Faculty Governance. Collection, 1893-ongoing.

The Faculty Governance collection contains documents pertaining to the faculty and its government structure from the Normal School to Minnesota State University, Mankato (1868-ongoing). For most of this time, there have been two simultaneous groups that represent the faculty. A campus organization, Faculty Association, Faculty Senate, etc., and a statewide organization, the Interfaculty Organization (IFO).

Over the years the campus organization had different names and purposes. There were also time periods where more than one campus faculty organization existed.

Faculty Meetings (1893-1904) Staff Meetings (1922-1960) Faculty Council (1958-1963) Faculty Senate (1963-1975; 1989-1994) Faculty Association (1953-Present) Inter Faculty Organization (IFO) (1938-present)

The early faculty period from the Normal School until 1950 saw faculty governance as an advisory position with the college president, who held most of the power on campus.

In 1938 the Inter Faculty Organization (IFO) was formed as a collaborative effort between the faculty of the six Minnesota Teachers Colleges. This coordinated group could “consider matters that were of concern to all faculty.”

The development of the statewide IFO in the late 1930s, changed the role of faculty in governance within the State System and the individual campuses.

From the 1930s to 1975 the IFO and Faculty Association worked within various forms of authority and constitutional frameworks. During this time period, they also explored union representation with the National Educators Association, Minnesota Educators Association and American Association of University Professors.

The IFO sociation were given bargaining power for the faculty in 1975. The decision also allowed classified staff to collectively bargain through various unions.

The IFO and the Faculty Association took on many campus issues with the University and Minnesota Legislature. Decreased student enrollment in the early 1970s saw serious cuts to higher education and faculty which appear in personnel plans, negotiation reports, newsletters, and meeting minutes. Cuts in the early 1980s, and early 2000s also brought the Faculty Association and the IFO into action to dispute the level of cuts that were being suggested. The rise of Internet classes led to the reduced pay scale of many faculty members. These faculty members understood the importance of technology and advancements in the classroom but also held practical concerns about how to integrate this form of education into classes.