Senior academics at University College Dublin have asked college president Prof Hugh Brady to provide more details of his radical restructuring plans for the college, which they say they support in principle.
A meeting of the academic council yesterday decided to approve a motion supporting the broad thrust of the programme for academic reform and restructuring at the college.
But, significantly, they also requested detailed reports from college-based task forces outlining how the restructuring process will be implemented.
Under the plan, the number of UCD faculties would be reduced from 11 to about five. More than 90 separate academic departments would also be replaced or consolidated into some 35 schools.
The college's governing body is due to vote on the plans early next week.
Some say they are being asked to support a plan without being in possession of the full facts of how it will be implemented.
However, college authorities insist there has been extensive consultation with the college community.
An earlier motion put forward at the meeting had called for the council to postpone any decision on the restructuring process until more detailed information was provided. This motion was subsequently withdrawn.
There was some uncertainty last night as to whether yesterday's decision by the council represents a victory for Dr Brady in his continuing efforts to reform UCD.
A spokesman said the move meant the council had approved the professor's plans for the college, but had simply requested more information on how they would be implemented. But he added he was not at liberty to provide the exact wording of the motion.
""This is a hugely significant day in the history of UCD," he said. "A major consensus has been achieved across the breadth of the UCD community in mapping out a radical programme for change which is required to take UCD to new heights."
But others at the meeting claimed the final motion in fact represented a "compromise".
While the academic council was supporting the "broad thrust" of the proposals, this was subject to the acceptance of written reports from the task forces, which are due to be made available in the coming weeks.