The University Council voted Wednesday to consider a policy on university-wide joint appointment.

The policy is aimed at addressing the problem of faculty members being appointed to joint departments within the same college, within departments in different colleges and within research centers.

UC Executive Secretary J. Carroll Moody said many professors have held joint appointments in the past but there needs to be a formal procedure for making all faculty members aware.

The policy aims at making specific conditions for the joint appointment detailed in advance in the form of a written memorandum between the faculty member and the departments.

The new Joint Appointment policy would replace the Joint Professorships policy in the Academic Procedures Manual.

In other business, the UC approved a Faculty Senate resolution requiring the College Council to make the minutes of its meetings readily available to college faculty.

Moody said the UC was receiving complaints from faculty members who did not have access to College Council minutes when requested.

The UC also discussed a proposal to have student athlete representation on the Athletic Board. A formal review of the amendment will take place at the next UC meeting.

The Management Association of Illinois lawsuit against NIU, which was dismissed last month, also resurfaced at the UC meeting.

Several UC members acknowledged their displeasure with NIU’s stance in reference to the lawsuit.

UC member Sherman Stanage said he wanted to initiate research into the question of how separate colleges or departments at NIU handle problems outside their respective areas of expertise.

NIU President John La Tourette decided have the issue placed on the next UC agenda.