Indiana University. Faculty Council

Because faculty business had increased to such a point that it could no longer be administered under the existing rules of procedure, the Indiana University Faculty Council was officially formed on 22 April 1947.

This representative body participated directly with the administration in the conduct of the everyday business of the university. After a university reorganization in 1969, the Faculty Council itself was restructured. The Faculty Council's constitution, which had provided the guidelines for university-wide faculty, became exclusively the constitution of the Bloomington faculty and the Bloomington Faculty Council and University Faculty Councils were established. Faculty members from other campuses were given the option of creating their own faculty constitutions and councils.

From the description of Indiana University Faculty Council records, 1947-1969, (bulk 1961-1969). (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 54025080

The Indiana University Faculty Council was officially formed on 22 April 1947 with the approval of the faculty constitution. The Board of Trustees approved this constitution in June 1947, acknowledging that faculty business had increased to the point where it could not adequately be handled under the previously existing rules of procedure. The constitution thus provided for the establishment of a representative faculty council which could participate more directly with the administration in the conduct of the everyday business of the University. It designated officers, voting members, election procedures and defined the jurisdiction of the Faculty Council. The council originally consisted of sixteen members elected at large, the president, the dean of faculties, and the deans of the various schools of the university. There were also numerous ex officio members who could have privilege of the floor, but had no vote. The Council usually met twice a month, and the minutes of these meetings were distributed to the faculty.

Under President Elvis J. Stahr, the University faced a major reorganization, and the Faculty Council itself was restructured. The goal of the University reorganization was to divide the University into three autonomous units: Bloomington, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, and the remaining regional campuses. In January 1969 the proposed amendments to the Faculty Council Constitution were presented and debated. The Faculty Constitution, which had provided the guidelines for University-wide faculty, would become exclusively the constitution of the Bloomington Faculty. Other faculties were given the option of creating their own faculty constitutions. Thus, the Faculty Council ceased to operate in its original form.

From the guide to the Indiana University Faculty Council records, 1947-1970, bulk 1961-1969, (Indiana University Office of University Archives and Records Management http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives)