UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER. 
 
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 CHARTER AND OTHER DOCUMENTS. 
 
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 NIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER 
 
 V 
 
 OTHER DOCUMENTS EXPLANATORY 
 
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 Organization of the University. 
 
 ROCHESTER, 1880. 
 
 Evening Express Print, Rochester, N. Y. 
 
Provisional Charter of the University of Rochester. 
 
 University of the State of New York. 
 
 To all whom it may concern, the Regents of the University of the State 
 of New York , send Greeting : 
 
 Whereas , William L. Marcy, Ira Harris, John N. Wilder, Friend 
 Humphrey and George R. Davis, citizens of this State, have by their 
 petition presented to us, pursuant to the statute in such case made 
 and provided, prayed for the grant of a charter for the establishment 
 of an institution of the highest order for scientific and classical educa¬ 
 tion, and have in their said petition, submitted to us the place where, 
 the plan on which, and the funds with which it is intended to found 
 and provide for the said institution, and have also proposed to us 
 sundry persons, hereinafter named, as the first Trustees. 
 
 And whereas , the said petitioners have also exhibited to us in their 
 further application, pres nted December 2d, 1850, satisfactory proofs 
 that suitable buildings have been provided for the use of said insti¬ 
 tution, and also that funds to the amount of one hundred thousand 
 dollars, with which it is intended to found and provide for such in¬ 
 stitution or college, have been paid, or secured to be paid, by valid sub¬ 
 scriptions of responsible parties or otherwise, the same being in con¬ 
 formity to our amended ordinance, relative to the incorporation of 
 colleges, adopted January 9th, 1851. 
 
 And whereas we, the said Regents, after due consideration, of the 
 same, have approved of the contents of said petition and application. 
 
 Now therefore , know ye, that we, the said Regents, in considera¬ 
 tion of the premises, and in pursuance of the statute in such case 
 made and provided, do grant arid declare that an institution for the 
 instruction of youth in the learned languages and in the liberal and 
 useful arts and sciences shall be and hereby is founded and estab¬ 
 lished, at or near the City of Rochester, in the County of Monroe ; 
 that the Trustees of said College shall always be twenty-four in num¬ 
 ber, and that William L. Marcy, Friend Humphrey, Ira Harris, John 
 
4 
 
 UNI VERS IT Y OF ROCHESTER. 
 
 N. Wilder and Smith Sheldon of the City of Albany, Frederick 
 Whittlesey, William Pitkin, Everard Peck, Elon Huntington, William 
 N. Sage, David R. Barton, Edwin Pancost and Elijah F. Smith of 
 Rochester, Robert Kelly and William R. Williams of New York, 
 Robert R. Raymond of Syracuse, Henry Tower of Waterville, 
 Oneida Co., Seneca B. Burchard of Hamilton, Madison Co., John 
 Munro of Elbridge, Onondaga Co., Alonzo Wheelock of Vienna, 
 Ontario Co., James Edmunds of Ridgeway, Orleans Co., R. S. 
 Burrows of Albion, Orleans Co., Rawson Harmon, Jr., of Wheat- 
 land, Monroe Co., and V. R. Hotchkiss of Buffalo, shall be the 
 present Trustees; and that they and their successors shall be a body 
 corporate and politic, by the name of the University of Rochester, 
 and said corporation is by these presents invested with all the privi¬ 
 leges and powers conceded to any college in this State, pursuant to 
 the provisions of the sixth section of the Statute, entitled “ An act 
 relative to the University,” passed April 5th, 1813.* 
 
 Provided, however , that if, at or before the term of five years from 
 the date of these presents, the Trustees of the said University shall 
 not furnish to the Regents satisfactory evidence that they have in¬ 
 vested for the use of said University funds amounting to not less than 
 one hundred thousand dollars, either in bonds and mortgages on un¬ 
 incumbered lands within this State, worth at least double the amount 
 so secured thereon; or in the stock of this State or the United 
 States, at their market value at the time of investment, or in the 
 bonds or certificates of stock legally issued by some incorporated city 
 in this State at the par value, or in any one or more of the securities 
 before enumerated, then this charter shall be void and of no effect; 
 but in case they, the said Trustees, shall furnish satisfactory evidence 
 as before, then this charter shall become perpetual. 
 
 In Witness Whereof, we have caused these presents to be 
 [l. s.J sealed with our seal, signed by our Chancellor, and 
 attested by our Secretary, this fourteenth day of Feb¬ 
 ruary, eighteen hundred and fifty-one. 
 
 T. Romeyn Beck, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 G. Y. LANSING, 
 
 Chancellor. 
 
 *See Appendix A. 
 
EXTENSION OF THE CHARTER. 
 
 Extension of the Charter. 
 
 The University of the State of New York. 
 
 To all to whom it may concern , the Regents of the University of the 
 State of New York send Greeting: 
 
 Whereas we, the said Regents, heretofore, on the petition of 
 William L. Marcy, Ira Harris, John N. Wilder, Friend Humphrey 
 and others did, in pursuance of the power and authority in us by law 
 vested, by a charter or instrument under our common seal, bearing 
 date the fourteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one 
 thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, grant and declare that an In¬ 
 stitution for the instruction of youth in the learned languages and in 
 the liberal and useful arts and sciences should be and was thereby 
 founded and established at or near the City of Rochester, in the 
 County of Mo.nroe, in the said State, and that the persons therein 
 named as the first Trustees of the said University, and their succes¬ 
 sors in office should be a body corporate and politic by the name of 
 “ The University of Rochester ” but it was thereby expressly pro¬ 
 vided, that if, at or before the term of five years from the date 
 of the said charter, the Trustees of the said University should not 
 furnish to us, the said Regents, satisfactory evidence that they had 
 invested for the use of the said University funds amounting to not less 
 than one hundred thousand dollars, either in bonds and mortgages 
 or unincumbered lands within the said State, worth at least double 
 the amount so secured thereon, or in stocks of the said State, or of 
 the United States, at their market value at the time of the invest¬ 
 ment, or in the bonds or certificates of stocks legally issued by some 
 incorporated city in the said State, at their par value, or in any one 
 or more of the said securities, then the charter should be void and of 
 no effect; but in case the said Trustees should furnish satisfactory 
 evidence of such investment, that then the said charter should be¬ 
 come and be perpetual, as on reference to the said charter will more 
 fully appear. 
 
6 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER. 
 
 And ivhereas , the said Trustees have represented to us, the said 
 Regents, under their common seal, that they have already expended 
 in the, payment of salaries and other expenses connected with main¬ 
 taining the said University, the sum of sixty-five thousand seven 
 hundred and seventy-two dollars and sixty-seven cents; that they 
 have invested in bonds and mortgages the sum of forty thousand four 
 hundred and forty-six dollars and seventy-four cents ; in real estate, 
 including the building now occupied for the purposes of the said 
 University, the sum o,f forty-three thousand nine hundred and seventy- 
 four dollars and sixty-two cents; that the sum of fifty-four thousand 
 seven hundred and one dollars and seventy-eight cents is due to 
 them on promissory notes and subscriptions, considered to be good 
 and valid, and that the whole assets of the said University, as set 
 forth in the said application, now amount to one hundred and sixty- 
 five thousand six hundred and ninety-four dollars and eighty cents; 
 but that for the reason therein specified, they, the said Trustees, have 
 not been able to invest the full sum of one hundred thousand dollars 
 within the time and in the securities particularly required by the said 
 Charter as aforesaid, and praying that the further term of five years 
 be granted to the said Trustees to complete the investment of the 
 said sum in the manner required as aforesaid. 
 
 And we, the said Regents, having examined the premises, and 
 being satisfied that the said University is now successfully engaged 
 in the instruction of youth and in the prosecution of the objects of 
 its incorporation; that its Trustees have evinced great zeal and 
 faithfulness in procuring buildings for its accommodation, and funds 
 for its endowment; and that the said application is made in good 
 faith and for satisfactory reasons ; we, the said Regents, do therefore 
 grant and declare , that the term of five years , so as aforesaid, named 
 and fixed in and by the said charter of the said University of Roch¬ 
 ester, for the investment of the said sum of one hundred thousand 
 dollars, in the manner and in the securities therein mentioned as 
 aforesaid, be and the same is hereby extended for the further period 
 of Five Years from the expiration of the time specified in the said 
 charter, so that the said term shall be, in the whole, Ten Years from 
 the date of the said charter in like manner, and with the like effect to 
 all intents and purposes, as if the said term had been originally fixed 
 at ten years instead of five years, as aforesaid; and the said charter 
 is hereby altered and modified accordingly, subject, however, to the 
 
CONFIRMATION OF THE CHARTER. 
 
 right and power of us, the said Regents, on cause satisfactory to us, or 
 to our successors being shown, to alter, repeal or modify these 
 presents. 
 
 In Testimony whereof ive, the said Regents, have caused our 
 common seal to be hereto affixed, and our Chancellor 
 [l. s.] and Secretary to subscribe these presents this first day 
 of February, in the year one thousand eight hundred 
 and fifty-six. 
 
 S. B. Woolworth, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 G. Y. LANSING, 
 
 Chancellor. 
 
 On behalf of the standing committee of the Regents on the incor¬ 
 poration of Colleges and Academies, I do hereby certify that I have ex¬ 
 amined the foregoing instrument, amending the Charter of the Uni¬ 
 versity of Rochester, and do approve of the form thereof. 
 
 JOHN V. L. PRUYN. 
 
 Albany, February 9, 1856. 
 
 Confirmation of the Charter. 
 
 By the Regents of the University of the State of 
 New York. 
 
 Whereas , the said Regents by an instrument or charter under their 
 common seal, bearing date the fourteenth day of February , in the 
 year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, on appli¬ 
 cation duly made to them for that purpose, did, in pursuance of the 
 power in them vested by law, establish an institution for the instruc¬ 
 tion of youth in the learned languages and in the liberal and useful 
 arts and sciences at the 'City of Rochester , in the County of Monroe , 
 and did appoint William L. Marcy , Friend Humphrey , Ira Harris, 
 
8 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER. 
 
 and other persons therein named, the first Trustees thereof, and did 
 thereby ordain and declare that the said Trustees and their successors 
 should be a body corporate and politic, by the name of the 
 
 University of Rochester, 
 
 with the privileges and powers therein mentioned ; provided , however, 
 and it was thereby declared that if, at or before the expiration of the 
 term of five years from the date of the said charter, the Trustees of 
 the said University of Rochester, should not furnish to the said 
 Regents satisfactory evidence that they had invested, for the use of 
 the. said University, funds amounting to not less than one hundred 
 thousand dollars , in securities of the character therein mentioned, 
 that then the said charter should be void and of no effect, but in case 
 they, the said Trustees, should furnish satisfactory evidence that such 
 investment had been made, that then the said charter should become 
 perpetual , as on reference thereto will more fully appear. 
 
 And whereas , subsequently, and for satisfactory reasons shown by 
 the said Trustees, the said Regents, by an instrument under their 
 common seal, bearing date the first day of February , one thousand 
 eight hundred and fifty-six , extended for the term of five years, the 
 time allowed as aforesaid for the investment of the said sum of one 
 hundred thousand dollars , for the use of the said University of Roch¬ 
 ester : 
 
 And whereas , the said Trustees, by their application to the said 
 Regents bearing date the seventh day of January , one thousand eight 
 hundred and sixty-one , have represented that the real and personal 
 property of the said University of Rochester, including the sum of 
 fifty-four thousand seven hundred and seventy-four dollars and thirty- 
 nine cents, invested in bonds and mortgages, is of the value of at least 
 one hundred and ninety thousand dollars, over and above its liabilities, 
 but that for the reasons mentioned in the said application, it has not 
 been found practicable to invest the full sum of one hundred thousand 
 dollars in the securities required by the charter, but claiming that 
 they have substantially, although not literally complied with its pro¬ 
 visions, and asking tha t, in view of the premises and of the stability, 
 usefulness and great promise of the said institution, its charter may 
 be made perpetual. 
 
 And we, the said Regents , having considered the said application, 
 and being of opinion that it is expedient under the circumstances 
 
ORGANIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD. 
 
 9 
 
 that the same should be granted, do, in pursuance of the authority in 
 us by law vested, Grant , Ordain and Declare that the said proviso in 
 the said charter of the University of Rochester hereinbefore men¬ 
 tioned and in part recited, shall be deemed and taken to have been, 
 and the same is hereby declared to have been complied with and f ul¬ 
 filled to the satisfaction of us, the said Regents, and that the said 
 charter be and the same is hereby made and declared to be perpetual , 
 subject to the right of us, the said Regents, and of our successors, at 
 any time hereafter, to alter, modify or repeal these presents. 
 
 In Witness Whereof , we, the said Regents, have caused 
 our common seal to be hereto affixed, and our Chan- 
 [l. s.] cellar and Secretary to subscribe their names this tenth 
 day of January , in the year one thousand eight hundred 
 and sixty-one. 
 
 G. Y. LANSING, 
 
 S. B. WOOLWORTH, 
 
 Chancellor. 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 Organization of the Executive Board. 
 
 The immediate superintendence of the University shall be com¬ 
 mitted to nine members of the corporation, to be elected from them¬ 
 selves by ballot, who shall be called the Executive Board of the 
 University of Rochester. 
 
 After the first election, the members of the Executive Board shall 
 be so arranged that three members shall be elected at every annual 
 meeting of the corporation, each member being elected for three 
 years. 
 
 The Executive Board shall choose a chairman and secretary, and 
 keep, in a permanent book, a record of all their proceedings. They 
 shall meet during term time once in every month, and as much 
 oftener as they may themselves direct ; and they shall make a full 
 report of their doings at every annual meeting of the corporation. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the President to lay before the Executive 
 Board at every meeting, and as much oftener as they may direct, all 
 
10 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER. 
 
 such information in his possession respecting the condition of the in¬ 
 stitution, as may enable them the better to correct what is wrong, 
 supply, what is deficient, elevate to the utmost of their power the 
 moral and literary character of the institution, and adapt it more and 
 more perfectly to accomplish the design of its founders in establishing 
 a school of liberal 'and Christian education. For this purpose, also, 
 every professor shall present to the Executive Board a monthly re¬ 
 port, exhibiting the amount of his labors in his department, the con¬ 
 dition of his classes, and such other information as the Board may, 
 from time to time require, or he may desire to communicate. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Executive Board to satisfy themselves 
 that the laws of the corporation are carried into effect by the officers, 
 and obeyed by the students of the University; and to this end, they 
 have power to enact and enforce every regulation required for the 
 immediate good of the University, to call meetings of the corporation, 
 and in general, to take such measures as may to them seem expedient 
 for the well-being of the institution; provided always that their acts 
 shall be in force until the next meeting of the corporation and no 
 longer, unless they be sanctioned by that authority. 
 
 Five members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum 
 for the transa tion of business. 
 
 Report accepted and adopted by the Board of Trustees, September 
 16, 1850. 
 
 The Executive Board are hereby authorized to engage temporarily 
 the services of such instructors as may be required, in addition to 
 such professors as may be appointed, and to arrange the terms of 
 their compensation, subject to the revision of the Board as in other 
 cases, as pro/ided for in the statute defining the powers of the 
 Executive Board. 
 
 The engagement of all professors, teachers, lecturers and officers, 
 unless where a specified agreement shall be made, shall be terminable 
 at the pleasure of either party on giving three months notice of the 
 same, and the salary shall cease at the expiration of said notice. But 
 no professor shall be removed except by a vote of the majority of the 
 whole Board. 
 
 From the Report of the Committee on Plan of Instruction, accepted 
 and adopted, September 16, 1850. 
 
DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT 
 
 11 
 
 The Duties of the President of the Beard of Trustees. 
 
 The President ol the Board of Trustees of the University shall be, 
 by virtue of his office, a member, and chairman, of the Executive 
 Board. He shall be the executive officer of both these boards, to 
 have the general charge of the financial affairs of the institution; to 
 devise ways and means for enlarging the endowment and securing 
 the same ; to have the oversight of the erection of the new buildings 
 that may be determined on ; and, in general, to carry out all measures 
 pertaining to the business interests of the University. 
 
 In case of the absence of the President, or a vacancy in the office, 
 the Executive Board shall appoint an officer for the interim, to dis¬ 
 charge his duties. 
 
 Adopted by Board of f rustees , April 7, 1853. 
 
 The Duties of the President of the University. 
 
 1. There shall be a President of the University, who, when elected, 
 shall hold his office by the same tenure that the professors hold theii 
 offices. He shall be the executive officer of the Board of Trustees 
 and of the Executive Board, to carry out all measures pertaining to 
 the internal administration of the University; to regulate the hours 
 of the professors and teachers employed^ in accordance with the plan 
 of instruction adopted; to exercise a supervisory guardianship over 
 the students; and to exert a general control over the government of 
 the institution. He shall be responsible for, and have the manage¬ 
 ment of, the discipline; and shall dispose, in connection with the 
 Faculty, of such cases as he, or any professor, may desire to lay before 
 the Faculty. But no student shall be expelled except by the action 
 of the Executive Board. 
 
 2. He shall be the presiding officer of the Faculty; shall receive 
 weekly registers of the exercises of the classes; visit the recitation 
 rooms, from time to time; and provide for meeting cases of the ab¬ 
 sence of professors from their recitations, when they shall be provi¬ 
 dentially prevented from attending, or shall have received leave of 
 absence from himself or the Executive Board. 
 
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 UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER . 
 
 3. He shall preside at commencements and public exhibitions of 
 the University, and shall confer such degrees and honors as are voted 
 by the Board of Trustees.- 
 
 4. He shall be notified of the meetings of the Board of Trustees, 
 and of the Executive Board, and may attend the same, except at such 
 times as matters may be under consideration bearing upon his func¬ 
 tions and relations with other officers of the institution; shall ad¬ 
 vise with them upon the state of the University, and communicate 
 any information, in his possession, that may be required ; may giv£ 
 his opinion upon any matter under discussion, but shall not be en¬ 
 titled to a vote. 
 
 5. He shall present at the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees, 
 and whenever it shall be required, a complete report of the internal 
 condition of the University, specifying in detail the amount of duty 
 that has been assigned to each professor and teacher, and the amount 
 actually performed, with a statement of the reasons of all the 
 omissions that may have occurred. 
 
 6. He shall have assigned to him, until the further action of the 
 Board of Trustees upon the subject, the professorship of Intellectual 
 Philosophy, and shall be expected to give instruction, to the extent 
 of at least one recitation per day, during the collegiate year. 
 
 Adopted by Board of Trustees, April 7, 1853. 
 
 Rules of Order of the Board of Trustees. 
 
 1 st. The sessions of the Board shall be opened .with prayer. 
 
 2d. The following shall be its order of business. 
 
 1 st. Reading the minutes of the last meeting. 
 
 2d. Reading the rules of order. 
 
 3d. Reading report of the Executive Board. 
 
 4th. Reading report of the treasurer. 
 
 5th. Reading reports of the agents. 
 
 6th. Reading reports of the committees. 
 
 7 th. Motions and resolutions. 
 
 3d. All committees shall be nominated by the presiding officer, 
 unless otherwise ordered by the Board. 
 
APPENDIX A. 
 
 13 
 
 4th. No resolution shall be discussed unless it is moved and 
 seconded or proposed by a committee. At the request of a member 
 any resolution shall be reduced to writing. 
 
 5th. No member shall leave the room without permission from the 
 presiding officer. 
 
 6th. The treasurer shall present a written report of the state of 
 the finances at each regular meeting of the Board. 
 
 7th. The reports of all committees shall be presented in writing. 
 
 8th. No moneys shall be paid out of the treasury except on the 
 orders of the Executive Board, signed by the chairman of said Board* 
 
 9th. The stated meetings of this Board shall be held on Tuesday 
 before the annual commencement of the college. Special meetings 
 may be called by the president at the request of the Executive Board. 
 
 Appendix A. 
 
 VI. And be it further enacted, That any citizen or citizens, or 
 bodies corporate within this State, being disposed to found a college 
 at any place within the same, he or they shall, in writing, make known 
 to the regents the place where, the plan on which, and the funds with 
 which it is intended to found and provide for the same, and who are 
 proposed for the first trustees; and in case the regents shall approve 
 thereof, then they shall declare their approbation by an instrument 
 under their common seal, and allow a convenient time for complet¬ 
 ing the same; and if, at the expiration of he said time, it shall ap¬ 
 pear to the satisfaction of the regents, that the said plan and propo¬ 
 sitions are fully executed, then they shall, by act under their common 
 seal, declare that the said college, to be named as the founders shall 
 signify, and with such trustees not exceeding twenty-four, nor less 
 than ten, as they shall name, shall forthwith become incorporated, 
 and shall have perpetual succession, and enjoy all the corporate rights 
 and privileges enjoyed by Columbia College, in and by the act, en¬ 
 titled, “An act to institute an University within this State, and for 
 other purposes therein mentioned, passed April 13, 1787.” 
 
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