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Documents of Appointment

Asa Gray
Regents' Proceedings

Detroit, July 17th 1838

Governor Mason presented a communication from Dr. Asa Gray respecting the Professorship of Botany in the University, etc., whereupon, on motion of Mr. Kearsley, it was

Resolved, That Dr. Asa Gray be and he is hereby appointed Professor of Botany and Zoology in the University of Michigan, and that the committee on Professorships be instructed to correspond with Dr. Gray in detail relative to his appointment.

Regents’ Proceedings, April 1840, Page 129

Resolved, That the Committee for the appointment of Professors, Tutors, and other officers, be authorized to open a correspondence with Dr. Asa Gray for the purpose of ascertaining from him whether he will not assent to a suspension of his salary for the present year and that the Committee report to this Board the result of such correspondence with all convenient speed.

Regents’ Proceedings, May 1840, Page 130

Chancellor Farnsworth, from the Committee on Professors, Tutors, etc, who were instructed to open a correspondence with Dr. Asa Gray, respecting the suspension of his salary for the next year, reported that they had performed the duty assigned them, and had received a letter from Mr. Gray agreeing to the suspension of his salary for the next year.

Regents’ Proceedings, January 1841, Page 149

Dr. Asa Gray, appointed Professor Botany and Zoology, Central Institution at Ann Arbor. 1840

Regents’ Proceedings, May 1842, Page 235

Dr. Pitcher also presented to the Board two letters from Dr. Asa Gray tendering his resignation of the Professorship to which he had been appointed on the I7th July, I838, and giving in explanation of the fact, that he had accepted an appointment from the Trustees of the Harvard College before he had heard of the action of the Board on his resignation; whereupon, the Board

Resolved, That the Board accept the resignation of Dr. Asa Gray of his Professorship of Botany, and in doing so express their regret that the unavoidable delay in opening the University and the embarrassed condition of the finances of the Board for the last two years, from which they have not yet been fully extricated should have proved the occasion of their losing the services in the University of Michigan of a gentleman whose scientific attainments and qualifications as a Professor they have very highly estimated and which they are happy to know have been appreciated by one of the oldest and most valued of our American Colleges.