Plagued with questions regarding its purpose in Kansas University athletics, the KUAC advisory board spent much of Thursday’s meeting discussing its own impact.

Questions loomed large and caused somewhat heated discussion at the last meeting of the committee, which primarily consists of KU faculty but also includes a few alumni and student representatives. Searching for answers, committee chair Mike Maddox discussed the group’s purpose with chancellor Robert Hemenway after the last meeting in February.

Thursday, Maddox brought possible solutions to enhance the board’s impact and focus its attention on next school year, tossing out athletic-department-related topics that affect the entire university, like Title IX compliance.

“This summer, we need to identify two, three, four major areas to attack,” Maddox said. “We can hit the ground running and make a difference.”

About a year ago, the KUAC board received a major makeover, cutting the ultimate say in athletic-department decisions to athletic director Lew Perkins and five other board members. To make up for the representation that suddenly was disenfranchised, an advisory board was created to give under-represented groups, such as faculty, a chance to voice opinions on athletic-department matters.

Thursday, the board approved the organization of a subcommittee this summer to decide what focus topics would be appropriate when the meetings begin again this fall.

It seemed acceptable by the large majority in attendance Thursday — a sign that the board wasn’t ready to give up on its role in KU athletics just yet.

“The easy answer is, ‘We don’t need this board,'” Maddox said, “but I don’t think that’s the right answer.”