Position Statement

We provide each student-athlete with guidance, resources and support that will enhance their development both academically and personally. This is accomplished within a proactive success driven environment that delivers quality academic services and diverse programming.

Mission Statement

Academic, personal and professional support is essential to college success, and Michigan State University Student-Athlete Support Services (SASS) helps student-athletes from our 25 varsity sports reach their full potential.

Our philosophy is to offer an academic support program, integrated with University programming, dedicated to assisting student-athletes with the transition into college. This all-encompassing support continues throughout each student-athlete's collegiate career until the day he or she receives a diploma, lands a job, or enters graduate school.

The SASS staff, knowledgeable about NCAA and Big Ten regulations, consists of seven academic coordinators and one learning specialist. These staff members work proactively building academic profiles on each student-athlete to help uphold their rigorous academic and athletic schedules. They do this by assessing individual needs, gathering daily information on academic progress, providing academic assistance through a broad tutorial program, and assisting the development of learning strategies. Freshmen, transfer student-athletes, and those with learning disabilities receive extra attention while adjusting to their new routines in college.

With a nationally-recognized facility, the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center (the Smith Center), SASS offers a wide range of services including; academic counseling, computer labs with instruction, tutoring in all subject areas, career planning, community service opportunities, personal development workshops, assisting in monitoring athletic eligibility, providing priority registration, and making sure that athletes are advised about current NCAA, Big Ten and University rules and regulations. College is not easy, but with hard work and dedication from both the student-athlete and the support staff, the student-athlete can have a successful college experience.