Soka University

MISSION STATEMENT: "The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.) was founded in order to provide a voice to student-athletes at Soka University of America and is dedicated to the principles of inclusivity, respect for individual agency, and servant leadership. S.A.A.C. aims to promote the Universities values within the athletic community by encouraging student-athletes to live contributive lives."
 
The vision for the Soka University S.A.A.C. is to enhance the total Student-Athlete experience at Soka University by promoting opportunity, integrity, responsibility, respect, leadership, sportsmanship, servant leadership and protecting Student-Athlete well-being and fostering a positive Student-Athlete image. Soka S.A.A.C is dedicated to connecting Student-Athletes to the university and to one another, and providing Student-Athletes with avenues for voicing opinions and concerns to Athletics and the University.”
 
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is dedicated to promoting and maintaining Student-Athlete well-being, academic excellence, personal development and community involvement. S.A.A.C.’s goal is to be a voice for Soka Student-Athletes while they strive to achieve greatness in the classrooms, playing fields and throughout the community. The S.A.A.C. program wants every Student-Athlete’s experience at SUA to be not only successful but personally rewarding as well.
 

What is S.A.A.C.?
A Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.) is made up of Student-Athletes assembled to provide insight on their Student-Athlete experience. The S.A.A.C. also offers input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on NAIA member institution campuses. Presently, there are separate national S.A.A.C.'s for NCAA Divisions I, II and III and the NAIA.

The purpose of S.A.A.C. is:

• To allow student-athletes to advocate for and prioritize their interests, wellbeing, physical and mental health, and other needs.
• To strengthen communication between student-athletes and the athletic department administrators.
• To create a platform for providing opportunities for student-athletes to engage in community outreach and servant leadership.
• To foster exchange between student-athletes and all members of the SUA community.
• To consistently and actively promote inclusivity in the athletic community and combat any forms of discrimination within our athletic community and the Soka community in general.
• To encourage individual academic achievement.
• To maintain a positive and respectful atmosphere within the athletics department and strive to be the ultimate teammates. 

To fulfill the commitments to our purpose we will strive to host at least:

• One Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) event involving all student-athletes per academic year, preferably in the fall.
• One or more local community engagement/outreach activity per semester (e.g. Special Olympics, trail cleanup, card writing, etc…)
• One or more campus community outreach activity per semester (e.g. suicide awareness month positive poster making for the gym, Instagram contests, tournaments, etc…)

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee:
·         Strives to develop champions for life through leadership, school involvement, academic support and community outreach
·         Establishes and maintains open channels of communication with all Student-Athletes and administration in order to appropriately express any issues of concern relevant to Student-Athletes.
·         Gives Student-Athletes the opportunity to contribute to the betterment of the university and the community as a whole in the hope that they will use their athletic abilities to enhance the lives of others as well as themselves
·         Educates Student-Athletes about rights and regulations that pertain to them in accordance with Conference and NAIA guidelines.

S.A.A.C. has two voting representatives from each of the intercollegiate teams. Each team elects two representatives to the Committee. The team representatives on the Committee elect their board members. All Student-Athletes are welcome to attend Council meetings and should contact a representative if they have interest or inquiries. At the meetings, representatives discuss matters affecting Student-Athlete life and welfare, learn about NAIA and conference rules, and plan events.

Council meetings are held twice per month and are open to all Student-Athletes interested in attending.

Soka S.A.A.C. members participate in the California Pacific Conference Student- Athlete Council (S.A.C.).
 
Functions of SUA S.A.A.C.:

• Promote communication between athletics administration and Student-Athletes.
• Disseminate information.
• Provide feedback and insight into athletics department issues.
• Generate a Student-Athlete voice within the campus athletics department during its formulation of policies.
• Build a sense of community within the athletics program involving all athletics teams.
• Solicit Student-Athlete responses to proposed conference and NAIA legislation.
• Organize community service efforts.
• Create a vehicle for Student-Athlete representation on campus-wide committees (i.e., student government).
• Promote a positive Student-Athlete image on campus.
• Members of a campus S.A.A.C. have the opportunity to address issues affecting Student-Athletes at their institution or in their conference; furthermore, members have the opportunity to offer input on issues that may be national in scope.
• The campus committee is meant to serve as a local Student-Athlete voice in addressing issues of Student-Athlete well-being at its respective institutions. Campus committees can facilitate better communication among Student-Athletes from various athletics teams to address issues common to all.
• The campus S.A.A.C. may also serve as a conduit of communication among Student-Athletes, coaches and athletics administrators on issues to improve the Student-Athlete experience and promote growth and education through sports participation. Concerns can be voiced and solutions offered regarding any issue that may be relevant to NAIA Student-Athletes.
• Through the grass-roots efforts of the campus S.A.A.C.'s communicating with the conference S.A.A.C.'s, and the conference S.A.A.C.'s communicating with the national S.A.A.C., student-athletes have the opportunity to change the face of intercollegiate athletics.

S.A.A.C. Constitution & Bylaws (revised March 2022) 

2021-2022 Soka University S.A.A.C. Members


Olivia Chung
Fall 2023 President
Track and Field Representative
Cal Pac SAC Representative
Senior


Jordan Bravo
Fall 2023 Vice President
Cross Country Representative
Cal Pac SAC Representative
Junior

Cienna Irwin
Soccer Representative
Cal Pac SAC Representative
Junior


Bryan Palpallatoc
Soccer Representative
Senior


Noah Alexander
Soccer Representative
Senior



Nick Bello
Soccer Representative
Senior

Lenny Washiya
Track and Field Representative
Sophomore

Beatriz Ulian Vilanova
Swimming Representative
Sophomore

Leo Takaku
Golf Representative
Junior

Ali Sotoudeh
Soccer Representative
Freshman

Robert Merrill
Swimming Representtive
Senior

Jasmine Lorenzo
Cross Country Representative
Sophomore

Daiki Katsukawa
Cross Country Representative
Freshman

Naoki Kasai
Cross Country Representative
Senior

Katie Jones
Soccer Representative
Junior

Abby Hiatt
Soccer Representative
Junior

Taylor Hampton
Soccer Representative
Junior

Jaeger Frazier
Swimming Representative
Sophomore

Evan Enserro
Track and Field Representative
Sophomore

Jean-Pierre Dufour
Soccer Representative
Junior

Sam Dagg
Soccer Representative
Junior

Feliks Czarnecki
Swimming Representative
Freshman


Mallorie Barteau
Soccer Representative
Sophomore

Miki Kawamura
Track and Field Representative
Sophomore

Hina Ebata
Golf Representative
Junior

Linnea Yamamoto
Golf Representative
Sophomore

Seiki Rosa
Soccer Representative
Freshman

Kenneth Ugalde
Soccer Representative
Freshman

Kenichi Price
Cross Country Representative
Junior

Hiromi Hashide
Cross Country Representative
Senior

Zachary Holt
Swimming Representative
Junior

Naiyla Dixon
Track and Field Representative
Junior


S.A.A.C. Archives
2014-2015 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Members
2015-2016 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Members
2016-2017 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Members
2017-2018 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Members
2019-2020 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Members
2020-2021 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Members