University of Southern California

Trojan Athletic Senate (TAS)

The USC Trojan Athletic Senate (TAS) is a committee made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. Members of the TAS have the opportunity to address issues affecting student-athletes at USC and have the opportunity to offer input on issues at the campus, conference and national levels.

The USC Trojan Athletic Senate (TAS) was formed for the purpose of:

• Serving as a line of communication between the student-athletes and the USC Athletic Department.
• Providing the student-athlete population with an opportunity to more effectively communicate with USC athletic administrators and offer suggestions on programs designed to serve student-athlete needs.
• Staying abreast of and acting on issues facing student-athletes, Athletics Department policy, University rules and regulations, and NCAA rules to protect the interest of all student-athletes.
• Designing programs that will encourage academic achievement, social responsibility, health promotion, and general awareness.
• Encouraging student-athletes to become more involved in campus and community projects.
• Build a sense of community and cohesion within the athletics program involving all athletics teams.
• Promote a positive student-athlete image on campus and in the community.

TAS is comprised of two senators from each athletic team who meet bi-weekly throughout the academic year. In order to be eligible to serve as a senator, you must be listed as a current member on the official team roster and be in good academic standing (2.0 cumulative GPA or higher). Each team will be responsible for choosing its representatives and all representative appointments to TAS are for one year beginning in the Fall semester. The TAS Executive committee is comprised of six student-athletes who meet each week and provide leadership and oversight to TAS.

Events

The Trojan Athletic Senate sponsors or co-sponsors the following annual events:

Welcome Back BBQ – As a means of promoting better communication and cohesion between teams, this event is held during the first week of Fall semester for all student-athletes and athletics department staff. At the event, student-athletes have an opportunity to catch up with friends, meet new student-athletes, participate in fun and interactive games and enjoy a BBQ dinner.

“Study Your TAS Off” – Academic Excellence Celebration – TAS hosts a dinner to honor all those student-athletes who have consistently excelled in the classroom.

The Tommy Awards – This award ceremony is held each spring to honor the athletic accomplishments of USC student-athletes, coaches and teams. Student-athletes, coaches and athletic department staff vote on who is most deserving in categories such as “Athlete of the Year”, “Record Breaking Performance of the Year”, etc.

Community Service Programs and Events – By participating in community service projects, student-athletes can enhance their leadership and communication skills, while serving as role models and building positive relationships with community members. During the 2010-11 academic year, the athletic department exceeded their community Service goal of 3,000 hours.

Faculty Appreciation Dinner - This event offers USC student-athletes a chance to network with faculty while giving the professors a taste of what it’s like to be a student-athlete at USC.

Student-Athlete Career Fair - Each Spring TAS and SAAS co-sponsor a student-athlete career fair which allows student-athletes the opportunity to network with potential employers and gain valuable interviewing skills.

Pac-12 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee - Each semester, TAS representatives have the opportunity to participate in the Pac-12 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Meetings, which is a forum designed to address issues affecting student-athletes at the institutional, conference, and national levels.

For information about TAS or TAS events please contact Whitney Rotrock or 213-740-5098

TAS Representatives: