however, the legislature said manhattan's land-grant institution was different than what a "state university" is. on february 20, 1863, kansas governor thomas carney signed into law a bill creating the state university in lawrence. the law said that if lawrence wanted the college, lawrence would need to give a $15,000 endowment fund and a place for the university. the place would have to be in or near the town, and it had to be at least forty acres (160,000 m²) big. if lawrence did not do these, emporia would get the university instead of lawrence.