Reverend Doctor Robert Bruce (1778–1846) is often regarded as the first chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh, then called the Western University of Pennsylvania, serving from 1819 to 1835 and again from 1836 to 1843. During this time the heads of the university held the title of "Principal", a holdover from the institution's academy days, and there were also several Principals prior to Bruce that headed the forerunner to the Western University of Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Academy. In 1819 the Pennsylvania legislature modified the 1787 charter of the Pittsburgh Academy to confer university status on the school. This initiated the selection of Reverend Bruce to be Principal of the University from 1819 and he served in that capacity until 1835 when Gilbert Morgan was selected as Pres