By Key Jones-Ford
A referendum was passed for Brooklyn College students athletes for the fall 2024 semester dictating that all athletes from each sports team are now responsible for the purchasing of their own footwear for their sport. The Brooklyn College Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) voted to no longer provide shoes for all athletic teams that would require them.
SAAC’s main function is to “provide insight on the student-athlete experience,” according to CUNY Athletics mission statement, and is made up of student athletes. SAAC has a role in the rules and regulations regarding student athletes so that athletes get a say in their experience, just as their coaches and directors do. All referendums then go through BC Athletics Department Director Eric Smiles.
“Whenever there’s a problem for student athletes we would go to the director to try to fix the problem,” said BC senior tennis player and SAAC vice president Mujibur Shaad. “We’re an advocate for athletes on campus. We have a monthly meeting with Mr. Smiles who asks us about our experiences. If there is a problem for the athletes […] then Smiles will speak with his peers in the sports department.”
The coaches will deliberate in private before presenting it to SAAC and two representatives from each team. From there, it will be brought to a vote. If enough agree, the referendum is passed. If it fails the vote to pass, it can also be reworked to try and be passed again.
This was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, according to Magdalena Mackiewicz, sophomore women’s basketball player and SAAC secretary. The referendum was officially voted on during the 2024 spring season, but was only enacted as the 2024 fall season began.
“[Director] Smiles would come to games and notice teams not wearing the sneakers [provided by BC],” Mackiewicz said.
Shaad explained that students have been bringing their own shoes to practices regardless of the shoes being able to be provided to by BC “Athletes would not typically use the shoes that school’s provided, [and some] reasons would be they aren’t their personal favorites, and the school gives you a random model.”
The primary goal of the referendum’s passing was the budget of the athletics department. “Cutting out the sneakers allows the athletics department to [reallocate] the money to plenty of other areas, which most likely will be voted on later this year,” said Mackiewicz.
One of the uses of the reallocated money has gone to students being able to have a tracksuit that is theirs to keep. “The goal was to provide the athletes with something better than the shoes. They wanted to make better use of [the budget], and they didn’t have a lot of money to begin with,” Shaad told the Vanguard.
When asked if there was potential to repeal or change the referendum, Shaad stated that there was potential if more money was put into student athletics. “If there was better budgeting to give us, we could add the shoes back in.”
Like with other similar processes, there is also the chance that it could be brought back to a vote. Mackiewicz acknowledged this chance, however she did note that this would be harder, as it means the shoes would have to be reworked into the budget. “Budgets are tight in CUNY, as every penny we can save is a penny we can move to a different area.”
For students who are worried they are not able to participate due to financial barriers in buying shoes, SAAC leaders state that there are always ways to ensure their participation. “If there’s an issue, Mr. Smiles said he would accommodate any student who may have issues obtaining shoes or equipment. If they approach their coach, they will be able to receive assistance,” Shaad told The Vanguard.
It remains to be seen what impact this will have on student athletes as they go about their athletic careers for fall 2024. For now, shoe purchases are in the student athlete’s court.
This is a developing story. The Vanguard will publish updates as they are made available.