in 1860, nutt was elected president of indiana university. during his presidency, the university attempted to create an agricultural and mechanical school under the terms of the morrill act, though by 1869 purdue was established as the land grant college of indiana. in 1867, the board of trustees voted to admit women to classes, and around the same time the university experienced the beginning of organized athletics with students embracing the game of baseball. the junior and senior-class-controlled newspaper the student also was founded that year.