Indiana University Bloomington

History of the Council

In 1981 an ad-hoc committee of four professional staff employees on the Bloomington campus presented a petition to the Board of Trustees requesting representation of professional staff in the governing structure of IU. The Trustees appointed a committee to investigate, and the determination was made that a council of professional staff employees be formed. The first Bloomington Professional Council, comprised of 24 members, was elected in spring 1986 and held its first meeting May 14, 1986.

On November 21, 1986, the Council's first President, Don Brineman, along with other Council officers, met with University President John Ryan to discuss Council concerns. This meeting was significant in solidifying the new Council’s stature within the university administration. In the late 1980s, the Council gained professional staff representation on search and screen committees for Dean positions as well as important administrative committees such as the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee and the Faculty Council Budgetary Affairs Committee.

The Council's organization was established by its Constitution and Bylaws which were approved on October 16, 1985. The original Council was composed of 10 electoral districts with a varying number of representatives for each district. The current Council has evolved into seven electoral districts, balanced in population, each represented by three Council members.

BPC Presidents