University of Virginia Library

GOVERNMENT AND ORGANIZATION.

The organization of the University, its government, discipline, and
methods of instruction, were virtually prescribed by Jefferson alone; and
in many respects they still retain the impression derived from him. By
virtue of its charter, the supreme government of the institution, under the
General Assembly, is invested in the Rector and Visitors. Under the
general direction of this board, and subject to its regulations, the affairs
of the University were administered, for the first eighty years of its existence,
by the Faculty and its Chairman, the latter being a member of the
Faculty, who occupied temporarily the position of chief executive officer
of the institution.

As the University grew, it became more and more difficult for a member
of the teaching staff to fill the position of chairman, and attend to the

manifold executive duties attached to that office. In October, 1903, the
Visitors decided that modern conditions rendered necessary the creation
of the office of president; and in June, 1904, Dr. Edwin Anderson Alderman
was elected first president of the University of Virginia.

The scheme of instruction organized by Jefferson contemplated no fixed
uniform curriculum of studies to be pursued by every student alike, without
discrimination. Each distinct branch of knowledge was, as far as was
practicable, assigned to an individual "School" with its own instructors;
and the University was to consist of a collection of independent Schools.
The origin of the elective system at the University of Virginia is found in
the fact that students were permitted to matriculate in any School or
Schools of the University for which they were prepared.

The original organization consisted of eight independent Schools—
namely, Ancient Languages, Modern Languages, Mathematics, Natural
Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, Chemistry, Medicine, and Law. The first
seven Schools mentioned were opened to matriculates on March 7, 1825,—
with an aggregate attendance, during the first session, of 123 students.
The School of Law was not opened until 1826.

This original organization was, of course, gradually enlarged and
modified. As early as 1837 the School of Medicine was elevated to a
Department, consisting of three individual Schools; while in 1850 the
School of Law was enlarged to a Department consisting of two Schools.
Other Departments and Schools have been added from time to time, until
the University organization arrived at its present condition, as described
elsewhere in this catalogue.

It was provided by the first Board of Visitors, in accordance with
Jefferson's wishes, that but two degrees should be conferred by the University.
The lower degree, characteristic of the institution for many years,
was conferred upon a student who had completed all the work offered in
any one School; to such a candidate the untitled degree of "Graduate"
in the School in question should be given. The other, the higher degree,
was to be the Doctor's degree, and was to be given to the graduate in two
or more Schools who had, in addition, exhibited well-developed powers of
research.

There is abundant evidence that, in planning the organization of the
University of Virginia, Jefferson had in mind the so-called continental type
of university. The first faculty were, however, with one or two exceptions,
Oxford or Cambridge men. Naturally they had in mind the English
type of university: the result of which was that they soon substituted (in
1831, for the Doctor's degree proposed by Jefferson, the Master's degree,
common in England. The degree of "Master of Arts of the University of
Virginia" was accordingly, for more than half a century, the leading
degree conferred by this institution.

As at present organized, the University comprises twenty-five distinct
and independent Schools. The courses of instruction given in these are so
coördinated as to form six Departments, two of which are academic, and
four professional (or technical).

The Academic Departments are

• The College:
  with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.

• The Department of Graduate Studies:
  with the degrees of Graduate in the School; Master of Arts;
  and Doctor of Philosophy.

The Professional Departments are

• The Department of Law:
  with the degree of Bachelor of Law.

• The Department of Medicine:
  with the degree of Doctor of Medicine.

• The Department of Engineering:
  with the degrees of Civil Engineer; Mechanical Engineer;
  Electrical Engineer; and Mining Engineer.

• The Department of Agriculture:
  with the degree of Bachelor of Science.