32 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



a board of regents to be elected at large by the people for six 

 years. This board was to select a president of the university who 

 should be, ex officio, a member of the board, who should preside over 

 its meetings, but who should have no power of voting except in the case 

 of a tie. He was to be the principal executive officer of the university 

 and a member of its faculty. 1 The constitution was accepted by the 

 people on July i, 1876, and on August 1, 1876, President Grant pro- 

 claimed Colorado a member of the Union. 2 



Upon the board of regents, provided for in the constitution and 

 elected in the autumn of the year 1876, now devolved the task of 

 equipping the university and of selecting its faculty. The six men 

 elected were George Tritch, Frederick J. Ebert, Junius Berkley, Levi 

 W. Dolloff, C. Valdez and W. H. Van Grieson. 3 At the first meeting 

 of the new board held on December 23, 1876, in the governor's office 

 in Denver, F. J. Ebert was chosen temporary chairman and J. Berkley, 

 temporary secretary. 4 The next meeting was held in Denver, again 

 in the governor's office, for the purpose of taking under consideration 

 the bill then in the General Assembly which was to regulate the state 

 university. At the same meeting a demand was made upon the board 

 of trustees that they transfer all university property to the board of 

 regents. 5 The bill that had been carefully scrutinized by the regents 

 became a law on March 15, 1877. It made ample provision for the 

 government of the University and gave it a financial basis by a grant 

 of a one-fifth mill tax for its support. 6 



The new law made it possible for the board of regents to organize 

 and begin work. The meeting of March 27, 1877, was held at Boulder 

 in the university building. 7 Permanent officers were elected: Levi 

 W. Dolloff, president; Junius Berkley, secretary; Thomas M. Field, 

 treasurer. Mr. Field declined the office and Job A. Cooper was 



1 Constitution, Article DC, Sees. 12, 13, 14. 



* Iowa Journal of History and Politics l Vol. II, pp. 271-72. 



' History of Clear Creek and Boulder Valleys, pp. 409. Messrs. DoUoff and Berkley were residents of 

 Boulder. 



* Regents 1 Minutes, pp. 1-2. s Ibid., pp. 2-4. February 2, 1877. 



6 Mill's Annotated Statutes, edition i8gi, chap. 128. Governor Routt's message to the legislature is inter- 

 esting on the status of the university late in 1876. 

 » Regents' Minutes, pp. 4-8. 



