History

While the history of recreation on the UC Davis Campus is long and storied, the history of the Department of Campus Recreation is quite new. In the spring of 2005, campus administrators decided to redefine the administrative structure of UC Davis Campus Recreation.  This decision enabled UC Davis to become aligned with how other major universities through the country structure their recreational facilities, programs and services.

The new process started with the October 2006 hiring of John Campbell as Director of Campus Recreation. Once John arrived on campus, a merging process began with the administrative structures of the ARC and Pavilion along with the old Memorial Union Recreation programs. This brought together the staffs of The ARC, Aquatics, The Craft Center, The Equestrian Center, Fitness, Outdoor Adventures, and the Wellness Center.

Finally in April of 2006 Intramural Sports and Sport Clubs were moved out from under Intercollegiate Athletics and into the new Department of Campus Recreation. This completed the transitions of what were three individual areas into one of the most comprehensive Campus Recreation departments in the country.