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Brigham Young University. Department of Statistics

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1960-

Administrative History

The Department of Statistics (est. 1960) is an instructional unit at Brigham Young University. It is responsible for teaching courses related to statistics.

In the mid-1950s, President Ernest L. Wilkinson created the Bureau of Church Studies in order to predict for assist in planning for church education. Nielson initially studied demographic trends in church membership and university age membership up until the year 2000. After the study was completed in 1957, Nielson was initially placed in the Department of Economics. Then in 1960, the Department of Statistics was created.

The department was initially placed in the College of Business, but moved to the College of Physical and Engineering Sciences in 1968. It remained in the college when it was reorganized as the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences in 1973.

Department chairs included Howard C. Nielson (1960-1963), Melvin W. Carter (1964-1965), Dale O. Richards (1966-1969), H. Gill Hilton (1970-80), and Alvin C. Rencher (1981-1982), Leland J. Hendrix (1986-1995), Gale Rex Bryce (1995-2001), Howard B. Christensen (2001-2006), Del T. Scott (2006-2012), H. Dennis Tolley (2012-2017), and William F. Christensen (2017- ).

Citation:
nuc87-54075: Bryce, G.R. Data analysis in RUMMAGE, c1980 (usage on WaU rept.: Dept. of Statistics, Brigham Young University)

BYU Statistics Department, via WWW, Sept. 30, 2014 (Department of Statistics; created in 1960; Wilkinson creating Bureau of Church Studies; Howard Nielson conducting study; Nielson's job offer; Dean Taylor creating Statistics Department)

Brigham Young University Organizational History Project, via WWW, July 2, 2020 (Department of Statistics; initially part of College of Business; moved to College of Physical and Engineering Sciences in 1968; remained in reorganized College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, 1973; chairs: Howard C. Nielson (1960-1963), Melvin W. Carter (1964-1965), Dale O. Richards (1966-1969), H. Gill Hilton (1970-80), and Alvin C. Rencher (1981-1982), Leland J. Hendrix (1986-1995), Gale Rex Bryce (1995-2001), Howard B. Christensen (2001-2006), Del T. Scott (2006-2012), H. Dennis Tolley (2012-2017), and William F. Christensen (2017- ))

Found in 9 Collections and/or Records:

Department of Statistics department history, 1966-1989

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1188 Series 4
Scope and Contents

Materials include the Department of Statistics department history, department plan, faculty files, and the history of developement of the center for statistical research. Materials date from between 1966 to 1989.

Dates: 1966-1989

Department of Statistics information on the major, 1981-1982

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1188 Series 5
Scope and Contents

Materials include information about the Statistics major from Brigham Young University booklets, Major lists, five year plan, description of courses, and Utah American Statistical Association (ASA) membership. Materials date from between 1981 and 1982.

Dates: 1981-1982

Department of Statistics newspapers, 1974-1990

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1188 Series 2
Scope and Contents

Materials include the newspaper Y News and program and materials from Science Day activities from 1974 to 1990.

Dates: 1974-1990

Department of Statistics notes and meeting minutes, 1973-1993

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1188 Series 1
Scope and Contents

Materials include notes and correspondences, BYU faculty notes, department faculty meeting minutes, and department minutes. Materials date from between 1973 and 1993.

Dates: 1973-1993

Department of Statistics printed materials, 1963-1980

 Series
Identifier: UA 659 Series 6
Scope and Contents note

Classroom materials, forms, form letters, announcements, memos, and minutes.

Dates: Other: 1963-1980

Department of Statistics records

 Collection
Identifier: UA 1188
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence, meeting minutes, faculty notes, news articles, department history files, and statistics summer institute binders.

Dates: 1966-2011

Department of Statistics studies and research, 1968-1976

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1188 Series 3
Scope and Contents

Materials include Brigham Young Universities Department of Statistics self studies, annual report of research activities, and other data. Materials date from between 1968 to 1976

Dates: 1968-1976

Graduate Studies records on Department of Statistics, 1987-2000

 Sub-Series — Carton 21: Series 6 [Barcode: 31197233639712], Folder: 5
Identifier: UA 1141 Series 6 Sub-Series 51
Scope and Contents

Materials are related to the graduate program of the Department of Statistics from 1987 to 2000. Materials include reports, department reviews, and proposals.

Dates: 1987-2000

Summer Institute of Applied Statistics participant binders, 1976-2011

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1188 Series 6
Scope and Contents

Materials include participant binders from the department's summer institute. Materials dated between 1976 to 2011.

Dates: 1976-2011