To proactively enable enhanced relationships between student-athletes and their faculty

The Department of Athletics is proud to participate in an Academic & Athletics Liaison Program, which is intended to enhance the relationship between scholar and athlete at Rensselaer and support the CLASS Initiative, an Institute highest priority. The athletic department wishes to create a mutually-beneficial relationship between the faculty and the intercollegiate athletic teams as a method to augment the student-athlete experience. Faculty members will have the ability to become involved in a particular sport of interest while serving as a mentor.

Sport	2024-25 Academic Liaison
Baseball	Saggi Nevo
Men's Basketball	Sam Simmons '09
Women's Basketball	Shayla Sawyer '06Ph.D.
Cross Country	Wayne Bequette
Field Hockey	Susan Smith
Football	Lori Jancik & Sam Chiappone
Men's Golf	Prabhat Hajela
Men's Hockey	Jeff Miner '78 & Andrew White
Women's Hockey	Antoinette Maniatty '87
Men's Lacrosse	Graham Knowles & Jonathan McKinney
Women's Lacrosse	Lisa Trahan & Jonathan McKinney
Men's Soccer	Brian Clark
Women's Soccer	John Kolb '79
Softball	Graham Knowles
Swimming & Diving	Kelly Stuetz
Men's Tennis	Chunyu Wang
Women's Tennis	Dorit Nevo
Track & Field	Wayne Bequett

In his or her role, a faculty member who understands the challenges of being a committed student-athlete will be relied on to assist students in effectively balancing their academic responsibilities with their athletic endeavors. The program aims to create increased communication with faculty as a way to facilitate teamwork and minimize challenges and conflicts.

Tremendous support currently exists between the athletic department and Rensselaer's faculty and administration. The Academic & Athletics Liaison Program seeks to expand on that foundation by increasing awareness and two-way communication to enhance the special bond that develops between the two. In the process, it demonstrates to the students that the Institute supports their commitment to Rensselaer's overall academic mission.

The program is designed to allow for flexibility with regards to the exact role faculty members play. Ideally, when a faculty member formally volunteers with a team, he or she will meet with the head coach to discuss ideas that can best serve the team. Over time, the faculty member would establish an ongoing professional relationship with the coaching staff and students, which allow for open communication. As faculty members become more personally involved with the student-athletes, their role as a mentor and a fan increases.

The Department of Athletics would also like the faculty mentor to meet with the student-athletes to discuss how to maintain their strong academic performance with participation on a team. In many cases, the faculty member will have valuable knowledge to share in terms of methods to develop strong relationships with professors, effective means of class participation and ways to seek academic assistance.

The intercollegiate teams are expected to reciprocate the faculty's involvement by incorporating them into the routines of the team. This can take many forms, but the coaches will provide team apparel, keep the mentor apprised of the practice and game schedules, and offer opportunities to travel to away events when interested, attend team dinners or speak at team meetings.

The athletic programs available for the Academic & Athletic Liaison Program include baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's & women's cross country and track & field, field hockey, football, men's and women's hockey, men's golf, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse, softball, men's soccer, women's soccer, men's & women's swimming & diving, men's tennis, and women's tennis.