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THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

BOARD OF REGENTS

OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS

CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY

Samuel Avery, Lincoln

HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY

     The University of Nebraska was founded by act of the legislature Of 1869. The bill creating the university was passed on February 15 of that year "to afford to the inhabitants of this state the means of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the various branches of literature, science and art."

     The government of the university was vested in a board of twelve regents, nine of whom were to be elected by the legislature. The subsequent constitution of 1875, for the first time, gave the university and its governing board a place in the fundamental law of the state, and preserved in force the preceding statute, as far as possible. At the same time, it provided for the election of the members of the board of regents, six in number, from the state at large. The powers and duties of the board were to be prescribed by the legislature. A constitutional amendment of 1920-21 retains all of these provisions, but requires that the regents be elected by districts instead of from the state at large. The original act of the legislature, creating the university, has been revised to conform to the constitution of 1920-21, and to the changed conditions of state growth. The amended statute under which the university is operated appears in the Compiled Statutes of Nebraska 1922, pages 2112-2129.

     That statute declares the board of regents to be a body corporate to be known as "The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska." As such it may sue and be sued, acquire property for use of the university, use a common seal, and make rules and regulations for conducting the institution under its control. It appoints its own officers and all members of the teaching and business staffs and directors of experimentation projects. Like an ordinary business corporation, it speaks by its record and the authorized acts of its officers attested by its corporate seal accompanying the signature of the corporation secretary. Unlike the private corporation, its members cannot be financially interested in the business it controls.

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     Like all state supported and managed institutions, the university is subject to biennial legislative action. The legislature of 1921 abolished the university mill tax and provided that the greater part of the resources must come from legislative appropriation from the state general fund. Moneys from fees, sales and special university activities, donations, and sources other than the state, constitute an available cash fund in addition to appropriations from the general fund.

     Nebraska, in common with other states, has, certain educational relations with the United States due to state acceptance of acts of Congress. First, the land grant act of 1862, and subsequent amendments thereof, provides endowment and current aid to colleges of agriculture and the mechanic arts (now agriculture and engineering) in the several states. The details of leasing and selling endowment lands and permanent investment of sale proceeds is under management of a separate state board of "Educational Lands and Funds." Lease rentals and interest on sales contracts are paid to the state treasurer for university use. The congressional act of 1886, with later amendments (Hatch and Hatch-Adams) established United States agricultural experiment stations in the several states and attached them to the college of agriculture. Annual aid is provided therefore, paid in cash to the state. The Morrill-Nelson and Smith-Lever acts (1890 and later) also provide further aid to the agricultural college and expand that college to include agricultural extension and preparation of teachers in agricultural and home economics subjects. All of these activities, associated with the university, are under supervision of the board of regents.

     The chancellor, chosen by the board of regents, is the chief executive officer of the university. Subject to the rules and orders of the board, he has both pedagogical and business supervision over the university as a whole. For each of the colleges within the university, the board of regents elects a dean as the presiding officer of the faculty of that college. The deans also perform such other duties as the board or the faculties of the various colleges may require. The faculty of each college, subject to the approval of the chancellor and the regents, determines upon all matters relative to the internal affairs of its college. The University Senate, corresponding to the "general faculty" of other universities, and subject to the chancellor and the board, determines questions which concern more than one college, or the university as a whole. The chancellor, deans, chairmen and acting chairmen of departments, and such other members of staff as the regents may name, are voting members of the senate.

     The grounds and buildings of the university are distributed as follows:

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     2. The agricultural college campus, consisting of 320 acres, two and one-half miles northeast of the original campus. The tract was purchased in 1874 from Moses M. Culver and his wife for $6,050 in cash and $11,500 payable in four years. Twelve buildings, devoted to instruction in agriculture and home economics, and fifteen minor buildings used for various purposes, are to be found there.

     3. The college of medicine buildings are located in Omaha, at Forty-second and Dewey avenue. Adjacent to this campus, on land belonging to the state, is the Child Saving Institute, the clinical facilities of which are under the control of the university.

     4. The school of agriculture at Curtis.

     5. The agronomy farm of 432 acres, two miles east of the original agricultural college campus.

     6. The fruit farm of 80 acres at Union.

     7. The agricultural substation at North Platte.

     8. The agricultural substation at Scottsbluff.

     9. The agricultural substation at Valentine.

     Funds for the maintenance of the university are received from legislative appropriations, federal land grant, and fees paid by the students. For the biennium, 1925-27, the legislature apportioned $4,541,500, $900,000 of which was for the purchase of land and the construction of buildings. Approximately $417,000 was the amount received from federal funds under the Morrill-Nelson, Smith-Lever, Hatch, Adams, and Purnell bills. In the original government grant, 90,000 acres were selected in Antelope, Cedar, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, L'Eau qui Court (Knox), Pierce, and Wayne counties. The proceeds of the sale of these lands and the lands still held constitute the permanent endowment funds, now amounting to $926,615.78.

     The University of Nebraska was opened to the admission of students September 7, 1871. There were eight regular and twelve irregular collegiate students, and 110 preparatory students enrolled the first year. In 1889-90 the number of students enrolled was nearly 500. In 1901 more than 2,000 students were registered. In the last twenty-five years the number of students has shown a steady increase, the number registered in 1925-26 being 11,714.

     In addition to the usual and necessary activities of an institution for higher education, the university has been made, from time to time, the custodian of certain instrumentalities for the furthering of

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THE UNIVERSITY IN 1926

     Although only fifty-five years old, the University of Nebraska today is one of the great universities of the United States. The grand total enrollment for the school year 1925-26 was 11,714 students, more than 80 per cent of whom live in Nebraska. Up to September 1, 1926, 14,103 degrees had been granted to 12,759 persons and the university bad 12,175 living graduates. The university has $8,975,666.70 worth of property and equipment. The inventory as of June 30, 1925, showed the valuation of property and equipment as follows:

     There are ten colleges and three schools in the University of Nebraska. For the school year 1925-26 the number of students registered in each college was:

     In addition, there were 1,818 students registered in the School of agriculture at Lincoln, the School of agriculture at Curtis, the Teachers' college high school, and the University extension division. The schools of journalism and fine arts are in the college of arts and sciences and also the teachers' college, and the school of nursing is. connected with the college of medicine. The university extension division and the Nebraska engineering experiment station, as well as the agricultural substations at North Platte, Valentine and Scottsbluff, are under the supervision of the board of regents.

     Besides its actual instructional work, the university renders a number of valuable services to the people of Nebraska. The medical college hospital at Omaha, since its establishment in 1917, has cared for more

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     The university operates at an exceedingly low cost per student. Investigation showed the average cost of educating a student in a collegiate course in twenty-five educational institutions in 1923 to be $281.44, while at Nebraska it was $159.32.

     To meet the need for greater housing facilities, due to the increase of nearly 150 per cent in enrollment in the last ten years, a comprehensive building program has been planned for the institution. The need for new buildings was emphasized in the winter of 1925, when the old main building, University Hall, and Nebraska Hall were condemned, and the top floor of the latter and all but the ground floor of the former removed.

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION

     The agricultural experiment station was established by act of congress approved March 2, 1887, known as the Hatch act. This act was supplemented by the Adams act, approved -March 16, 1906. Through each. of these acts, the university receives $15,000 each year for agricultural experiment purposes. The Adams appropriation is limited strictly to investigation of projects approved by the office of experiment stations, which has charge of that work for the United States department of agriculture. The work of the experiment station was supplemented further through the passage of the Purnell act, approved February 24, 1925. This act appropriated $20,000 to each state for the year ending June 30, 1926, and $10,000 additional for each succeeding year until the appropriation shall have reached $60,000 per annum.

     The work of the experiment station has grown until the expenditures from, state appropriations materially exceed those from the federal government. The thirty-eighth annual report of the Nebraska agricultural experiment station, published in 1925, gave the expenditures from state university appropriation and cash receipts from sales as $178,808.05, in addition to the $30,000 received from the federal government. These expenditures are used to conduct original research or experiments bearing directly upon the agricultural industry of the state. In addition to the central station at Lincoln, the state legislature has established experimental farms at North Platte, Valentine and Mitchell in cooperation. with the United States department of agriculture. The central station has two outlying farms, one for crop study, about three miles from the central station, and one for the study of orchard management at Union.

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AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

     The first appropriation for farmers' institute work by the university was made in 1897. Succeeding legislatures increased the appropriations for this, purpose until 1914 when farmers' institute work was merged into agricultural extension work. By-an act of congress, approved May 8, 1914, a permanent appropriation of $10,000 annually was made to each state which was receiving the benefits of the several Morrill acts. The purpose of this appropriation was to further cooperative extension work in agriculture and in home economics, and "giving instruction and practical demonstrations in agriculture and home economics to persons not in attendance at the agricultural college." This work was to be done in the several counties of the state through field demonstrations, special agents, such as county and home demonstration agents, publications, and otherwise. In addition to the first sum of $10,000, a gradually increasing appropriation of money was made to the several states on condition that the state should appropriate an equal sum for the same purpose. In Nebraska, this additional appropriation now amounts to approximately $100,000 per year from the federal government, which is matched by an equal amount appropriated by the state legislature and by various counties in the state.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

     The state vocational education board has designated the university as the teacher training school for Smith-Hughes teachers. There are now about seventy-five students enrolled in vocational education, and additional funds from the Smith-Hughes fund will enable the university to enlarge its facilities for this teacher training.

STATE ENTOMOLOGIST

Myron H. Swenk, Professor of Economic Entomology

     The legislature of 1893 provided that the professor of entomology in the University of Nebraska should be acting state entomologist. The legislature of 1911 repealed this law, and empowered the regents of the university to designate a member of the teaching staff as state entomologist. It further provided that "such extraneous services shall not be permitted to interfere with the prime duty" of a university teacher. It is the duty of the state entomologist "to seek out and suppress pernicious insect pests and injurious and contagious plant diseases destructive to the horticultural and agricultural interests of the state, and conduct experiments when necessary to that end." An act of 1913 provided for nursery inspection by the state entomologist or his assistants. They are empowered to collect fees for such inspection. The legislature of 1907 provided for a bureau for the "investigation, control, and extermination of insect pests and plant diseases," which should be in charge of the state entomologist and the state botanist.

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SERUM PLANT AND DISEASES OF ANIMALS

     The legislature of 1907 made an appropriation of $1,500 for an investigation of malarial or swamp fever in horses, and $1,000 for an investigation of tuberculosis in hogs. This work was under the direction of the Nebraska experiment station. The legislature of 1909 made an appropriation for the investigation of hog cholera, the expenditure of which was to be under the supervision of the regents of the university. In 1911, the legislature provided for the establishment of a plant for the production and distribution of hog cholera serum under the direction of the regents. The legislature of 1917 discontinued this appropriation, but in the summer of 1918 the governor requested the regents to re-establish the work to meet the emergencies that had arisen, and the legislature of 1919 provided funds to reopen the serum plant. The legislature of 1921 authorized the university to manufacture, buy, and sell serum and virus. A decision of the supreme court, June 12, 1922, upheld this law.

STATE PLANT PATHOLOGIST

George L. Peltier, Plant Pathologist, Nebraska Experiment Station

     An act of 1893 required the professor of botany in the university to act as state botanist. This was changed in 1907, making the botanist of the experiment station the state plant pathologist. This act also provided for a bureau for the investigation, control, and extermination of insect pests and plant diseases, under the supervision of the state entomologist and the state botanist.

NEBRASKA CONSERVATION AND SURVEY DIVISION

George E. Condra, Director

     In 1908 Governor Sheldon appointed the Nebraska conservation commission. The legislature of 1909 provided this commission with a small appropriation. The next legislature increased this appropriation, making the fund payable to the conservation and soil survey, and requiring it to be expended under control of the regents of the university. This survey was legalized by an act of 1913, which also defined its work. A new law, enlarging the scope of the work, was enacted in 1919, and supplemented by a still more comprehensive law in 1921. Under the present statute, the duties and powers of the conservation and soil survey division of the university are:

     1. Survey and describe the natural resources of the state.
     2. Study the climate, physical features, geology, and mineral resources of the state.
     3. Study and describe the operations, production, and importance of the leading industries of the state.
     4. Investigate and report upon conservation problems.
     5. Study the water bearing formations and assist the citizens in locating water supplies.

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LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU

Edna D. Bullock, Director

     The Nebraska legislative reference bureau dates its official beginning May 10, 1906. On that day the executive board of the state historical society authorized the organization of this new department of its work.

     The work of organizing the. new department was assigned by the historical society board to Addison E. Sheldon, director of field work of the historical society, and was to be carried on in connection with his other duties. Only $350 was available for the beginning of the work.

     The service rendered by the department was recognized by the legislature of 1911 by the passage of a law establishing the Legislative reference bureau under the government of the regents of the university.

     The bureau maintains an office and library in the library building on the university campus, and an office and bill drafting service at the capitol during the sessions of the legislature. The library consists of pamphlets, clippings, manuscripts, periodicals, reports and books, numbering probably more than 35,000 pieces. The collection is restricted to material on government, public welfare, civics and related topics. Loans of material are constantly being made to citizens in all parts of the state.

     The bureau is authorized by law to "carry on research in subjects of special public interest, to publish the same and in every way to promote the diffusion of accurate and reliable information upon questions connected with the development of civic life in Nebraska."

     The regular publications of the bureau are the Nebraska blue book, the subject index to bills, and the Legislative manual, every other year. Special bulletins are issued from time to time. 'Recent publications of the bureau include a "Nebraska Voters' Handbook" and civic leaflets on "Information About Nebraska," "County Poor Relief in Nebraska," and "What Government Is Doing." A Nebraska taxpayers' handbook is in preparation.

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GROWTH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AS ILLUSTRATED
BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS, AND
REGISTRATION OF STUDENTS

Colleges--
   Literature, science and arts, 1872 to date.
      Since 1909 called College of arts and sciences, Agriculture, 1872-1876, 1909 to date.
   Included in the industrial college, 1876-1909. Industrial college, 1877-1909.
      Reorganization of colleges in 1909 subdivided this group into colleges of agriculture and engineering.
    Medicine, 1883-1888, 1902 to date.
      No courses in medicine were given between 1888-1902.
   Law, 1892 to date.
   Teachers' college, 1908 to date.
   Graduate college, 1909 to date.
   Engineering college, 1909 to date.
      All engineering courses grouped in this college in 1909.
   Pharmacy, 1915 to date.
   Business administration, 1919 to date.
   Dentistry, .1919 to date.

Schools--
   Latin school (two-year preparatory course), 1872-1901.
      This school was discontinued in 1895, but registrations were made in a preparatory school under university auspices until 1901.
    Graduate school, 1896-1909.
   Graduate college established in 1909.
   Sugar school, 1896-1900.
    Mechanic arts, School of, 1896-1909.
   Agriculture, School of, 1895 to date.
   Domestic science, School of, 1898-1906.
      Since 1906 these courses were included in the industrial and agricultural colleges.
   Fine arts, School of, 1898 to date.
   Music, Affiliated school of, 1898-1911.
      Connection with the university terminated in 1911.
   Department of university extension, 1908.
    Pharmacy, School of, 1908 to 1915.
      College of pharmacy established in 1915.
   Teachers' college high school, 1911 to date.
   Commerce, School of, 1913 to 1949.
      College of business administration established in 1919.
   Nebraska school of agriculture, Curtis, 1914 to date.
    Education, Graduate school of, 1914 to 1919.
    Nursing, School of, 1917 to date.
    Dentistry, School of, 1918 to 1919.
      College of dentistry established in 1919.
    Nebraska school of irrigation, Scottsbluff, organized, 1920. Discontinued, 1923.

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