Also, see reply #2 for a link for background info. on Dr. Gonzalez--GGG
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To: geoffroy@iastate.edu Subject: Guillermo Gonzalez Tenure Ruling
President Gregory L. Geoffroy,
I am disappointed at the University's denial of Guillermo Gonzalez tenure application. Despite the fact that Dr. Gonzalez has 68 peer-reviewed publications, he seems to be denied tenure on the basis of viewpoint discrimination. Although the University's mission statement says, "In carrying out its mission, Iowa State will increase and support diversity in the University community. Diversity enlivens the exchange of ideas, broadens scholarship, and prepares students for lifelong, productive participation in society.", it seems that this diversity does not apply to those who promote intelligent design theory.
Please do the right thing and approve Guillermo Gonzalez tenure application.
Sincerely,
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Thank you for writing to President Geoffroy about the matter involving Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez. Pres. Geoffroy has asked me to respond on his behalf because he is in the process of considering Dr. Gonzalez's appeal of the tenure decision, and it is not appropriate to comment until the appeal decision is finalized. For your information, I have outlined below the facts related to this matter.
Like most research universities, Iowa State has an extensive process of evaluating faculty for tenure. The procedure is prescribed in the Faculty Handbook (http://www.provost.iastate.edu/faculty/handbook/faculty_handbook/) and in the college and department organizational documents. The evaluation is based on the candidate's record of teaching, service and scholarly research during the time of the candidate's appointment at Iowa State, using standards and expectations set by the candidate's tenured faculty colleagues in his/her academic department. The review begins in the candidate's academic department, where a recommendation on tenure and promotion is generated by a vote of the tenured faculty. The process includes consideration of recommendations of reputable persons in the same area of study, but who are not at Iowa State. That is progressively followed by reviews by the department chair, a college-level committee, the dean of the college, and the executive vice president and provost, all of whom generate recommendations for the next level of review. The candidate's dossier and all of the recommendations are then presented to the university president, who makes a final decision. In the case of a final negative decision, the candidate has the right of appeal, using a process that is prescribed in the Faculty Handbook.
The tenure decision is one of the most important decisions that a university makes, because it means a lifetime appointment for the individual being considered, and before granting tenure, faculty and university leaders must be convinced of the candidate's promise of excellence in his/her academic discipline that will last for the duration of his/her academic career. It is a very high standard of excellence and achievement, and there are many good researchers, and good people, who fail to satisfy the demands of earning tenure.
As an assistant professor of physics and astronomy, Dr. Gonzalez was evaluated for tenure and promotion to associate professor by the tenured faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. That evaluation was based on an assessment of the excellence of his teaching, service, scholarly research publications and research funding in astronomy, using standards and expectations set by the faculty in the department. The consensus of the tenured department faculty, the department chair, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the executive vice president and provost was that tenure should not be granted. On the basis of those recommendations against granting tenure and promotion at every prior level of review and the president's own review of the record, President Geoffroy notified Dr. Gonzalez in April that he would not be granted tenure and promotion to associate professor.
On May 9, Dr. Gonzalez, following university procedure, submitted to the president an appeal of the final tenure decision, and that appeal is now being considered with a decision expected to be rendered by June 6, 2007.
For more information regarding this tenure case, please follow this link:
http://www.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/2007/may/tenureFAQ.shtml
John McCarroll
Executive Director
Office of University Relations
Here is a link to Dr. Gonzalez published, peer reviewed papers:
http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/filesDB-download.php?command=download&id=1362
Here is some background info. on Dr. Gonzalez:
All who do not toe the line will be punished.
The Discovery Institute is more interested in propogating conspiracy theories than they are in researcing and putting forth evidence for the "theory" of intelligent design.
How many threads on this so far?