Oversight of the Department of Recreational Sports is moving from the Athletic Department to the Division of Student Affairs in an attempt to garner more funds and resources.

Rec Sports is in charge of all the campus recreation buildings, intramural sports, club and varsity club sports, Outdoor Adventures and the Challenge Program, which offers a ropes course and other team building resources.

The move is partially in response to a report issued last March by the Recreational Sports Task Force, which recommended Rec Sports relocate to the Office of the Provost. The report also called for significant, and costly, updates to the University’s recreational facilities.

Under the previous system, Rec Sports was financially independent but overseen by the Athletic Department, whose financial house is in good shape.

Rec Sports Director William Canning said that while Rec Sports has experienced difficulties in raising money in the past, potential donors often assume that the organization has proper funds because of this association with the Athletic Department.

“Because there is money (in athletics), when Recreation goes to meetings across campus (donors say), ‘Oh you work for Athletics? What do you mean you need money?’ ” Canning said.

Vice President for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper said that the transition to Student Affairs will make it easier for Rec Sports to afford the facility upgrades it needs.

“It’s hard to do that when there are other priorities, legitimate priorities — finishing the stadium, looking at Crisler Arena — but we want to be able to not be competing against ourselves to get other things done that need to get done,” she said.

Harper said students using the various recreation facilities on North Campus and Central Campus will notice improvements, like upgraded equipment, in their day-to-day use of the facilities as a result of these administrative changes.

“We hope that you’ll see that together we’ll be able to do more,” she said. “Also, the experience for you will be more enhanced. It will be seamless.”

Aside from those details, Harper said students will not be directly affected by the change.

Canning stressed that intramural, club and varsity club sports will not be negatively affected by the transition. He said club and varsity club teams will continue to compete seriously and will have continued access to the Athletic Department’s facilities.

The relocation will also allow Rec Sports to further cater to the needs of the student and faculty bodies because it will allow the department to integrate itself with other facets of student life on campus, Canning said.

Canning said the Outdoor Adventures and Challenge Programs will benefit most from the move to Student Affairs. He emphasized that student groups will have more access to use the programs’ ropes courses as means to facilitate team building and leadership.

“They have the programs, and we’re the laboratory for those groups to go out together and learn to work together as a team,” Canning said. “That’s what we do.”

Harper spoke eagerly about the bright future she thinks Rec Sports will have as part of Student Affairs.

She emphasized that students, who make up a majority of the recreational facilities’ clientele, will continue to be a focus of Rec Sports and Student Affairs.

“We want to focus on Recreation succeeding and get some resources there,” she said. “That’s what’s so exciting about it because it allows us really to make progress.”