June 3, 2007

Advocate of Intelligent Design Loses Appeal in Tenure Fight

Iowa State University’s president, Gregory L. Geoffroy, has denied a tenure appeal from Guillermo Gonzalez, an assistant professor of astronomy. Mr. Gonzalez’s tenure case has generated controversy because of his performance and his personal beliefs: He had a strong publishing record when first hired, and he has been an outspoken advocate of intelligent design. He has published a book on the concept, which holds that some form of intelligence has helped shape the universe and life within it.

However, Mr. Gonzalez’s publication record has dropped off considerably since he was hired at Iowa State. In a written statement, Mr. Geoffroy referred to that record as part of his reason for denying the tenure appeal. “I independently concluded that [Mr. Gonzalez] simply did not show the trajectory of excellence that we expect in a candidate seeking tenure in physics and astronomy — one of our strongest academic programs,” Mr. Geoffroy wrote.

He said that he could not provide details about the rationale for the decision because the case is a personnel matter, but added that he had considered Mr. Gonzalez’s “refereed publications, his level of success in attracting research funding and grants, the amount of telescope observing time he had been granted, the number of graduate students he had supervised, and most importantly, the overall evidence of future career promise in the field of astronomy.”

Mr. Geoffroy said that the university held high standards for granting tenure, and that four out of 12 candidates in physics and astronomy had been denied tenure in the past 10 years. He also touted his experience as a scientist — he is a chemist — and said that he has reviewed close to 1,000 tenure and promotion cases in the past two decades. —Scott Carlson

Comments

1. In reviewing various policies and guidelines over the years, there are a number of reasons why someone can be denied tenure. These include the following:

   a. Incompetence;
   b. Immorality;
   c. Insurordination;
   d. Unprofessional conduct;
   e. Neglect of duty;
   f. Unfitness to teach’
   g. Need to reduce professional staff.

   Tenured and non-tenured personnel may be dismissed for cause.
   Institutions in higher education are required to state specific reasons for dismissal and grant a hearing.

   William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
   Professor
   PhD Program in Educational Leadership
   Prairie View A&M University
   Member of the Texas A&M University System

   www.nationalforum.com

   — William Allan Kritsonis, PhD    Jun 4, 02:14 PM    #

2. The following are due process rules for dismissing a tenured or non-tenured college professor:

   a. the professor must be given timely, detailed, written notice of the charges;
   b. the professor must be accorded a hearing and sufficient time to prepare;
   c. the professor has a right to be represented by legal counsel;
   d. the professor may present written and oral evidence, including witnesses;
   e. the professor may cross-examine and challenge evidence;
   f. the hearing is to be conducted before an impartial body. The U.S. Supreme Court has rulled in Hortonville District vs. Hortonville Education Association, that, under the United States Constitution, a governing agency may be an impartial body unless bias can be proven.

   William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
   Professor
   PhD Program in Educational Leadership
   Prairie View A&M University
   Member of the Texas A&M University System

   www.nationalforum.com

   — William Allan Kritsonis, PhD    Jun 4, 02:19 PM    #

3. There are a number of facts that are necessary to show age or racial discrimination in employment practices. This may be relevant in this case. These include the following:

   1. the person belongs to a special minority group;
   b. the person applied for and was qualified for the position;
   c. the person was rejected in spite of his/her qualifications;
   d. the position remained open and the employer sought other applications.

   These are rather general but applicable.

   William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
   Professor
   PhD Program in Educational Leadership
   Prairie View A&M University
   Member of the Texas A&M University

   www.nationalforum.com

   — William Allan Kritsonis, PhD    Jun 4, 02:23 PM    #

4. But if he published a book on intelligent design no wonder his astronomy publication record has dropped off.

   — Mark de Goz    Jun 4, 03:17 PM    #

5. I’ve been interested in Dr. Gonzalez’s case since May 18th. I commented on his case in several interventions numbered 24, 36, 41, 43, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 53 and the final 54th, in the May 15th issue of the News Blog in this same Chronicle. A related article “120 Professors at Iowa State U. Sign Statement Criticizing Intelligent-Design Theory” caught my attention and immediately challenged my common sense: Could it possibly be that Intelligent Design be considered a mere theory and be massively challenged by a whole university to the point of denying tenure to a proponent? To my modest understanding you can only apply inquisitive intelligence to intelligent design! A chaotic (unintelligent) universe would have no intelligent observers to begin with. On the other hand, believing in an intelligent design without an Intelligent Designer as a fanatical stronghold makes for a nice clinical case. Finding such mental aberration in a top U.S. university speaks tomes on U.S. intellectual decadence; on its Scientific Establishment gone berserk! On what is possibly the worst danger to world peace!

   — Luis G. Osio    Jun 4, 08:33 PM    #

6. It’s not that ID proponents don’t have strong credentials and publish in mainstream journals. Who has the guts to let them?

   — Wayne Hollyoak    Jun 7, 08:24 AM    #

7. Today’s issue surprisingly confirms my comment Nº 5 above, under the title: “The maddening effects of law school. Research suggests that law school has a corrosive effect on the well-being, values, and motivation of students, say Kennon M. Sheldon, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Missouri at Columbia, and Lawrence S. Krieger, a law professor at Florida State University. “Indeed, the emotional distress of law students appears to significantly exceed that of medical students and at times approach that of psychiatric populations,”. So the problem seems to be evident everywhere. Would the Chronicle be interested in a short article titled: “From Darwin to Law School, Why Academe’s going off its Rocker.”?

   — Luis G. Osio    Jun 8, 12:40 PM    #

8. Some ID proponents do have strong credentials (mostly in fields other than biology, of course), and some do indeed publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals, no question. However, even the biologists have apparently been unable to write anything in support of ID that passed muster.If they could, they’d get published.

   — Chris Britten    Jun 8, 01:15 PM    #

9. StarDustSociety -This is a universe of atoms, all billions of years old. It is the atomic age of all we know including ourselves. These atoms guide our every thought in our mind,until in death they reform and recycle. An Intelligent Designer of nature is a more senible theory of evolution then the “Time and Chance” philosophy led by atheists. Neither idea rates as factual science.

   — charles fisenne    Jun 9, 08:21 AM    #

10. Paraphrasing G. Chesterton: there are those who think that a person who can’t believe in God won’t be able to believe in anything; unfortunately that lesser evil is not true at all, IT’S WORSE; a person who can’t believe in God is likely to believe in ANYTHING! Like “atoms guide our every thought in our mind, until in death they reform and recycle”. Atomized reincarnation leads no further than recycling of cans lumped up with animism. That certainly rates NOT as factual science! Want more proof on Academe going off its rocker? Shouldn’t we all try for a real solution?

    — Luis G. Osio    Jun 10, 11:11 PM    #

11. Let’s try something more positive as a joint venture in thought. We live in the most extraordinary period ever experienced by humanity as a whole ―make it as debatable as you wish, as debate is not important at this stage so we can all give it a nod. This period is a crowning achievement of a civilization, which has been named, with a name indisputably accepted as “Western Civilization”. We can also give it a nod. All civilizations have followed a pattern of growth that makes them recognizable as a transcendental human endeavour, defining transcendental as recognizably personal ―with the distinct personality of western man― spanning centuries. Our quest will be thus simplified: we are interested in progress ―let’s give it a nod; which is led by discovery ―another nod; where genius leads and markets (goods, ideas, institutions) respond ―another nod. So! If civilizations as thoroughly studied from Titus (64 BC―17 AD) to Toynbee and others in recent times stand out for birth, growth, development and decay; as above stated in a pattern of growth that makes them recognizable, we are interested, both in the patterns and the peculiar spirit which made it grow. In other words: In that which gives western man its personality and cohesion. We can all agree on this being interesting and give it a nod. Now for a shakeout: I offer as bone of contention a book: First because not being mine I can be rather cool in debating it. Secondly, because it’s openly biased as stated from the title itself, so no one will feel cheated or misled by being thus invited; and thirdly, and most interestingly, because what the author presents has been ―in essence― called into question by the same institution he so ardently defends! On these assumptions, interest increases as the author himself will probably feel drawn into the debate! Here’s the title: “How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization”, By Thomas E. Woods Jr., Ph. D. In other words: When sanity itself is lost, we feel the need of going back to the basics, which are to be found in the origins, and this makes sense ONLY when the origins can be found, and at least a good comprehensible modern work is available on the subject. Getting back our sanity should make it worthwhile! If someone thinks I’m exaggerating, take a peek at number 7 above.

    — Luis G. Osio    Jun 11, 01:07 AM    #

Previous: New Review for Patent Disputed by Microsoft and U. of California
Next: Iran Blasts Bush for Demanding Detainees' Release