President Jim Danko expressed a need for legal counsel at Butler University at the Faculty Senate meeting Tuesday.

The president said in the past six years  the university has spent about $2.5 million on legal fees for various reasons.

His presentation showed that from June 2008 to June 2012, the spending increased by 28 percent.

In the next two years, the numbers showed an 83-percent increase from around $680,000 to an estimated $1.2 million.

Danko said he wanted to hear feedback from faculty even though the senate is not needed to make this decision.

“I really do believe at this point that there is an advantage going in this direction,” Danko said. “The cost savings will offset a good portion, if not all the extra expense, by having our own legal counsel.”

Danko said he will also begin meeting with the Board of Trustees for additional reaction.

Other items of agenda were a report from the Student Affairs and Enrollment on alcohol abuse and crime and reports on the core curriculum, University Curriculum Committee and the Retirement Phase Committee.

Margaret Brabant, chair of faculty senate, gave a report on senate-level chair meetings from October.

This is the last faculty senate meeting for the first semester. Senate meetings will resume in January.