This coming Tuesday, exercise will be a big part of the Vulcans day, but not in the way you might think.

All Hawai`i Hilo student-athletes will be excused from practice on Tuesday, November 3 to exercise their right to vote. None of the 12 Vulcan teams will take to the fields or courts of their sports, but will instead make their way to polling locations and/or follow the national and local elections throughout the day.

This decision was proposed by the UHH Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and approved by Vulcan athletic director Patrick Guillen. 

"I wholeheartedly support the UH Hilo SAAC recommendation to suspend all athletic related activity on Tuesday, November 3," Guillen said.  "I know it represents the voice of our student-athletes who through this motion have expressed their desire to increase their civic engagement to create positive change at the local, state and federal levels."

The Vulcans are not alone. The NCAA passed a measure in September that made it mandatory for Division I schools give student-athletes the day off from practices and countable athletic related activities--not just for 2020 but for every first Tuesday of November going forward. The Vulcan SAAC group voted to follow the Division I model.

As of now, the day off from practices doesn't extend to classes. UH Hilo student-athletes will still need to attend classes, whether they are online or in-person labs.

"I am extremely proud of SAAC for taking initiative to cancel CARA hours (Countable Athletic Related Activity) for all sports on election day," said SAAC advisor Jamison Montgomery. ."They were all so engaged in the importance of voting and letting your voice be heard, especially as college students. I am looking forward to working more with these student-athletes, and helping them make a positive impact on our campus and in our community."