Faculty Governance Timeline 

1850: Professors and instructors hired and retained at will of Regents

1885: Faculty organized by President to help govern the University

1890: Professors drafted faculty bylaws; Regents empowered President to “select and recommend” teachers, librarian, curator, and registrar

1893: Faculty ranks established and the right to petition decisions on firing

1904: Faculty asked for raises and clarification of workload

1907: Regents and President required contracts; banned outside employment

1910: President banned Professors from political office

1913: Faculty petitioned Regents to establish tenure

1915: President fired four professors, fourteen quit in protest; Regents created FacultyRelations Committee; Faculty created Administrative Council (precursor to the Academic Senate) and first Appointments Committee

1916: Tenure codified in new University regulations: “individual merit, loyalty, and efficiency”; Faculty amended new rules to allow for President of the Associated Students of the University of Utah (ASUU) to serve as ex-officio on Administrative Council

1943: Standards for promotion and tenure drafted by individual colleges

1952: Promotions policy approved by Administrative Council: “academic training, writing, teaching ability, and administrative ability”

1947: Faculty Council replaced Administrative Council

1968: Research faculty and students received voting rights on Faculty Council

1970: University Senate replaced Faculty Council; College Councils established

1973: Faculty Code drafted and adopted by University Senate in response to anti-tenure legislation in the Utah State Legislature

1987: Academic Senate replaced University Senate

1990: First appointed, non-administrative faculty member presided

1992: First directly elected, non-administrative faculty member presided

1994: Title of presiding officer changed from Chairman to President

2008: First Librarian served as President of the Academic Senate

2014: Career-line faculty added as voting members of the Academic Senate and its ten committees

University of Utah Leadership Timeline

 1850-1869: Board of Regents (The Regency)

1869-1915: Board of Regents and President

1915-1947: Board of Regents, President, and Administrative Council

1947-1969: Board of Regents, President + Administration, Faculty Council

1969-1987: State Board of Regents, Institutional Council/Board of Trustees, President + Central Administration, College Councils, University Senate

1987-2014: State Board of Regents, Board of Trustees, President + Central Administration, College Councils, Academic Senate