the university in 1872, most of Oregon's colleges were denominational. While the Oregon State Legislature drafted a bill in 1872 to form the university, a citizens group from Eugene, the Union University Association (UUA), formed and began campaigning to make the university non-denominational. During a legislative meeting in September 1872, the UUA would succeed in amending the bill to include a non-denominational clause. The bill eventually was passed by the state legislature in 1872, establishing the institution as Oregon State University. The residents of Eugene raised $27,500 to buy eighteen acres of land at a cost of $2,500.
=== Early years ===
The university opened in 1876 under the name of "Oregon State University" and University Hall as its sole building. The first year of enrollment contained 155 students taught by five faculty members. The first graduating class was in 1878, graduating five students. In 1881, the university was nearly closed; it was $8,000 in debt before Henry Villard donated $7,000 …
