Brigham Young University-Idaho
Encyclopedia
Brigham Young University–Idaho (BYU–Idaho or BYU–I) is a private university
located in Rexburg, Idaho
. Founded in 1888, the university is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and transitioned from a junior college
to a four-year institution in 2001, known for the greater part of its history as Ricks College.
BYU-Idaho offers programs in liberal arts
, engineering
, agriculture
, management
, and performing arts
. The university is broadly organized into six colleges, and its parent organization, the Church Educational System
, sponsors sister schools in Utah
and Hawaii. The university's sole focus is on undergraduate education
, hosting 17 associates and 70 bachelors degree programs; and it operates using a three-semester system also known as "tracks".
Students at BYU-Idaho are required to follow an honor code
, which mandates behavior in line with LDS teachings (e.g., academic honesty, adherence to dress and grooming standards, and abstinence from extramarital sex
and from the consumption of drugs and alcohol
). Approximately 99% of the university's 14,000 students are members of the LDS Church, and 40% of the student body takes a two-year hiatus from their studies at some point to serve as missionaries
. A BYU-Idaho education is also less expensive than at similar private universities since approximately 70% of tuition is funded by LDS Church tithing
funds.
Since becoming a four-year institution, BYU-Idaho no longer hosts intercollegiate athletic teams but instead organizes intracollegiate programs.
settlers colonized the eastern Snake River Plain
in the 1880s. As a stake academy, its purpose was that of a modern secondary school
as public schools had not yet been established. As the population grew, it became necessary to divide the geographical area designated by the LDS Church as the Bannock Stake. Fremont Stake was created, and thus in 1898 the school was renamed the Fremont Stake Academy.
as its first President. In 1923 it was renamed Ricks College and functioned as a two-year junior college. It would serve as a junior college for most of the remainder of the twentieth century, except for a brief period from 1948-1956 when it operated as a four-year institution.
Although the school was threatened with closing in the 1930s because of the Great Depression, it emerged with the support of local patrons and accreditation with the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. During the 1976 Teton Dam
flood, Ricks College was used as a center for disaster relief operations. By the late twentieth century, the college had become the largest private junior college in the country with over 7,500 students.
The campus sits on a hill overlooking the city of Rexburg and the Snake River Valley and includes nearly forty major buildings and residence halls on over 400 acres (1.6 km²). Off-campus facilities include a Livestock Center and the Henry’s Fork Outdoor Learning Center near Rexburg, the Outdoor Learning Center at Badger Creek in Idaho’s Teton Basin, and the Natural Science Center in Island Park, Idaho
. The Teton Lodge and Quickwater Lodge near Victor, Idaho
, are utilized as student leadership and service centers.
The main campus includes a planetarium
, an arboretum
, wildlife museums, and a large family history center
. The school also operates several athletic fields and facilities around campus, which are now used as part of the Activities program, an alternative to intercollegiate sports. Facilities include a baseball field, football and track stadium, tennis courts, as well as the John Hart Physical Education building, which with 4,000 seats in its main gym was used for athletic events, graduation, and concerts, and weekly campus devotional. The building also includes a small field house, pool, auxiliary gymnasiums, racquetball courts, and a workout area for students. In the Winter of 2011 the BYU-Idaho Center was opened to the students. The 435000 square feet (40,412.8 m²) building, containing a 15,000-seat auditorium and a multi-purpose area large enough for 10 full basketball courts, opened following a dedication on Dec.17.
In support of the fine arts and entertainment, the campus also includes the Ruth K. Barrus Concert Hall, which houses the acclaimed Ruffatti
organ, the third largest organ owned by the LDS Church after those housed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle
and Conference Center
, respectively. KBYI
-FM, a 100,000 watt public radio station, also broadcasts to eastern Idaho and parts of Wyoming
and Montana
from the campus.
BYU-I is led by President Kim B. Clark
, who began serving as president in 2005 after serving as dean of the Harvard Business School
. Along with other members of the Church Educational System
, BYU-Idaho is under direction of a Board of Trustees, which includes members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Auxiliary presidencies. BYU-Idaho is broken down further into six colleges:
The academic year is divided into three equal semesters (fall, winter, spring) of fourteen weeks and is known as the "three-track" system. It was instututed in 2001 as part of the transition from Ricks College to BYU-Idaho and the school's "Rethinking Education" campaign. When a student is admitted to BYU-Idaho, they are also assigned to a specific two-semester "track," (fall-winter, winter-spring, or spring-fall) based partly on preference, degree program, and availability to balance. Initially, the fall and winter semesters were slightly longer (and thus more heavily attended) than the summer semester and had more class options. Beginning in January 2007, the school adjusted the academic calendar equalizing the amount of time available in each semester, lengthening the class periods, and opening class offerings in the spring to allow more students to attend in the spring semester. There is also a short, 2-month summer session with accelerated class schedules. BYU-Idaho also offers "fast grad" which allows students to attend all semesters and finish their degree sooner. This is usually available as an option to students who have an upper sophomore or higher standing.
There were 14,944 full-time students enrolled at BYU–Idaho during the Fall 2010 semester. Students come from all 50 states and more than 50 countries. According to a 2005 survey, almost 40% of BYU–Idaho students came from the state of Idaho
, with the majority of students coming from five states: Idaho 38%, Utah 10%, California 10%, Washington 8%, and New Mexico 6%. Thus, the student body at BYU–Idaho is notably homogeneous—not only due to its geographic representation but also due to ethnicity and religion. During the Winter 2006 semester, 91% of the students were Caucasian
, while the largest minority group for the Winter 2006 semester was Hispanic
, representing 3% of the student body. Moreover, during the Winter 2006 semester, 99.8% of the students were members of the LDS Church.
The school's Board of Trustees approved an increase in the single semester enrollment cap, raising it from 11,600 to 12,500 students beginning during the winter semester of 2010. This cap does not include continuing education students, or students who are off track. The enrollment is planned to go up in steps reaching 15,000 students on campus between 2013 and 2014. As part of the university's ongoing expansion plan, and to meet increasing admission demands, the estimated headcount between 2013 and 2014 will be roughly 17,000 students per semester, equaling more than 25,000 students annually (given the university's three year academic calendar). Admissions to the university is deemed "less selective" for 2009 by U.S. News & World Report
as a Tier 3 institution.
, earning 17 national titles, 61 individual national titles, and producing nearly 100 first-team All-Americans. National title wins included Women's Cross Country (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001), Men's Cross Country (1965, 1966, 1986, 1999, 2000, 2001), Women's Track and Field (1997), and Women's Volleyball (1974; AIAW
). More than 25 alumni who played football for Ricks went on to play professionally in the National Football League
or Canadian Football League
.
It was announced in June 2000 that the athletics program would be phased out as part of the change from a junior college to a four-year college, due mainly to the costs associated with running a college athletic department.
The atmosphere at BYU–Idaho is different from most other universities due to its affiliation with the LDS Church. For example, almost every Tuesday that school is in session a devotional is held on campus when no classes are held, administrative offices close, and students and faculty are encouraged to attend the hour-long worship service either in person in the new BYU-Idaho Center, via campus TV, or on the radio at KBYI 94.3 FM
. There speakers selected from the campus community as well as from the general authorities
of LDS Church will share a spiritually uplifting message. Students are also encouraged to attend weekly church meetings, held every Sunday.
Until February 2008, BYU-Idaho was the only university affiliated with the LDS Church that did not have a nearby temple. However, that was changed with the construction of the Rexburg, Idaho temple, dedicated on Feb. 10, 2008.
Much of BYU–Idaho student life revolves around events sponsored by the school organization Student Activities, which frequently hosts dances, concerts, sports events, and service projects. A three-day series of concerts called "Guitars Unplugged," held each semester, features mainly acoustic music performed by student performers and groups who are selected by audition. The school has recently been developing a thriving jazz
scene, which is aggressively promoted by students who participate in jazz area classes, such as the Sound Alliance Big Band and jazz combos, as well as music department faculty. Faculty jazz concerts and the annual BYU–Idaho Jazz festival are also becoming popular events with students. The school has featured such artists as Cyrus Chestnut
, Nicholas Payton
, Devine in time, Benington, Dan the Great, Farr time, Dirk-Dirk, Mark's Great Adventure, Bob Mintzer
, and Harold Jones.
Rexburg is situated in a strong northern climate in which winter dominates, and as such, winter sport
s such as skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and ice hockey are popular. There are two nearby ski resorts, Grand Targhee and Kelly Canyon
, which are frequented by students. However, Rexburg also experiences warm summers, and bridge jumping has become a popular activity with many summer students. Students also visit the nearby St. Anthony sand dunes frequently, where large bonfire
s and camp outs have become popular.
. Early forms of the BYU Honor Code are found as far back as the days of the Brigham Young Academy and educator Karl G. Maeser
. Maeser created the "Domestic Organization", which was a group of teachers who would visit students at their homes to see that they were following the schools moral rules prohibiting obscenity, profanity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The Honor Code itself was created in 1940 at BYU and was used mainly for cases of cheating and academic dishonesty
. Ernest L. Wilkinson
expanded the Honor Code in 1957 to include other school standards (at this time, Wilkinson, as President of BYU, and the director of the what was then the Unified Church School System, had some authority over all of the Church schools). This led to what the Honor Code represents today: rules regarding chastity, dress, grooming, drugs and alcohol in addition to academic honesty. A signed commitment to live the Honor Code is part of the application process for all LDS-affiliated schools, and must be adhered by all students, faculty, and staff. Students and faculty found in violation of standards are either warned or called to meet with representatives of the Honor Council. In rare cases, students and faculty can be expelled from the school for excessive misbehavior. In addition to the general Honor Code common at all LDS schools, the BYU–Idaho Honor Code prohibits overalls, baseball cap
s (worn inside classrooms), shorts, flip-flop
sandals, and also any worn, faded, or patched clothing on campus.
Single students are required to live in housing that is approved by the university. All approved housing options are located within a mile of the university
. Co-ed housing is prohibited according to the Honor Code, but some complexes have separate buildings for men and women. Married students are not required to live in approved housing and may live wherever they choose.
). The school's alumni include two-time Olympic medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling (gold in 2000) Rulon Gardner
and MLB pitcher for the Colorado Rockies
, Matt Lindstrom. Another alumnus is former counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency
Marion G. Romney
, who was valedictorian of the Ricks Academy class of 1918.
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in Rexburg, Idaho
Rexburg, Idaho
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,257 people, 4,274 households, and 2,393 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,534.4 people per square mile . There were 4,533 housing units at an average density of 928.4 per square mile...
. Founded in 1888, the university is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and transitioned from a junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
to a four-year institution in 2001, known for the greater part of its history as Ricks College.
BYU-Idaho offers programs in liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
, engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, and performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
. The university is broadly organized into six colleges, and its parent organization, the Church Educational System
Church Educational System
The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners...
, sponsors sister schools in Utah
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and Hawaii. The university's sole focus is on undergraduate education
Undergraduate education
Undergraduate education is an education level taken prior to gaining a first degree . Hence, in many subjects in many educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a bachelor's degree, such as in the United States, where a university entry level is...
, hosting 17 associates and 70 bachelors degree programs; and it operates using a three-semester system also known as "tracks".
Students at BYU-Idaho are required to follow an honor code
Brigham Young University Honor Code
The Brigham Young University Honor Code is a set of standards by which students and faculty at Brigham Young University, a school owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are required to live. The standards derive in many ways from codes of conduct of the LDS Church,...
, which mandates behavior in line with LDS teachings (e.g., academic honesty, adherence to dress and grooming standards, and abstinence from extramarital sex
Chastity
Chastity refers to the sexual behavior of a man or woman acceptable to the moral standards and guidelines of a culture, civilization, or religion....
and from the consumption of drugs and alcohol
Word of Wisdom
The "Word of Wisdom" is the common name of a section of the Doctrine and Covenants, a book considered by many churches within the Latter Day Saint movement to consist of revelations from God...
). Approximately 99% of the university's 14,000 students are members of the LDS Church, and 40% of the student body takes a two-year hiatus from their studies at some point to serve as missionaries
Missionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
. A BYU-Idaho education is also less expensive than at similar private universities since approximately 70% of tuition is funded by LDS Church tithing
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
funds.
Since becoming a four-year institution, BYU-Idaho no longer hosts intercollegiate athletic teams but instead organizes intracollegiate programs.
History
The Bannock and Fremont Stake Academies
On November 12, 1888, the LDS Church created Bannock Stake Academy in Rexburg. The precursor to BYU-Idaho, like several other colleges and universities across the mountain west, was established as a "stake academy" first, as MormonMormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
settlers colonized the eastern Snake River Plain
Snake River Plain
The Snake River Plain is a geologic feature located primarily within the state of Idaho in the United States of America. It stretches about westward from northwest of the state of Wyoming to the Idaho-Oregon border. The plain is a wide flat bow-shaped depression, and covers about a quarter of Idaho...
in the 1880s. As a stake academy, its purpose was that of a modern secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
as public schools had not yet been established. As the population grew, it became necessary to divide the geographical area designated by the LDS Church as the Bannock Stake. Fremont Stake was created, and thus in 1898 the school was renamed the Fremont Stake Academy.
Ricks College
In 1903, the school was renamed again as Ricks Academy in honor of Thomas E. Ricks, the Bannock Stake president at the time it was founded and the chairman of the school's first Board of Education. By the early twentieth century, stake academies had largely been discontinued as public schools became more established in the western United States. Ricks Academy survived as it had added a year of college work to its curriculum and in 1917 was granted state certification, which allowed graduates to teach in the state of Idaho. At that point, it was known as Ricks Normal College with George S. RomneyGeorge S. Romney
George Samuel Romney was the president of Bannock Stake Academy, now Brigham Young University–Idaho, at the end of the First World War. He was a key figure in helping it to survive the postwar depression. Before its latest rename it was known as Ricks College.Romney was a member of The Church of...
as its first President. In 1923 it was renamed Ricks College and functioned as a two-year junior college. It would serve as a junior college for most of the remainder of the twentieth century, except for a brief period from 1948-1956 when it operated as a four-year institution.
Although the school was threatened with closing in the 1930s because of the Great Depression, it emerged with the support of local patrons and accreditation with the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. During the 1976 Teton Dam
Teton Dam
The Teton Dam was a federally built earthen dam on the Teton River in southeastern Idaho, set between Fremont and Madison counties, USA, which when filling for the first time suffered a catastrophic failure on June 5, 1976. The collapse of the dam resulted in the deaths of 11 peopleand 13,000 head...
flood, Ricks College was used as a center for disaster relief operations. By the late twentieth century, the college had become the largest private junior college in the country with over 7,500 students.
BYU-Idaho
On June 21, 2000, the LDS Church announced that Ricks College would become a four-year institution known as Brigham Young University–Idaho. This change became official just over a year later on August 10, 2001. Amongst the changes was the elimination of the intercollegiate athletic program and the institution of a larger activities and intracollegiate athletics program. The school also established the current "three-track" system, which admitted students on a specific track of two semesters (including the Spring semester), rather than the standard fall and winter semesters. The renovated and enlarged Hyrum Manwaring Student Center and a new auditorium building with seating for 15,000 were recently dedicated on the Campus.Campus
Island Park, Idaho
Island Park is a city in Fremont County, Idaho, United States. The city's population was 215 at the 2000 census. The city was incorporated by owners of the many lodges and resorts along U.S. Route 20 in 1947, primarily to circumvent Idaho's liquor laws that prohibited the sale of liquor outside of...
. The Teton Lodge and Quickwater Lodge near Victor, Idaho
Victor, Idaho
Victor is a city in Teton County, Idaho, United States. The population was 840 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson, WY-ID Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Victor is located at...
, are utilized as student leadership and service centers.
The main campus includes a planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
, an arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
, wildlife museums, and a large family history center
Family History Center (LDS Church)
Family History Centers are units of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
. The school also operates several athletic fields and facilities around campus, which are now used as part of the Activities program, an alternative to intercollegiate sports. Facilities include a baseball field, football and track stadium, tennis courts, as well as the John Hart Physical Education building, which with 4,000 seats in its main gym was used for athletic events, graduation, and concerts, and weekly campus devotional. The building also includes a small field house, pool, auxiliary gymnasiums, racquetball courts, and a workout area for students. In the Winter of 2011 the BYU-Idaho Center was opened to the students. The 435000 square feet (40,412.8 m²) building, containing a 15,000-seat auditorium and a multi-purpose area large enough for 10 full basketball courts, opened following a dedication on Dec.17.
In support of the fine arts and entertainment, the campus also includes the Ruth K. Barrus Concert Hall, which houses the acclaimed Ruffatti
Fratelli Ruffatti
Famiglia Artigiana Fratelli Ruffatti is a manufacturer of pipe organs based in Padua, Italy.- History :...
organ, the third largest organ owned by the LDS Church after those housed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle
Salt Lake Tabernacle
The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah along with the Salt Lake Assembly Hall and Salt Lake Temple.-History:...
and Conference Center
LDS Conference Center
The Conference Center, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the premier meeting hall for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Completed in spring 2000 in time for the church's April 2000 general conference, the 21,000-seat Conference Center replaced the traditional use of the nearby Salt...
, respectively. KBYI
KBYI
KBYI is part of the group, and is found at 94.3 FM in Southeast Idaho. BYU-Idaho Radio originates from , in Rexburg, Idaho, USA, and comprises three stations:...
-FM, a 100,000 watt public radio station, also broadcasts to eastern Idaho and parts of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
and Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
from the campus.
Organization
Kim B. Clark
Kim B. Clark is President of Brigham Young University–Idaho. Before this appointment in 2005, Clark served as Dean of the Harvard Business School from 1995 to 2005 and as the George F...
, who began serving as president in 2005 after serving as dean of the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
. Along with other members of the Church Educational System
Church Educational System
The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners...
, BYU-Idaho is under direction of a Board of Trustees, which includes members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Auxiliary presidencies. BYU-Idaho is broken down further into six colleges:
|
|
Academics
Despite the change to a four-year institution, BYU-Idaho still offers several Associate-degree programs in addition to its Bachelor-degree programs. Across the six colleges, there are thirty-eight departments, offering a total of 103 bachelor-level programs and eighteen associate-degree programs.The academic year is divided into three equal semesters (fall, winter, spring) of fourteen weeks and is known as the "three-track" system. It was instututed in 2001 as part of the transition from Ricks College to BYU-Idaho and the school's "Rethinking Education" campaign. When a student is admitted to BYU-Idaho, they are also assigned to a specific two-semester "track," (fall-winter, winter-spring, or spring-fall) based partly on preference, degree program, and availability to balance. Initially, the fall and winter semesters were slightly longer (and thus more heavily attended) than the summer semester and had more class options. Beginning in January 2007, the school adjusted the academic calendar equalizing the amount of time available in each semester, lengthening the class periods, and opening class offerings in the spring to allow more students to attend in the spring semester. There is also a short, 2-month summer session with accelerated class schedules. BYU-Idaho also offers "fast grad" which allows students to attend all semesters and finish their degree sooner. This is usually available as an option to students who have an upper sophomore or higher standing.
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, with the majority of students coming from five states: Idaho 38%, Utah 10%, California 10%, Washington 8%, and New Mexico 6%. Thus, the student body at BYU–Idaho is notably homogeneous—not only due to its geographic representation but also due to ethnicity and religion. During the Winter 2006 semester, 91% of the students were Caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, while the largest minority group for the Winter 2006 semester was Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
, representing 3% of the student body. Moreover, during the Winter 2006 semester, 99.8% of the students were members of the LDS Church.
The school's Board of Trustees approved an increase in the single semester enrollment cap, raising it from 11,600 to 12,500 students beginning during the winter semester of 2010. This cap does not include continuing education students, or students who are off track. The enrollment is planned to go up in steps reaching 15,000 students on campus between 2013 and 2014. As part of the university's ongoing expansion plan, and to meet increasing admission demands, the estimated headcount between 2013 and 2014 will be roughly 17,000 students per semester, equaling more than 25,000 students annually (given the university's three year academic calendar). Admissions to the university is deemed "less selective" for 2009 by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
as a Tier 3 institution.
Athletics
Ricks College Vikings
Known as the Vikings, Ricks College fielded an intercollegiate athletics program from 1919-2002 in the National Junior College Athletic AssociationNational Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
, earning 17 national titles, 61 individual national titles, and producing nearly 100 first-team All-Americans. National title wins included Women's Cross Country (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001), Men's Cross Country (1965, 1966, 1986, 1999, 2000, 2001), Women's Track and Field (1997), and Women's Volleyball (1974; AIAW
Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships. It evolved out of the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women . The association was one of the biggest...
). More than 25 alumni who played football for Ricks went on to play professionally in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
or Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
.
It was announced in June 2000 that the athletics program would be phased out as part of the change from a junior college to a four-year college, due mainly to the costs associated with running a college athletic department.
Athletics as a four-year university
Following the phasing out of intercollegiate athletics, BYU–Idaho developed a competitive intracollegiate athletics program, which functions as part of Student Activities. Several teams from within the school compete against one another in a variety of sports throughout the year, complete with regular-seasons and playoffs.LDS atmosphere
KBYI
KBYI is part of the group, and is found at 94.3 FM in Southeast Idaho. BYU-Idaho Radio originates from , in Rexburg, Idaho, USA, and comprises three stations:...
. There speakers selected from the campus community as well as from the general authorities
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of LDS Church will share a spiritually uplifting message. Students are also encouraged to attend weekly church meetings, held every Sunday.
Until February 2008, BYU-Idaho was the only university affiliated with the LDS Church that did not have a nearby temple. However, that was changed with the construction of the Rexburg, Idaho temple, dedicated on Feb. 10, 2008.
Culture
Despite its transition from Ricks College to BYU-Idaho, leaders of the university have maintained the desire to preserve what they call the "Spirit of Ricks," a campus tradition of service, hard work, friendliness, and compassion. The school's relative geographic isolation from a metropolitan area, combined with the strong moral standards taught and encouraged by the school and its sponsoring organization, contribute to a unique student culture unlike that of many universities, but with some basic similarities to the other LDS Church-owned campuses in Utah and Hawaii. Alcohol and drug use is nearly nonexistent, as the use of these is strictly prohibited by the school's honor code and the LDS Church. There is also no Greek system.Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
scene, which is aggressively promoted by students who participate in jazz area classes, such as the Sound Alliance Big Band and jazz combos, as well as music department faculty. Faculty jazz concerts and the annual BYU–Idaho Jazz festival are also becoming popular events with students. The school has featured such artists as Cyrus Chestnut
Cyrus Chestnut
Cyrus Chestnut is an American jazz pianist, songwriter, and producer. In 2006, Josh Tyrangiel, music critic for Time Magazine, wrote: "What makes Chestnut the best jazz pianist of his generation is a willingness to abandon notes and play space." Chestnut enjoys mixing styles and resists being...
, Nicholas Payton
Nicholas Payton
Nicholas Payton is a jazz trumpet player from New Orleans, Louisiana.-Biography:The son of bassist and sousaphonist Walter Payton, he took up the trumpet at the age of four and by the time he was nine he was playing in the Young Tuxedo Brass Band alongside his father...
, Devine in time, Benington, Dan the Great, Farr time, Dirk-Dirk, Mark's Great Adventure, Bob Mintzer
Bob Mintzer
Bob Mintzer is a jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader based in Los Angeles, California. Mintzer is a member of the jazz rock band the Yellowjackets.-With The Yellowjackets:*Greenhouse, 1991;*Live Wires, 1992;...
, and Harold Jones.
Rexburg is situated in a strong northern climate in which winter dominates, and as such, winter sport
Winter sport
A winter sport is a sport which is played on snow or ice. Most such sports are variations of skiing, ice skating and sledding. Traditionally such sports were only played in cold areas during winter, but artificial snow and ice allow more flexibility...
s such as skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and ice hockey are popular. There are two nearby ski resorts, Grand Targhee and Kelly Canyon
Kelly Canyon
Kelly Canyon is an alpine ski area in eastern Idaho, in the Targhee National Forest. Northeast of Idaho Falls, it straddles the county line in the southeastern corner of Jefferson County and also in southern Madison County. The ski area opened in 1957, founded by E. Bud Johnson.The summit is at an...
, which are frequented by students. However, Rexburg also experiences warm summers, and bridge jumping has become a popular activity with many summer students. Students also visit the nearby St. Anthony sand dunes frequently, where large bonfire
Bonfire
A bonfire is a controlled outdoor fire used for informal disposal of burnable waste material or as part of a celebration. Celebratory bonfires are typically designed to burn quickly and may be very large...
s and camp outs have become popular.
Honor Code
All students and faculty, regardless of religion, are required to agree to adhere to an honor codeHonor code
An honour code or honour system is a set of rules or principles governing a community based on a set of rules or ideals that define what constitutes honorable behavior within that community. The use of an honor code depends on the idea that people can be trusted to act honorably...
. Early forms of the BYU Honor Code are found as far back as the days of the Brigham Young Academy and educator Karl G. Maeser
Karl G. Maeser
-Brigham Young Academy:When Maeser arrived at Brigham Young Academy in 1876 it was dying. Enrollment had declined since Warren N. Dusenberry had started the school a few months before. There were only 29 students at the time of Maeser's arrival....
. Maeser created the "Domestic Organization", which was a group of teachers who would visit students at their homes to see that they were following the schools moral rules prohibiting obscenity, profanity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The Honor Code itself was created in 1940 at BYU and was used mainly for cases of cheating and academic dishonesty
Academic dishonesty
Academic dishonesty or academic misconduct is any type of cheating that occurs in relation to a formal academic exercise. It can include* Plagiarism: The adoption or reproduction of original creations of another author without due acknowledgment.* Fabrication: The...
. Ernest L. Wilkinson
Ernest L. Wilkinson
Ernest Leroy Wilkinson was an American academic administrator and prominent figure in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was president of Brigham Young University from 1951 to 1971 and also oversaw the entire LDS Church Educational System. Prior to this, Wilkinson was a lawyer...
expanded the Honor Code in 1957 to include other school standards (at this time, Wilkinson, as President of BYU, and the director of the what was then the Unified Church School System, had some authority over all of the Church schools). This led to what the Honor Code represents today: rules regarding chastity, dress, grooming, drugs and alcohol in addition to academic honesty. A signed commitment to live the Honor Code is part of the application process for all LDS-affiliated schools, and must be adhered by all students, faculty, and staff. Students and faculty found in violation of standards are either warned or called to meet with representatives of the Honor Council. In rare cases, students and faculty can be expelled from the school for excessive misbehavior. In addition to the general Honor Code common at all LDS schools, the BYU–Idaho Honor Code prohibits overalls, baseball cap
Baseball cap
A baseball cap is a type of soft cap with a rounded stiff brim. The front of the cap typically contains designs or logos of sports teams ,...
s (worn inside classrooms), shorts, flip-flop
Flip-flop
Flip-flops, thongs, Japanese sandals, or jandals are an open type of outdoor footwear, consisting of a flat sole held loosely on the foot by a Y-shaped strap, like a thin thong, that passes between the first and second toes and around either side of the foot...
sandals, and also any worn, faded, or patched clothing on campus.
Single students are required to live in housing that is approved by the university. All approved housing options are located within a mile of the university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. Co-ed housing is prohibited according to the Honor Code, but some complexes have separate buildings for men and women. Married students are not required to live in approved housing and may live wherever they choose.
Alumni
As of August 2008, BYU–Idaho has approximately 150,000 alumni, including those from the period when the school functioned as an academy (equivalent to a modern high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
). The school's alumni include two-time Olympic medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling (gold in 2000) Rulon Gardner
Rulon Gardner
Rulon Gardner is an American Olympian who competed in the 2000 Olympic games, winning the gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling upon defeating Russian Aleksandr Karelin, who was previously undefeated in 13 years of international competition...
and MLB pitcher for the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, Matt Lindstrom. Another alumnus is former counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
Marion G. Romney
Marion G. Romney
Marion George Romney was an apostle and a member of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Early life:...
, who was valedictorian of the Ricks Academy class of 1918.