Overview

The Office of Student Athlete Support Services is organized to help Northeastern University student-athletes develop and enhance the skills necessary for academic, athletic, and personal growth and success. We provide counseling and services for academic, career, and personal concerns. The staff will help student-athletes learn the appropriate procedures to effectively utilize the services of numerous departments throughout the University community. This serves as a means to anticipate and resolve roadblocks to success. Similarly, when it is appropriate student-athletes may be referred for individual tutoring or workshops. The department supplements and compliments the student personnel staff in all Deans' offices and academic advisors in each department.

Services Provided by the Office of Student Athlete Support Services

Counseling:

Academic: Time management, study skills, test preparation, note-taking, goal setting, communication with professors, test anxiety, building a "study routine."

Career/Major: Explore your values, interests, and abilities. Examine information on how they fit with various majors and occupations.

General: Student-athletes may encounter situations and circumstances in their lives that interfere with success. Develop strategies and coping skills to adjust, overcome and anticipate such roadblocks.

Support Programs:

Academic Advising: Each team is assigned a primary SASS academic advisor. This advisor acts as a direct contact for all athletes and coaches of their assigned teams. Student-athletes are able to set up appointments to meet with their athletic academic advisor regarding issues such as course registration, course conflicts, curriculum requirements, coop, tutoring, and referrals.

Mentoring Program: This program assigns academically at-risk student-athletes to a specific mentor who is either a SASS staff member or graduate intern. All student-athletes who are assigned a mentor are required to attend individualized weekly meetings. The mentors hold the athletes accountable for their academic performance while working with the student-athlete to identify and alleviate any academic, athletic or personal struggles. Athletes overcome these struggles and experience personal growth by working with their mentor on skills that include but are not limited to time and stress management, study techniques, goal setting, problem solving, and increasing motivation and confidence.

Study Hall: The newly constructed academic center provides student-athletes with a 60-seat study hall room, conference area, tutoring tables and a computer lab for studying in a controlled environment. The academic center is open for study hall daily. Attendance and conduct reports are generated and supplied to coaches on a weekly basis.

Tutors: Provided free of charge to all varsity student-athletes regardless of scholarship status. Athletes who request a tutor are provided with tutor contact information and it is their responsibility to make arrangements for the tutorial sessions.

Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC): SAAC is a representative group of student-athletes joined together with the following objectives:
• To provide representation to all student-athletes in relationships with the Northeastern Athletic Department, the Campus Community and the Boston Area.
• To promote Northeastern Athletics among the Campus Community and the Boston Area.
• To fundraise, as needed, for the endeavors and interests of this organization, as well as for community benefits.
• To supply a forum for student-athletes to voice opinions and to act as liaison to transfer this information to the Athletic Department.
• To provide goals at the beginning of each academic year for SAAC and student-athletes as a whole.

Referrals: Assessments and referrals to specialized services such as the Disability Resource Center, Career Services, Lane Health Center, Sports Medicine, and the Counseling Center are provided when appropriate. Any student-athlete with a documented learning disability should make SASS aware of this and register with the Disability Resource Center in order to receive necessary accommodations for academic success.

Post-Eligibility Program: All of the above programs are offered to current students who have used their athletic eligibility but are still pursuing their degree. In addition, coping and refocusing skills are addressed to aid in a smoother transition.

Academic Monitoring Programs:

Academic Progress Reports (APRs): Formatted reports are mailed out to professors within the second month of the semester requesting information on the academic progress of all student-athletes enrolled in their classes. The reports returned to SASS by professors include information on, class attendance and participation as well as test, quiz and homework grades.

Extended Monitoring: The extended monitoring program closely oversees the academic progress of the student-athletes who are deemed at-risk by SASS and coaches during the final stages of each academic semester. Professors of these at-risk students are contacted via e-mail, and provide the SASS office with useful academic information comparable to the information provided on the academic progress report.

Excuse Letters: Letters outlining the university's policy on excused absences are printed each semester for the professors of each student-athlete while in season. Student-athletes are responsible for providing each of their professors with these letters and a copy of their travel itinerary at the beginning of the semester. Our office is also able to provide letters to professors of any student-athlete who is injured or ill for extended periods of time with the appropriate documentation from Sports Medicine and/or Lane Health Center, et al.

General Reports: Weekly and bi-weekly reports are sent to coaches and athletic department staff regarding student-athlete attendance of required meetings, study hall, tutor usage updates, and other pertinent information.

Informal Contact: Student Athlete Support Services staff members are consistently in contact with advisors, professors, deans, support staff, and coaches regarding student-athletes' status and progress.

Compliance:
Degree Completion: Student Athlete Support Services plays a formal role in the Degree Completion Certification process (40%, 60%, 80%).

Location:

Student Athlete Support Services is located at 207 Cabot Gymnasium. The office is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Appointments can be made by telephone or on a drop-in basis. Once an appointment is made, it is expected that you will arrive on time. If you cannot attend a previously scheduled appointment, you need to call and reschedule.