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Foundation Documents

"Much more than most universities, BYU exists as a spiritual idea as well as a physical institution. It consists not only of a tangible campus but of intangible ideals and ardent aspirations. It lives—as does the idea of Zion—on the horizon of the hopes and dreams that many Latter-day Saints hold about what a Church university ought to be....

"The high expectations that have enveloped BYU since its founding offer little occasion for self-congratulation but much opportunity for self-reflection and self-correction. We look back on the hopes and dreams of those who have gone before in order, Janus-like, to look forward to a future worthy of their sacrifices and aspirations. I hope that this volume will help faculty, students, and staff more fully understand and embrace BYU’s mission."

— Tanner, John S., Envisioning BYU: Foundations and Dreams. Provo: Brigham Young University, 2022.