An ACT to amend the Act, entitled, "An Act for the Encouragement of Literature.” Passed April 3d, 1802. [Sess. 25. ch. 105. sec. 1, 2. Webster's Edit. vol. iii. p. 165.] WHEREAS it appears, from a report of the surveyor-general, that the grant of a certain tract of land in the county of Washington, adjoining the south end of Lake George, to the regents of the university, in and by the act, entitled, “An act for the further encouragement of literature," interferes with the bounds of lands previously granted; and the regents having prayed for a grant of other lands adjoining the same, and in lieu thereof, to enable them the more effectually to fulfil the purposes for which the grant of those lands was intended: Therefore, I. Be it enacted by the People of the State of NewYork, represented in Senate and Assembly, That the said regents of the university, and their successors, shall be and hereby are vested with the seisin and possession of the lands hereafter described, belonging to the people of this state; that is to say, a certain tract of land in the county of Washington, adjoining the south end of Lake George, beginning on the east shore of the said lake, where the westerly bounds of a tract of two thousand acres, granted by letters patent to William Houghton, strikes the same, and running thence along the said Houghton's tract southerly and westerly to the northwest corner thereof, then with a straight line to the most westerly corner of a tract of two hundred acres granted by letters patent to John Jones, then along the southerly bounds thereof, to Lake George, and then along the same southerly, easterly, and northerly, to the place of beginning, containing one thousand seven hundred and twenty-four acres of land; and the former grant to the said regents, so far as the same included lands not herein described, shall be void. II. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the said regents to grant and convey to the trustees of Columbia and Union colleges, and their successors, the lands above described, together with the lands at Ticonderoga and Crown Point already vested in the said regents, in such proportions, as they shall deem just and reasonable, for the use of the said colleges respectively. Trustees named. An ACT relative to Columbia College in the city of Passed March 23d, 1810. [Sess. 33. ch. 85. Webster & Skinner's WHEREAS the trustees of Columbia college, in the city of New-York, have represented, that sundry impediments to their trust, and to the interest of literature in the college, are found by experience from certain restrictions and defects in their charter, and have prayed relief, and that their charter, when amended, may be comprised in one act: Therefore, I. BE it enacted by the People of the State of NewYork, represented in Senate and Assembly, That John H. Livingston, Richard Varick, Brockholst Livingston, Abraham Beach, John Lawrence, Gershom Seixas, Richard Harison, John Watts, William Moor, Cornelius I. Bogart, John M. Ma son, Edward Dunscomb, George C. Anthon, John N. Abeel, James Tillary, John H. Hobart, Benjamin Moore, Egbert Benson, Governeur Morris, Jacob Radcliff, Rufus King, Samuel Miller, Oliver Wolcott, and John B. Romeyn, the present trustees of the said college, and their successors, shall be and remain forever hereafter, a body politic and corporate, in fact and in name, by the name of “The trustees of Columbia College, in the city of New-York," and by that name shall and may have continual succession for ever hereafter, and shall be able in law to sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended, in all courts and places whatsoever, and may have a common seal, and may change and alter the same at their pleasure, and also, shall be able in law to take by purchase, gift, grant, devise, or in any other manner, and to hold any real and personal estate whatsoever; Provided always, The clear yearly Proviso. value of the real estate to be so acquired, shall Revenue not exceed the sum of twenty thousand dollars; estate to be and also that they and their successors shall have not to exceed power to give, grant, bargain, sell, demise, or lars. otherwise dispose of, all or any part of the said real and personal estate, as to them shall seem best for the interest of the said college. from real acquired, 20,000 dol Trustees. II. And be it further enacted, That the said trus- Power of tees, and their successors, shall forever hereafter have full power and authority to direct and prescribe the course of study, and the discipline to be observed in the said college, and also to select and appoint by ballot or otherwise, a president of To appoint a the said college, who shall hold his office during good behaviour; and such professor or professors, Professors President. and tutors. And other Proviso. President, how removed. Eleven Trustees a quorum. Thirteen to sell real estate, &c. Chairman elected by ballot. tutor or tutors, to assist the president in the government and education of the students belonging to the said college, and such other officer or officers, as to the said trustees shall seem meet, all of whom shall hold their offices during the pleasure of the trustees: Provided always, That no such professor, tutor, or other assistant officer shall be trustee. III. And be it further enacted, That if complaint shall be made in writing to the said trustees, or their successors, by any member of the said corporation of any misbehaviour in office by the president, it shall be lawful for the said trustees, or their successors, from time to time, upon examination, and such due proof of misbehaviour, to suspend or discharge such president, and to appoint another in his place. IV. And be it further enacted, That eleven of the said trustees, lawfully convened, as is hereinafter directed, shall be a quorum for the despatch of all business, except for the disposal of real estate, or for the choice or removal of a president, for either of which purposes there shall be a meeting of at least thirteen trustees. V. And be it further enacted, That the said trustees shall have full power and authority to elect by ballot their own chairman once in every year, or at such other periods as they shall prefer. VI. And be it further enacted, That the said trustees shall also have power, by a majority of votes of the members present to elect and appoint, upon the death, removal out of the state, or other Vacancies in Vacancy of the place or places of any trustee or Trustees. trustees, other or others, in his or their places or stead as often as such vacancy shall happen; and the Board of ments. tee. meetings. also to make and declare vacant the seat of any trustee who shall absent himself from five successive meetings of the board; and also to meet upon their own adjournment, and so often as they Adjourn shall be summoned by their chairman, or in his absence by the senior trustee; whose seniority Senior Trusshall be accounted according to the order in which the said trustees are named in this act, and shall be elected hereafter; Provided always, That the Special said chairman or senior trustee shall not summon a meeting of the corporation unless required thereto in writing by three of the members; And provided also, That he cause notice of the time and Meetings, place of the said meeting to be given in one or more of the public newspapers printed in the city of New-York, at least three days before such meeting: and that every member of the corporation resident in the city shall be previously advertised in writing of the time and place of every such meeting. how called. degrees. VII. And be it further enacted, That the said Honours and trustees and their successors, shall have power and authority to grant all such literary honours and degrees, as are usually granted by any university, college, or seminary of learning in this state, or in the United States; and in testimony of such grant to give suitable diplomas under their Diplomas. seal, and the signatures of the president and such professors, or tutors of the college, as they shall judge expedient; which diplomas shall entitle the possessors respectively to all the immunities and privileges which either by usage or statute are allowed to possessors of similar diplomas from any university, college, or seminary of learning. 5 |