who should be ex-officio President. Of the Regents twelve
were to be nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, while
the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, the Judges of the Supreme Court, and
the Chancellor of the State were to be members ex-officio. The
University was to consist of a Department of Literature, Science, and
the Arts, a Department of Law, and a Department of Medicine. The
professorships were specified and it is significant that, in addition to
the usual branches taught in those days, such as Ancient and Modern
Languages, Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, and Natural Theology, provision
was also made for professorships in Chemistry, Geology, Botany, Fine
Arts, and Civil Engineering and Architecture. A limiting clause,
however, was incorporated in this ambitious scheme, which provided that
only so many professorships should be filled at first as the needs of
the institution warranted. While the immediate government of the
University was to be entrusted to the respective Faculties, the Regents
had final authority in the regulation of courses and the selection of
textbooks, and were empowered to remove any professor, tutor, or other
officer, when in their judgment the interests of the University required
it. The fees were to be $10 for residents of the State. A Board of
Visitors was also to be appointed by the Superintendent of Public
Instruction to make a personal examination of the University and report
to him their observations and recommendations. It was also provided that
such branches of the University were to be established in different
parts of the State as might from time to time be authorized by the
Legislature. These branches, however, were not to confer degrees, though
they were to have Departments of Agriculture in connection and also an
"institution for the education of females in the higher branches of
knowledge, whenever suitable buildings should be provided for them." The
funds for these branches were to be appropriated from the University
Fund in sums proportionate to the number of scholars.

Shortly after the first meeting of the Board of Regents in 1837, the
Legislature, following some of their suggestions, modified the
University Act in certain particulars; abolishing the Chancellorship of
the Board of Regents and making the Governor the President of that body,
at the same time directing the Regents to elect a Chancellor of the
University who should not be a member of the Board. Thi