Brigham Young University. Department of Statistics
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 2 Collections and/or Records:
Department of Statistics printed materials, 1963-1980
Classroom materials, forms, form letters, announcements, memos, and minutes.
Graduate Studies records on Department of Statistics, 1987-2000
Materials are related to the graduate program of the Department of Statistics from 1987 to 2000. Materials include reports, department reviews, and proposals.