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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 1 Collection or Record:

Board of Trustees records

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197231027266]
Identifier: UA 89
Scope and Contents

Typewritten reproduction of document concerning the incorporation of Brigham Young University, April 29, 1949 (11 pages).

Dates: 1949