College was the Kalamazoo Branch of the University of Michigan from 1840 to 1850. Furthermore, the university struggled with issues due to its regents' dependence on the legislature from 1837 to 1850. Despite several attempts to gain independence, progress was slow until the late 1840s, when regents gained leverage, supported by Michigan citizens. This led to a revision of the organic act on April 8, 1851, which freed the university from legislative control, changed the regent position from appointed to elected, and established a president selected by the regents.
=== 1851 to 1900 ===
Henry Philip Tappan became the university's first president in 1852, with the ambition to shape the institution as a model for future universities. During his decade of service, he overhauled the curriculum, expanded the library and museum collections, established the law school, and supervised the construction of the Detroit Observatory. He secularized faculty appointments by prioritizing merit in selections, breaking away from …
