University of the State of New York 
Object. The object of the University as defined by law is to encour- 
age 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 1g elective regents and by the governor, lieutenant- 
governor, 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 universitiés, 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 attain- 
ments 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 com- 
pletion 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 Thurs- 
day 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 orrevoke 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 the senate chamber 
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 im- 
portant 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. It 
elects each year a council of five to represent it in intervals between. 
meetings. Its proceedings, issued annually, are of great value in all 
educational libraries. 
i pki a oahaaatl 
a 
