As the first president to come up through the ranks of faculty at the university, Oliver Willham knew there was a need for faculty representation and he initiated a process toward that goal in April of 1953.

By October of that year, faculty members voted to establish the Faculty Council. Shown casting their ballots at the election are (left to right) Glen Durrell, Solomon Sutker, and Otis Duncan. Ruth Simcoff watches the box.

The first meeting of the Faculty Council was held on November 17, 1953, in the Student Union Council Room.