Object. The object of the University as defined by law is to encourage and promote education. in advance of the common elementary branches. Its field includes not only the work of academies, colleges, universities, professional and technical schools, but also educational work connected with libraries, museums, university extension courses and similar agencies. The University is a supervisory and administrative, not a teaching institution. It is a state department and at the same time a federation of more than 800 institutions of higher and secondary education. Government. The University is governed and all its corporate powers exercised by 19 elective regents and by the governor, lieutenantgovernor, secretary of state and superintendent of public instruction who are ex officio regents. Regents are elected in the same manner as United States senators; they are unsalaried and are the only public officers in New York chosen for life. The elective officers are a chancellor and a vice-chancellor, who serve without salary, and a secretary. The secretary is the executive and financial officer, is under official bonds for $10,000, is responsible for the safe-keeping and proper use of the University seal and of the books, records and other property in charge of the regents, and for the proper administration and discipline of its various offices and departments. Powers and duties. Besides many other important powers and duties, the regents have power to incorporate, and to alter or revoke the charters of universities, colleges, academies, libraries, museums, or other educational institutions; to distribute to them funds granted by the state for their use; to inspect their workings and require annual reports under oath of their presiding officers; to establish examinations as to attainments in learning and confer on successful candidates suitable certificates, diplomas and degrees, and to confer honorary degrees. They apportion annually an academic fund of about $250,000, part for buying books and apparatus for academies and high schools raising an equal amount for the same purpose, $100 to each nonsectarian secondary school in good standing and the remainder on the basis of attendance and the results of instruction as shown by satisfactory completion of prescribed courses for which the regents examinations afford the official test. The regents also expend annually $25,000 for the benefit of free public libraries. Regents meetings. The annual meeting is held the third Thursday in December, and other meetings are held as often as business requires. An executive committee of nine regents is elected at the annual meeting to act for the board in the intervals between its meetings, except that it can not grant, alter, suspend or revoke charters or grant honorary degrees. Convocation. The University convocation of the regents and the officers of institutions in the University, for consideration of subjects of mutual interest, has been held annually since 1863 in Albany. It meets Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday after the fourth Friday in June. Though primarily a New York meeting, nearly all questions discussed are of equal interest outside of the state. Its reputation as the most important higher educational meeting of the country has in the past few years drawn to it many eminent educators not residents of New York, who are most cordially welcomed and share fully in all discussions. A council of five is appointed by the chancellor to represent it in intervals between meetings. Its proceedings, issued annually, are of great value in all educational libraries. a Not including 2262 students of Chautauqua summer school not separated as men and women. b Omitting 9 men and 2 women duplicated. 1873 MARTIN I. TOWNSEND M.A. LL.D. 1881 HENRY E. TURNER 1883 ST CLAIR MCKELWAY 1885 DANIEL BEACH Ph.D. 1888 CARROLL E. SMITH LL.D. Syracuse 1890 PLINY T. SEXTON LL.D. 1890 T. GUILFORD SMITH M.A. C.E. LL.D. Superintendent of Public Instruction, ex officio Brooklyn 1897 CHESTER S. LORD M.A. LL.D. Rochester - Albany SECRETARY Elected by regents 1900 JAMES RUSSELL PARSONS JR M.A. DIRECTORS OF DEPARTMENTS 1888 MELVIL DEWEY M.A. State library and Home education Administrative, College and High school dep'ts 1890 FREDERICK J. H. MERRILL Ph.D. State museum Regents Bulletin No. 55 September 1901 39th University Convocation OF THE State of New York, 1-3 July 1901 SUMMARY OF SESSIONS 1st session, Monday, 1 July 8 p. m. Convocation called to order by Vice-Chanc. WILLIAM CROSWELL DOANE Prayer by Regent ORRIS H. WARREN Short addresses Vice-Chanc. WILLIAM CROSWELL DOANE Regent CHESTER S. LORD Regent ST CLAIR MCKELWAY University reception in the library 2d session, Tuesday, 2 July 9.30 a. m. Vice-Chanc. DOANE presiding Present tendencies in secondary education Prof. ELMER ELLSWORTH BROWN, University of California Special addresses Prin. A. S. DowNING, New York training school for teachers Prof. GEORGE H. LOCKE, University of Chicago, editor School review |