predecessor successor death_place birth_place death_date title birth_date term_start image article_title term_end name alma_mater
karl g. maeser karl g. maeser los angeles , california provo , utah 16 june 1948 president academy of brigham young university principal of brigham young 7 february 1858 october 1903 january 1892 benjamin cluff.jpg benjamin cluff
 december 1903 october 1903 benjamin cluff university of michigan
benjamin cluff

benjamin cluff , jr. -lrb- february 7 , 1858 -- june 16 , 1948 -rrb- was the first president of brigham young university , and the school 's third principal .
under his administration , the student body and faculty more than doubled in size , and the school went from an academy to a university , and was officially incorporated by the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints .
cluff changed class periods from half an hour to a full hour , adopted the official colors of the university , started summer school and the alumni association , encouraged the university 's first student newspaper -lrb- `` white and blue '' -rrb- , provided the first student loans and developed an intercollegiate sports system .
