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Brigham Young University. Office of the President

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1903-

Administrative History

The Office of the President (est. 1903) is the central administrative body at Brigham Young University, and is the direction of the university president.

Brigham Young University has had a president since Brigham Young Academy was changed to Brigham Young University in 1903. While the school was still called Brigham Young Academy the head officer was titled principal.

The Board of Trustees delegates to the university president the responsibility to conduct the operations of the institution and administer the policies enacted by the board. Since 1996, the president of the university has also been a General Authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Past and present Brigham Young University presidents include George H. Brimhall (1903-1921), Franklin S. Harris (1921-1945), Howard S. McDonald (1945-1949), (acting president) Christian Jensen (1949-1951), Ernest L. Wilkinson (1951-1971), Dallin H. Oaks (1971-1980), Jeffrey R. Holland (1980-1989), Rex E. Lee (1989-1995), Merrill J. Bateman (1996-2003), Cecil O. Samuelson (2003-2014), Kevin J. Worthen (2014-2023), and C. Shane Reese (2023- ).

Citation:
Office of the President essays, circa 1985-1986

Brigham Young University, L. Tom Perry Special Collections worksheet, Feb. 4, 2010 (Office of the President; administrative office associated with the president of Brigham Young University)

Brigham Young University Web site, Feb. 4, 2010 (Office of the President; President's Office)

BYU Organizational History, Brigham Young University, Feb. 19, 2013 (BYU chief executive/general manager; University President 1903; BYA to BYU; Board of Trustees delegate responsibilities to University President; 1996 General Authority; past/present presidents George H. Brimhall (1903-1921), Franklin S. Harris (1921-1945), Howard S. McDonald (1945-1949), (acting president) Christian Jensen (1949-1951), Ernest L. Wilkinson (1951-1971), Dallin H. Oaks (1971-1980), Jeffrey R. Holland (1980-1989), Rex E. Lee (1989-1995), Merrill J. Bateman (1996-2003), and Cecil O. Samuelson (2003- ))

Found in 377 Collections and/or Records:

Office of the President records on inauguration of Rex E. Lee

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 812
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence, recordings, and programs relating to the inauguration of Rex E. Lee as president of Brigham Young University. Dated 1989.

Dates: 1989

Office of the President records on Indian Program, 1949-1956

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 24
Scope and Contents

Contains correpondence, memos and reports detailing the establishment of the BYU Indian Education Program, dated between 1949 to 1955.

Dates: 1949-1956

Office of the President records on Indian program, 1968

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 11 Sub-Series 8
Scope and Contents

Contains letters, memos and clippings about academics and individuals of the BYU Indian Program as well as memos and letters about Project Head Start. Dated 1968.

Dates: 1968

Office of the President records on inquiries, 1952-1956

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 26
Scope and Contents

Contains letters regarding inquiries to the Office of the President. Dated 1952 to 1956.

Dates: 1952-1956

Office of the President records on Institute of Freedom, 1960-1962

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 4 Sub-Series 42
Scope and Contents

Contains memos and letters between President Wilkinson and Church general authorities. The topic was the proposed Institute of Freedom to help free workers. Dated 1960 to 1962.

Dates: 1960-1962

Office of the President records on Institutes and Seminaries, 1952-1956

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 13
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence and memos regarding the hiring of seminary and institute teachers, annual reports, and directories of seminary and institute teachers. Dated 1952 to 1956.

Dates: 1952-1956

Office of the President records on Iran, 1951-1955

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 27
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence between General Authorities, government officials, and BYU from 1951 to 1955. The correspondence pertains to BYU's involvement in the United States' Four Point program in Iran.

Dates: 1951-1955

Office of the President records on Iran, 1960-1962

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 4 Sub-Series 44
Scope and Contents

Contains memos and letters between BYU and church leadership evaluating Daneshsaraye Ali, a college in Iran, and other aspects of the Iran Program. Also contains the book: Technical Aid- on Investments in People published by BYU. Dated 1960 to 1962.

Dates: 1960-1962

Office of the President records on J. Bracken Lee, 1953-1956

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 30
Scope and Contents

Contains news clippings, letters, memorandums and reports from 1953 to 1956 concerning Utah Governor Joseph Bracken Lee.

Dates: 1953-1956

Office of the President records on junior colleges, 1949-1955

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 28
Scope and Contents

Contains histories, articles, reports and correspondence pertaining to junior colleges in Utah between 1949 to 1955. The majority of the correspondence and articles are opinions about the possibility of several of these colleges being transferred to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Dates: 1949-1955