Original: Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary , founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832 , which also later founded Genesee College . Following several years of debate over relocating the college to Syracuse , the university was founded independent of the college in 1870 .
Simplified: It was founded as a university in 1870 , but started off as a seminary founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832 which eventually became Genesee College .