The NCAA is asking Division I schools to reign in sports spending, according to a report issued by the organization on Monday.

NCAA President Myles Brand encouraged schools to keep an eye on the money flow but said there was no fiscal crisis in the NCAA behind the recommendations. But, Brand said, it remains necessary to monitor fiscal trends.

A task force of about 50 school presidents and chancellors was formed in January 2005, and compiled the report, which makes more than a dozen recommendations, covering spending and how to make sports an integrated part of campus life.

John Lewandowski, MSU's associate athletics director for media relations, said financial responsibility isn't new to MSU's athletics department.

"I just know that from day one, (MSU Athletics Director Ron Mason) has talked about being fiscally responsible," Lewandowski said. "We've talked to coaches about doing what they can to contain costs in terms of team travel, in terms of recruiting.

"But at the same time, you have to make sure they're given the resources to be competitive. There's also that balance there."

Mason could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

There are no consequences or punishments for not complying with the recommendations. Antitrust laws prevent the NCAA from mandating how much schools can spend, Brand said, adding that because each situation is so different, it wouldn't make sense for there to be broad rules covering budgets for sports.

"A major challenge that we face is obviously trying to cover costs of scholarships with tuition going up and everything else," Lewandowski said.

"We all recognize that it's a challenge, and that's one thing that Ron (Mason) said from day one, is that this structure here would help us maintain the 25 sports that we have — because the one thing no athletic director or administration wants to face is cutting sports."

Lewandowski said the recommendations may be helpful in coping with financial troubles that could arise in the future.

"Without knowing the context of what (Brand) was saying, what he may be talking about, depending on what market size you're in, there may be shrinking dollars, especially from a corporate sponsorship standpoint," Lewandowski said. "Also from a ticketing standpoint, you're going to hit a threshold at some point in time where 'Who can afford to buy the ticket?' Maybe that's what he's alluding to."

A press release issued by the NCAA said as athletics department budgets around the country have grown in past years, the funding has not necessarily followed. Brand cited the recommendations as important to prevent athletics departments from tapping into institutional funds.

While general university spending rises about 3 to 4 percent annually, spending on Division I sports is rising as much as 12 percent, Brand said.

Task force member and Ohio State President Karen Holbrook said the suggestions can be useful for schools of all varieties.

"You can read it, whether you're from a small school or from a very large school like ours, and find things in it that you can comply with, that you can disagree with, and in some cases things that you can't afford and in other cases things that you can afford," Holbrook said.

"Sometimes guiding people as opposed to pushing people or telling them what to do is more effective."

Staff writers Joey Nowak and Steve Highfield contributed to this report.