The Daily Universe celebrates 50 years
This story originally appeared in the Daily Universe on March 9, 1971
Ernest L. Wilkinson has resigned as president of BYU.
His resignation was announced at this morning?s Devotional Assembly by President Harold B. Lee of the First Presidency.
President Lee reported to a hushed campus that the Board of Trustees has accepted the resignation of the man who has guided BYU through 20 years of growth and development.
The Board made its decision early this morning, ?with deep appreciation to him for his deep and lasting contribution to Brigham Young University and to education in the Church education system; with acknowledgement of the thousands of lives affected by his leadership and with special appreciation for his unusual devotion and his vigor in pursuing quality as well as growth.?
In a response, President Wilkinson explained that, ?after 20 years of endurance, I thought the time had come when I should pass the baton to someone else who could get a fresh start to tackle the problems that are still unresolved.
?For while we have made considerable progress, there are many things that have yet to be done?both of the spiritual and intellectual nature.?
One of those ?things?assisting in the creation of a School of Law at BYU?has been turned over to the outgoing president.
President Lee announced the appointment of President Wilkinson to assume a major role in the establishment of the new College of Law. It will be named the J. Reuben Clark College of Law in honor of the late counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, who was solicitor and Under-Secretary of the Department of State, U.S. ambassador to Mexico, and a recognized expert on international law.
The new college, for which a new building will be constructed, is expected to enroll its first students in the fall of 1973.
President Lee explained that Dr. Wilkinson had submitted his resignation in June of 1970, before reorganization of the Church School System and the appointment of Dr. Neal Maxwell as commissioner. However, the resignation was not accepted until today at a special meeting of the Board of Trustees.
Dr. Wilkinson will continue as president of the University throughout the remainder of the school year and, in order to orient his successor, possibly until the end of the fiscal year (Sept. 1).