University of North Carolina Athletics
Student-Athletes Provide Feedback To Faculty Committee
April 1, 2015 | Academics, Student-Athlete Development
Members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) had the opportunity to meet with members of the Faculty Athletics Committee (FAC) on March 19 for a focus group discussion regarding the student-athlete experience at UNC. This yearly discussion focuses on the academic and athletic experience, and contributes to the bigger process of evaluating current policies and procedures to improve future policies and procedures on campus.
"This year's SAAC focus groups were successful because the students were actively engaged in the discussions and provided candid feedback on their experiences while at Carolina," said Joy Renner, Associate Professor in the UNC School of Medicine and FAC Chair. "The students provided suggestions for how to better integrate the student athlete into a full academic experience, some small changes in scheduling and some larger projects for consideration. It was good to hear that overall they had a great experience here at UNC and consider it to be a good choice to find an academic and athletic home in this University community."
Junior Paige Neuenfeldt, a SAAC representative for the volleyball team, acknowledged that this is a crucial time for student-athletes to have their voices heard on campus, and is very grateful for opportunities like the focus group discussion.
"The discussion allows us to honestly speak our mind about how our experience has been and what we would like to see improved for future Tar Heels," said Neuenfeldt. "What's neat is that in your time in SAAC, you can even see some of these changes implemented because the turnaround is fast."
This was the third year of focus group discussions for FAC Representative John B. Stephens, Associate Professor of Public Administration and Government, and he recognizes how important the student-athlete perspectives are for the work of the Faculty Athletics Committee. Â
"I continue to learn how our student-athletes get the most out of their academic and sport opportunities," Stephens said. "It is good to get a clear picture – with the pros and cons – of handling demanding practice and competition schedules, and charting their path for a degree. I appreciate their candor and thoughtfulness."
The purpose of SAAC is to serve as a voice for all student-athletes at the University of North Carolina. SAAC is composed of two appointed representatives from each athletic team and functions to build a better sense of community among all the athletic teams, to promote communication between administration, coaches and students-athletes, and a medium for student-athlete leaders to discuss their experiences as student-athletes at UNC.
