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.