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Brigham Young University. Board of Trustees

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1903-

Administrative History

The Brigham Young University Board of Trustees (est. 1903) is the highest administrative authority for Brigham Young University and acts as the final policy-making body of the University, holding the power to make all rules and regulations necessary for the government, continuance, and maintenance of the University.

The Board of Trustees may perform any action that they feel necessary and proper for the welfare and government of the institution, so long as their actions do not violate the law, the Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the University. As such, the Board of Trustees has power to fill all vacancies in the University and final say in the hiring, promoting and dismissing of University faculty; to set and determine the curriculum to be pursued at the University; to sell or mortgage property; and to locate, change or modify buildings as they see fit.

When the University was created in 1903, it inherited the earlier structure for the Board of Trustees of the Brigham Young Academy. In this form, the Board consisted of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a few General Authorities of the Church, prominent local individuals, and descendants of Brigham Young. In 1939, the Board of Trustees was restructured by Heber J. Grant as part of a movement to streamline the LDS Church's educational programs, and all members of the General Church Board of Education became members of the Board of Trustees. In this form, the Board exists today as the highest authoritative body of the Brigham Young University.

The Board of Trustees is presided over by the sitting President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the following have served as its presidents: Joseph F. Smith (1903-1918), Heber J. Grant (1918-1945), George Albert Smith (1945-1951), David O. McKay (1951-1970), Joseph Fielding Smith (1970-1972), Harold B. Lee (1972-1973), Spencer W. Kimball (1973-1985), Ezra Taft Benson (1985-1994), Howard W. Hunter (1994-1995), Gordon B. Hinckley (1995-2008), Thomas S. Monson (2008-2018), Russell M. Nelson (2018- ).

Citation:
BYU organizational history, via WWW, April 1, 2013 (Brigham Young University Board of Trustees est. 1903, highest administrative authority for Brigham Young University, acts as the final policy-making body of the University, holding the power to make all rules and regulations necessary for the government, continuance, and maintenance of the University, may perform any action necessary and proper for the welfare and government of the institution, so long as their actions do not violate the law, the Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the University, power to fill all vacancies in the University and final say in the hiring, promoting and dismissing of University faculty, set and determine the curriculum to be pursued at the University, sell or mortgage property, and to locate, change or modify buildings as they see fit, inherited the structure for the Board of Trustees of the Brigham Young Academy, consisted of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a few General Authorities of the Church, prominent local individuals, and descendants of Brigham Young, in 1939 the Board of Trustees was restructured by Heber J. Grant as part of a movement to streamline the LDS Church's educational programs and all members of the General Church Board of Education became members of the Board of Trustees, the Board exists today as the highest authoritative body of the Brigham Young University, presided over by the sitting President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph F. Smith (1903-1918), Heber J. Grant (1918-1945), George Albert Smith (1945-1951), David O. McKay (1951-1970), Joseph Fielding Smith (1970-1972), Harold B. Lee (1972-1973), Spencer W. Kimball (1973-1985), Ezra Taft Benson (1985-1994), Howard W. Hunter (1994-1995), Gordon B. Hinckley (1995-2008), Thomas S. Monson (2008-2018), Russell M. Nelson (2018- ))

Found in 11 Collections and/or Records:

Board of Trustees minutes and statistical reports, 1951-1972

 Series
Identifier: UA 6 Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains minutes and statistics from the Board of Trustees. Also includes information on fund-raising activities. Materials date from between 1951 and 1972.

Dates: 1951-1972
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 6, Board of Trustees records

Board of Trustees records

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197231035426]
Identifier: UA 148
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence, reports, and minutes of meetings concerning theological controversy, faculty appointments, student awards, finances, athletics, and maintenance of buildings, 1907-1922.

Dates: 1907-1922
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Board of Trustees records

General Church Board of Education records

 Collection — Folder 3
Identifier: UA 536
Scope and Contents

Contains records, including tape transcripts of Franklin L. West's narrative of the "history of the department of education of the LDS Church," relating to Brigham Young University, LDS Business College, and the Juarez and Kelsey academies. Also includes correspondence on candidates for Brigham Young University president. Dated approximately 1936 to 1966.

Dates: approximately 1936-1966
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / General Church Board of Education records

Office of the President correspondence with other universities, 1983-1984

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1030 Series 15
Scope and Contents From the Series: Contains correspondence with other universities in the church education system including Ricks and BYU-Hawaii, as well as the Polynesian Cultural Center. Also contains correspondence with other universities, namely Utah Technical College, University of Utah, University of Frontier, and Harvard University. Contains studies of purpose and function, building maintenance, faculty records, and professional development efforts. Also contains committee meeting reports and reviews from the Board of...
Dates: 1983-1984
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1030, Office of the President records / Office of the President correspondence with other universities

Office of the President correspondence with other universities, 1984-1985

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1030 Series 15
Scope and Contents From the Series: Contains correspondence with other universities in the church education system including Ricks and BYU-Hawaii, as well as the Polynesian Cultural Center. Also contains correspondence with other universities, namely Utah Technical College, University of Utah, University of Frontier, and Harvard University. Contains studies of purpose and function, building maintenance, faculty records, and professional development efforts. Also contains committee meeting reports and reviews from the Board of...
Dates: 1984-1985
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1030, Office of the President records / Office of the President correspondence with other universities

Office of the President correspondence with other universities, 1985-1986

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1030 Series 15
Scope and Contents From the Series: Contains correspondence with other universities in the church education system including Ricks and BYU-Hawaii, as well as the Polynesian Cultural Center. Also contains correspondence with other universities, namely Utah Technical College, University of Utah, University of Frontier, and Harvard University. Contains studies of purpose and function, building maintenance, faculty records, and professional development efforts. Also contains committee meeting reports and reviews from the Board of...
Dates: 1985-1986
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1030, Office of the President records / Office of the President correspondence with other universities

Office of the President correspondence with other universities, 1986-1987

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1030 Series 15
Scope and Contents From the Series: Contains correspondence with other universities in the church education system including Ricks and BYU-Hawaii, as well as the Polynesian Cultural Center. Also contains correspondence with other universities, namely Utah Technical College, University of Utah, University of Frontier, and Harvard University. Contains studies of purpose and function, building maintenance, faculty records, and professional development efforts. Also contains committee meeting reports and reviews from the Board of...
Dates: 1986-1987
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1030, Office of the President records / Office of the President correspondence with other universities

Office of the President correspondence with other universities, 1987-1988

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1030 Series 15
Scope and Contents From the Series: Contains correspondence with other universities in the church education system including Ricks and BYU-Hawaii, as well as the Polynesian Cultural Center. Also contains correspondence with other universities, namely Utah Technical College, University of Utah, University of Frontier, and Harvard University. Contains studies of purpose and function, building maintenance, faculty records, and professional development efforts. Also contains committee meeting reports and reviews from the Board of...
Dates: 1987-1988
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1030, Office of the President records / Office of the President correspondence with other universities

Office of the President correspondence with other universities, 1988-1989

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1030 Series 15
Scope and Contents From the Series: Contains correspondence with other universities in the church education system including Ricks and BYU-Hawaii, as well as the Polynesian Cultural Center. Also contains correspondence with other universities, namely Utah Technical College, University of Utah, University of Frontier, and Harvard University. Contains studies of purpose and function, building maintenance, faculty records, and professional development efforts. Also contains committee meeting reports and reviews from the Board of...
Dates: 1988-1989
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1030, Office of the President records / Office of the President correspondence with other universities

Office of the President correspondence with other universities, 1983-1989

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1030 Series 15
Scope and Contents Contains correspondence with other universities in the church education system including Ricks and BYU-Hawaii, as well as the Polynesian Cultural Center. Also contains correspondence with other universities, namely Utah Technical College, University of Utah, University of Frontier, and Harvard University. Contains studies of purpose and function, building maintenance, faculty records, and professional development efforts. Also contains committee meeting reports and reviews from the Board of...
Dates: 1983-1989
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1030, Office of the President records

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