The Faculty Council was established in 1953 by the General Faculty to facilitate communication between the faculty and the General Faculty, the President, the Provosts, Deans and other administrative officers of the University. Concerned with the general welfare of the faculty and the educational policies of the University , the Council, an advisory body, conducted studies and made recommendations on a variety of topics, including promotion and tenure, curriculum, salaries, and the status of women faculty.



In 1988, the General Faculty and the Iowa Board of Regents approved of the creation of the Faculty Senate and the dissolution of the Faculty Council. The Senate was created to take a more proactive role in the governance of the university versus the advisory role performed by the Council. The Faculty Senate is to act as the representative body of the General Faculty and to conduct the business of the General Faculty. According the Senate's 2000 constitution, the purpose of the Senate was to "have legislative responsibility for general academic and educational policy for the university; conduct studies and advise the faculty, the staff, the student body, the administration, and the Board of Regents on matters within the purview of the General Faculty; and facilitate communication among faculty, staff, students, and the administration and assist in the resolution of conflicts."