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What is the SAAC Education & Leadership Committee?

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee was created to intentionally focus the energy of SAAC members on important initiatives related to anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion within the athletic department, the CC campus community, and the broader Colorado Springs community. This committee works to apply CC's commitment toward becoming an anti-racist institution to the daily practice of student-athletes and athletic staff. Objectives of the Education and Leadership Committee include: establishing educational programs for student-athletes, hosting discussions on current social justice issues, and creating projects to amplify the ability for student-athletes to use their platform as CC athletes to communicate and actively engage in support for anti-racism and equity movements.
 

SAAC Education & Leadership Committee Members

President: Avery Johnson (Women's Basketball)
Erin Capell (Women's Track & Field)
Olivia Crisafulli (Women's Swimming and Diving)
Curtis Hale (Men's Soccer)
Adrian Price (Men's Basketball)
Alison Mueller- Hickler (Women's Cross Country)

ADEI Initiatives List

Past and Ongoing Initiatives
Voting Initiative - Ensuring that all student-athlete eligible voters are registered to vote

Day-Off on Election Day - Working to ensure that Election Day (Nov. 3) is completely off for all athletic activities and obligations

Blockly Newsletter - Sending out a newsletter each block with updates from the D&I committee, information, and educational resources on current social justice issues

Education Initiative - Creating and executing a comprehensive anti-racism education plan for all student-athletes to follow throughout their years at CC.

Butler Center Collaboration - Working with Colorado College's Butler Center staff to more fully flesh out our Education Initiative as well as to conduct various focus groups, info sessions, and other learning experiences for student-athletes

Uniform Patches Project - Working with our coaches and equipment managers to place Black Lives Matter patches onto teams' home uniforms if a team chooses to participate as part of the NCAA's National Unity Pledge initiative. 

Future Initiatives  
Vote in our local, state, and national elections

Organize small business support days

Partner with CC social justice groups to organize a campus-wide conversation to discuss systemic injustices

Correct the narratives that leave out the robust trust, especially at our own institution

March. Sit. Stand. Kneel. Using our voices to speak for the unheard.

Understand that we cannot all play the same role in our collective revolution for change.

Say their name

Point out your peers' jokes, phrases, and/or actions that perpetuate racism

Have the student-athletes and staff write and sign a letter for each Colorado U.S. Senator (Hickenlooper and Bennett) and U.S. Congressman Joe Neguse requesting their support in making Juneteenth a National Holiday. It is currently recognized as a special holiday or day in 47 out of 50 states.

Write letters, send emails, and call elected officials to support BLM and social justice movements

Continue and expand the creation of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Specific anti-racism and equity training for all coaches, staff, faculty, and students in the athletic department

Find and support Black businesses in the COS area and see if we can work to get their food or goods in campus stores/eateries

Offering adjuncts or weekend classes on BLM and social movements to help educate ourselves more

Suggestions

A key component of both the SAAC and the D&I sub-committee is utilizing our platform as CC student-athletes to positively influence our community and provide opportunities for growth, change, and equity. We have generated a list of our key initiatives to begin with, but we welcome outside ideas and suggestions. If you have ideas or suggestions that we may pursue for the benefit of our community, please submit them below:

 

SAAC Contact Information

Instagram: @ColoradoCollegeSAAC
 
Twitter: @CCTigersSAAC
 
Any questions, suggestions, or feedback can be directed to the SAAC email: CCSAAC@coloradocollege.edu