins meetings

• Produces the agenda that will be covered and objectives to be reached

• Serves as spokesperson for the committee and all Park Gilbert athletics sac rep

• Should be at least of sophomore standing and have a year of SAC membership 

 

Vice President: 

• Presides over meetings when President is absent

• Oversees that all representatives, officers, and advisors are informed of meetings 

• Responsible for assisting President and all other officers 

• Responsible for recording, informing, and documenting for historical record of community services and fundraising events (flyers, forms to submit, banners, etc.)

 

Secretary: 

• Responsible for keeping attendance records at all scheduled meetings 

• Shall take minutes and review with the advisor prior to distribution to committee members 

• Responsible for the historical record of minutes 

• Responsible for historical record of community service and engagement 

 

SAC Events Coordinator: 

• Coordinate and oversee all SAC event operations (Fall/ Spring Event Committees, and BESPYS, etc)

• Serves as a SAC liaison to campus engagement planning committees and collaboration with the campus community (faculty, staff and athletics support)

• Responsible for creating sac event flyers, feedback surveys on past sac events, and communicating with social media coordinator on posting sac events

 

Social Media Coordinator:

• Oversees all coordinated events of SAC 

• Records all happenings at events by means of articles, pictures, videos, etc. 

• Responsible for submitting and/or posting records on given social media networks and athletics support.

 

Advisors 

SAC will have an advisor and they will be appointed by the Director of Athletics. SAC will have additional Graduate Co-Adviors that will meet once a week with an assigned board executives to help promote leadership and executive role skills. The advisor will assist the officers of the committee in the planning and implementation of SAC activities and events. 

 

ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS 

Section I: General committee meetings for SAC are held twice every month and scheduled in advance but no later than at the previous meeting. Additional meetings may be called by either the officers or the advisors. For special meetings only officers and advisors are notified. 

Section II: Notification is done by either group me text messaging and calendar invites via email. Attendance is mandatory at SAC meetings.  For special meetings, at least 24 hours lead-time is given. 

Section III: Attendance and minutes are kept at every meeting. While we are striving for 100% attendance, we will have to continue our work and make decisions if at least 75% of members attend. 

Section IV: The Committee’s function is to provide an open forum for discussion of anything that impacts Park Gilbert student-athletes. The Director of Athletics will brief the committee on such topics as policy changes, proposed new policies and NAIA legislation. Special projects may be proposed at organized committee meetings. The committee will actively promote and support athletics and encourage interaction between athletic teams and the entire Park University- Gilbert community. 

Section V: Three (3) unexcused absences will result in dismissal from the committee and a team fine of $100 to the SAC account. The coach will be asked to name a new representative from the team.

 

ARTICLE V – BYLAWS:

 

Non-discrimination Statement: This committee will not discriminate based on ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, sport, level of talent, or influence of the media. 

 

ARTICLE V – HONORS CORD

 

Student-Athlete Executive Members will receive both a sash and honors cord for commencement. Student-Athlete Representatives will receive only an honors cord for commencement.