The elimination of Faculty Council was one of the possible structural changes suggested by a committee that looked at ways to increase faculty participation in academic governance.
"We sit here and listen to this - folks say it's almost a waste of time," said Michael Moch, a committee member and management professor. "People just have too much to do. The challenge is to get faculty voice in making decisions without it being torturous."
Moch is part of the Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Voice, which presented its findings at the council's Tuesday meeting. The group began meeting in October and has hosted open forums to gather faculty insight.
Other possible actions under consideration by the committee include faculty evaluations of administrators and improved communication through a faculty Weblog A New Global Environment for Learning, or ANGEL.
"There appears to be little communication between the faculty representatives and their colleges," said Maureen McDonough, chairwoman of the committee and forestry professor.
It is possible to change the governance system, said Jon Sticklen, chairman of the Executive Committee of Academic Council.
"In general, I have a more incremental approach to change," Sticklen said, adding there should be a certain amount of restructuring that could come from the creation of a steering committee to sift through academic proposals.
And a new president might open doors for changes in the system, Moch said.
"With a change in the administration, we've got a real opportunity to lead the way to try to involve the faculty in an efficient and effective way," Moch said. "There are educators who think it's impossible, that an organization like MSU must be run by the administration.
"We think the administration could make better decisions and find faculty consultation and participation both attractive and effective."
Faculty evaluations also were discussed as a possible action.
"There's a sense among the faculty that administrators must be accountable to the faculty and to higher administrators," McDonough said. "Evaluations are a way to have that."
The committee will begin sending out specific proposals for comment and will present a final report at the last Faculty Council meeting in April.
