At its meeting on April 22, 2010, the Faculty Senate approved legislation that proposed combining the Faculty Council on Educational Outreach, Faculty Council on Educational Technology and the Faculty Council on Instructional Quality into the Faculty Council on Teaching and Learning, with a proposed structure to allow for subcommittees to address specific issues as needed. The merger was proposed as a vehicle for more efficient functioning of the council and to promote integration of faculty discussions about policies related to teaching and learning.
The Faculty Council on University Relations was established as an advisory body to the Office of the Vice President for University Relations, which no longer exists in the administrative structure at the University of Washington. The council began operating almost exclusively as a faculty committee on honorary degrees and other issues which the Faculty Council on University Relations had once followed were assigned to other councils. At its meeting of March 11, 2010, the Faculty Senate approved legislation retiring the Faculty Council on University Relations to allow for the creation of a Special Committee on Honorary Degrees. The special committee is staffed by the Office of the Associate Vice President for Media Relations and Communications.