SCHOOL NAME

• Organized physical activity interest groups (primarily non team sport) can apply for sanctioned club status within the Recreational Sports Club program. Recreational Sports Clubs are open to the entire Queen's community and welcome everyone, regardless of skill level.
• Recreational Sports Clubs are autonomous, and Queen's University and the Department of Athletics & Recreation exercises only minor supervision and limited control over club policy and activity.
• The Recreational Sports Club philosophy encourages and promotes inclusivity, diversity, initiative, leadership and responsibility.
• It is understood that everyone participating in the Recreational Sports Club program assumes and accepts the risks involved.

How to Become a Club
Since the demand for sanctioned Recreational Sports Club status has increased over the years, the Campus Recreation Committee will attempt to provide sanctioning for as many distinctly unique organizations as reasonably possible in a given academic year. Sanctioning makes a club eligible for club grants, facility allocation privileges and other resources available through the Division of Athletics and Recreation. When a group is considered for sanctioning, the following will be reviewed:

1. A club must be clearly defined as athletic and recreational in nature.
2. All sports clubs must function on a recreational basis and be open to the entire Queen's community, regardless of skill or competency level. Services provided to members must include an equal opportunity to participate in all activities, an emphasis on enjoyment and fun. Members of a club should be able to attend any or all of the clubs available sessions without restriction.
3. Renewal shall involve examination of previous years of existence (either under the auspices of a Queen's Recreation Club or as an independent group). The degree of success and established membership will also be a key factors indicating the interest and/or need for such an activity.
4. Facility and financial requirements will provide a reasonable basis for the establishment of clubs. The availability of facilities (or lack thereof) will be considered, as will the financial demands of the activity. Review of the proposed budget submission with particular interest paid to the amount of financial support requested from the committee in comparison to the fundraising efforts to be undertaken by the club will be undertaken.
5. In order to be considered as a viable club (new or continuing), a minimum membership of 20 (paid and in regular attendance) persons is required. A new organization must show that the group caters to a distinctly unique interest on campus and may have to initially exist independently to demonstrate the growing need. Clubs proposals which are deemed very similar in nature to those in existence will not be considered (eg. 2 styles of the same martial art).
6. Each organization will be examined to determine the degree of risk, nature of proposed activities, purpose/mandate the club, expressed level of interest on campus, and extent of organization already established.
7. A heavy emphasis will be placed on administrative responsibility. Each club must establish a Club Executive that will be responsible for the day to day operation of the club. Cooperation and communication with the Clubs Coordinator as well as other Athletics & Recreation Centre staff is important. Previous interaction, if applicable, will be reviewed.
8. Queen's Recreation Coordinator will annually review each club to assess and monitor club activity. Adherence to safety policies, the effectiveness of facility use, and the nature of group activities will comprise a significant part of this review. Clubs that do not meet criteria or have a satisfactory review may be refused sanctioning in the following year.

In order to maintain sanctioned status a club must continue to meet the basic criteria and fulfill the responsibilities of a club (e.g. submit all financial/activity forms, maintain financial records, etc.) and must submit a new sanctioning application by the communicated deadline. 

Organizations meeting the above criteria may formally apply for sanctioning . Applications are reviewed during the month of March for clubs wishing to function during the following fall and winter terms. Groups interested in operating as a sanctioned club during the spring and summer months must meet the criteria for spring/summer sanctioning and must submit an application by the same deadline.

To apply for sanctioning, you must submit the following documentation:

• Rec Club Sanctioning Request Form
• Updated Club Constitution (this must be attached in the Sanctioning Request Form)
  • A&R Approved Constitution Template (DOCX)
  • A&R Constitution Guidelines & Standards
• Instructor List (this must be attached in the Sanctioning Request Form if your club has instructors)
  • A&R Approved Instructor List Template (DOCX)

Clubs who receive sanctioned status but fail to fulfill their administrative commitments, as per the Rec Club handbook, shall be placed in poor standing for a probationary period and as a result may have restrictions on their privileges. Status such as probation or complete removal of sanctioning privileges are at the discretion of the Recreation Manager.