Campus pond saw a lot of activity Monday night.

A large group of people were in, as well as surrounding, the Campus Pond Pavilion for a barbecue.

With a closer look, the people turned out to be athletes – Eastern student athletes to be exact – sitting around talking and laughing.

They were not wearing their pads or uniforms, and the coaches were throwing footballs and flying discs.

A lot of student athletes wore black shirts that had white words reading “Student Athlete Advisory Council,” otherwise known as SAAC.

According to NCAA.org, SAAC is a committee made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience.

The definition also says the SAAC provides insight on input of the rules, regulations and policies of the NCAA.

Assistant Athletic Director and SAAC adviser Jason Hall elaborated on the definition.

“Each campus in Division-I has a SAAC,” Hall said. “One of its basic functions is to keep student-athletes informed about the NCAA legislation process.”

SAAC is not exclusive to only Division-I schools, as National SAAC recognizes Division-II as well as Division-III schools.

Hall said SAAC has been around since the school went to Division-I in 1995.

Hall said each D-I sport has the coach select two members from each roster to represent their team at meetings that are held at 9 p.m. every other Tuesday in the Lantz Club room.

Director of Academic Services for student-athletes and Life Skills Coordinator Cindy Tozer explained that SAAC meets to discuss programs and services for student-athletes on Eastern’s campus and that there is about 40 members.

She said it usually just has the two members from each sport, but that other athletes show up occasionally.

Tozer said they run a variety of different programs. Besides the fall season’s barbecue, around Thanksgiving-Christmas time they have a food drive and a toy drive.

Tozer said the SAAC food drive collects canned foods, and raises money for Teen MOPS, which stands for teen mothers of preschool, and buys the supplies for the babies.

SAAC President Rachel Galligan, a junior basketball player, was in attendance at Monday’s barbecue.

Other members of SAAC are: co-President Jessica Blondell, a sophomore (women’s cross country); Vice President Mark Hansen, a junior (men’s soccer); Secretary Pam Melinauskas, a junior (women’s soccer), and Treasurer Kellie Floyd, a senior (women’s soccer).

Galligan was happy with the turnout of the event. “It’s really exciting seeing all the teams get together,” she said. “It’s a good social. We all have busy schedules and don’t get to see each other all that often.”

Galligan believes having SAAC events helps unify the student-athlete population.

“At first, especially if you’re a freshman or a new kid coming in, it’s a little tougher,” Galligan said. “But a lot of teams are talking to each other. Everyone is starting to mingle more and getting to know each other better. It’s good to see everyone branch out of their comfort zone,”

Interim Athletic Director Ken Baker was also in attendance of the barbecue and seemed pleased with the turnout as well.

“I think it’s great when we can get all of our athletes together,” Baker said.

But Baker said he was more proud of the student-athletes excelling in the classrooms.

“At the last BOT (Board of Trustees) meeting, we found out we had 27 straight-A students, (Ohio Valley Confernece) Medal of Honor,” Baker said. “We had 167 commissioners, that’s 3.25 GPA or above. That means about 40 percent of the student-athletes in there (the campus pavilion) are performing at the 3.25 level or above.”

Hall and Tozer’s offices are both located in Lantz Arena by the Student Study Hall area, which Hall said was moved from Stevenson’s basement last spring.

Hall added in the spring, the SAAC meetings were held in the new study area to help get the students to return to the study facilities.

Both Hall and Tozer agreed that the new study hall area is much better.

“Stevenson’s basement was dark and gloomy with no windows,” Hall said. “The new facility is nicer and more comfortable.”

Tozer said that the new facility has helped recruitment.

According to the Office of Academic Services for student-athletes for spring 2007, the cumulative average grade point average for males in the classroom was 2.89 and the female average was 3.32. The athletic average for teams was 3.10. The student average percentage above a 3.00 was 56 percent of students-athletes.

Galligan said she likes being the president of SAAC and is glad the program exists because she said it gives student-athletes a voice.

Hall said another thing SAAC will do this year is have each team “adopt” another team from another season.

“Like volleyball might choose baseball and then go to all of their games in the spring,” Hall said. “The idea is to get the other team’s to go out and support each other.”

She said one thing she thought SAAC had done well so far this year was getting their name out there more.

“In the past, it’s been a more quiet organization,” Galligan said. “But the big thing I wanted to get done was get out there more and let the students know we’re here and get their voices out there and heard. I think so far it’s been successful.”