Ernest L. Wilkinson, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetErnest L. Wilkinson
President of Brigham Young University
Date of Birth: 04-May-1899
Place of Birth: Ogden, Utah, United States
Date of Death: 06-Apr-1978
Profession: lawyer
Nationality: United States
Zodiac Sign: Taurus 
About Ernest L. Wilkinson
- Ernest Leroy Wilkinson (May 4, 1899 – April 6, 1978) was an American academic administrator, lawyer, and prominent figure in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
- He was president of Brigham Young University (BYU) from 1951 to 1971, simultaneously overseeing the entire LDS Church Educational System.
- He is credited with the expansion of Brigham Young University.
- Under his presidency, the student body increased six times to over twenty-five thousand students due to the physical growth of the university and his aggressive recruiting policies.
- The number of colleges at the university increased from five to thirteen and the number of faculty members increased four-fold.
- Wilkinson focused on recruiting more faculty and convincing current faculty to receive education outside the university.
- As a result, the number of teachers with doctorate degrees increased from 50 to 500.
- Associate and doctoral programs were created for Brigham Young University. The J.
- Reuben Clark library (now the Harold B.
- Lee Library) was built and library resources were expanded by 500 percent.
- The number of buildings on Brigham Young University campus increased from 6 to over 300 buildings, representing an increase in floor space of about 4.2 million square feet.
- He initiated the construction of various student housing options to accommodate over 6,000 students.
- Additionally, he increased the number of student religious congregations.
- During his twenty-year presidency, the number of congregations increased from 1 student branch to 98 wards and 10 stakes for LDS students.
- Under Wilkinson's presidency, the Brigham Young University Honor Code was more clearly established and was designed to include a strict dress code. Wilkinson was a strongly conservative Republican.
- He unsuccessfully ran for the U.S.
- Senate in 1964, while he was president of Brigham Young University.
- Prior to his career in education, Wilkinson was a lawyer in Washington, D.C.
- and New York City, his most well-known and lucrative case being a $32 million settlement from the U.S.
- government for the Ute Indian Tribes.
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