The Institute of Creation Research, whose proposal to teach a master’s program in creationist thought was rejected Thursday by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, has issued the following press release:
Dallas, April 25, 2008 – Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Commissioner Raymund Paredes on Wednesday recommended that the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School (ICRGS) be denied a Certificate of Authority to grant degrees in the state. On Thursday, the Board voted unanimously to accept Paredes’ recommendation.
Paredes issued his recommendation, prepared in advance of Wednesday’s meeting, despite the approval of both the THECB Site Team, which evaluated the ICRGS in November 2007, and the THECB Advisory Committee that affirmed the Site Team’s approval in December 2007. He rejected both reports as “flawed” and instead convened a separate panel of scientists and science educators that advised him not to approve the ICRGS application. ICRGS scientists and faculty were not included in or allowed to respond to this panel.
On Thursday, Joe Stafford, Assistant Commissioner for Academic Affairs and Research, read into record a Texas Education Code statute about preventing public deception in the face of “fraudulent” or “substandard” college and university degrees. ICRGS representatives present at the meeting were not allowed to respond to this mischaracterization of the graduate program.
The manner in which the hearing was conducted was characterized by viewpoint discrimination. Prior to Wednesday’s consideration of the ICRGS application, THECB committee chairperson Lyn Bracewell Phillips allowed public testimony for 30 minutes on the ICRGS application. Several political activists, including Steven Schafersman—who had evidently not reviewed the ICRGS application materials—launched ad hominem attacks against the credibility and reputation of the ICRGS and its faculty.
Critics have sought to draw false associations between the ICRGS program and alleged attempts to introduce religion into taxpayer-funded public schools, even though the ICRGS is a private postgraduate institution seeking to train science educators for private schools.
Questions have surfaced concerning the treatment of the ICRGS application by THECB officials and whether Commissioner Paredes and his agency altered the normal process of application review because of external pressures based on ideological biases against the ICRGS.
Under Texas law, the ICRGS may appeal the decision of the Commission or seek other remedies as appropriate.
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Lawrence E. Ford
Director of Communications
Institute for Creation Research
1806 Royal Lane
Dallas, Texas 75229
A Bible-based group’s proposal to prepare teachers in creationist thought was rejected Wednesday by a committee of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, a board spokeswoman said.
The final decision on the Institution for Creation Research’s application for certification of its master’s degree in science education will be made by the full board Thursday, board spokeswoman De Juana Lozada said.
The committee’s decision was based on a recommendation by Texas Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund Paredes. According to Paredes’ recommendation, the institute’s program is inconsistent with scientific convention and board rules that require that programs cover the breadth of the discipline taught. Consultants concluded that the program’s insistence in the literal interpretation of biblical creation gives insufficient coverage of conventional science, according to Paredes’ statement.
The institute’s Master of Science online degree program in science education teaches science from a creationist perspective, according to the institute’s Web site. The non-denominational group is founded on Christian principles.
Henry Morris III, chief executive officer of the Dallas-based institute, argued that the group teaches both evolution and creationism but favors the latter, according to a Dallas Morning News report of Wednesday’s hearing.
Students in the institute “receive a rigorous and thorough education in the sciences, in which they are exposed to standard naturalistic and evolutionary theories found in secular universities, with the additional benefit that they are also challenged with evidences of the supernatural intervention of the Creator,” according to the group’s Web site.
The institute filed for certification of its master’s degree in November, when a site evaluation team visited the campus. The team issued a report that was reviewed by an advisory council in December. The advisory council issued a non-binding recommendation in favor of the program, which was then scrutinized by Paredes. The Commissioner concluded that the review process had been flawed, as the site evaluation team members were not experts on science education and did not sufficiently address the program’s academic standards.
Paredes convened a group of science educators to offer an independent review of the institute’s proposal. After consulting with the group, Paredes issued a formal recommendation against the program. The process ends with the final decision by the nine-member coordinating board to accept, deny or amend Paredes’ recommendation.
If the board accepts Paredes’ recommendation, the institute has 45 days to file an appeal or 180 days to reapply for certification.
The Texas Education Code prohibits private higher education institutions from granting degrees without a Certificate of Authority issued by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The two-year certificate is a preliminary step for institutions seeking approval to grant degrees in Texas and depends on the institution receiving formal accreditation by a board-recognized accrediting agency.
The Institute for Creation Research will issue a press release Thursday following the board’s final decision, the institute’s managing editor Beth Mull wrote in an e-mail.
Studies show that women get paid less because they allow it to happen.
“Women are concerned about damaging the relationship,” said Laura Browne, a Phoenix program manager with Women Unlimited, in an artcicle in the Arizona Republic. “They are concerned that if they ask for more money, thier boss will be mad at them.”
TCU has offered several seminars geared toward women teaching them how to negotiate thier salary.
Earlier in the semester Tammy Hughes, a modivational speaker talked about the differences in men and women at work. She said that women are more timid than men and their salaries reflect that.
Also, the women’s studies department did a three part series on women in the work place in conjunction with the Neeley School.
The university is doing what it can to make sure TCU women are confident negotiators and get what they are worth.
High School seniors expecting to graduate and enter college next semester, are facing the stiffest competition Texas has ever seen.
According to Dallas Morning News, Texas’ growing population, which is being fueled by an increase of Hispanics, is making it harder for students to recieve scholarship money from their home state.
In Texas, the top 10 percent law, which guarantees admission to state universities for top students, provides assurance for some seniors, but makes it even tougher for others to score seats in the strongest schools.
About 81 percent of Texas students accepted at the University of Texas at Austin this year were admitted through the top 10 percent law.
The competition has also helped prompt application surges at several other Texas schools.
The high rejection rates at top-tier schools have also put a damper on senior year for many students and guidance counselors are now recommending students to apply to 10 schools instead of preciously advised 5-7 schools.
Gov. Rick Perry will make a booksigning appearance on campus at 6:30 p.m. today.
Perry is promoting his new book “On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts Are Worth Fighting For,” which is centered around the Boy Scouts of America’s progam. So far, the bookstore has sold under 100 books.
The book focuses on the values of Scouting in America and the right to asemble, said Andrea McCormick, a department manager.
Perry uses personal experiences in his book to explain his point of view.
The booksigning will be upstairs in the reading room.
With an overhauled starting rotation that includes two freshman, a sophomore and a junior, the Horned Frogs have been able to post an improved staff ERA through just over half the season.
After 36 games, the ERA has improved from 3.95 to 3.18. The team’s three regular starters from the 2007 campaign are no longer with the team due to graduation and the draft. Junior Seth Garrison made three starts last season before going down for the year with injury. Though still looking for his first win of the season, Garrison has settled into the rotation with a 3.27 ERA.
Sophomore Tyler Lockwood has led the rotation with a 1.50 ERA and a 3-0 record. Two out of his four starts have been complete games. Last year, Lockwood posted a 4.09 ERA with a 5-2 record in 3 starts. He had 23 appearances out of the bullpen.
Freshmen Sean Hoelscher brings a 3-2 record and 3.13 ERA into the weekend. This week, he earned athlete of the week honors from gofrogs.com after getting his third win of the season Saturday against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Hoelscher took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and set down 16 straight Runnin’ Rebels while accumulating a career-high 8 strikeouts.
Freshman Greg Holle rounds out the rotation. He leads the team with 9 starts and has a 4.20 ERA.
Strong winds and have rain damaged several parts of the DFW area.
Damage can be seen on the TCU campus as well. A tree on the corner of Cantey and Cockrell was split in half. The branches of the tree are still in the front yard of the home and are blocking the majority of the road on Cockrell. The branches also bent the road signs and damaged part of the lamp post.
More damages were reported outside of Foster Hall, where branches and debris from another tree on campus broke off and landed on a bicycle rack.
Students can expect to see trucks from the TCU Physical Plant transporting tree branches off campus for most of the day.
Today’s weather is expected to reach a high of 80 degrees, sunny most of the day with partly cloudy skies, according to weather.com Web site.
Almost every incoming college student has heard of the “Freshman 15”, the 15 pounds supposedly gained in the first year of college because of poor food choices and lack of exercise. According to a new study by Auburn University in Alabama, the figure may be significantly less.
A pilot study of 36 freshman at Auburn measured changes in weight and body composition at the beginning of the school year, the end of the fall semester and the end of the spring semester, said Sareen Gropper, associate professor of nutrition at Auburn and the study’s author, and found that the median weight gain for the participants was about 4.8 pounds.
“It’s not the freshman 15; it’s more like the freshman 5,” Gropper said.
The average weight gain for females was 3.2 pounds, while the average weight gain for males was 5.4 pounds.
Gropper said she would conduct a larger study of 200 students to see if the findings were consistent.
Stacy Cintron, assistant director of campus recreation, said further study would have to be done to see if the findings of the original study are applicable.
“That’s a rather small sample to make a huge inference out of,” Cintron said.
Cintron said students can avoid extra weight gain not only by staying physically active and making wise food choices, but also by managing stress, including time managment and spiritual support. She said there were little ways for students to stay physically active, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, which burns an average of 35 calories.
“Be creative with how you bring physical activity into your life,” Cintron said.
Cintron said college was an important time to learn these activities.
“This is the time in students’ life to pick up healthy habits so that they can pass it on to future generations,” Cintron said.
According to a study by Victoria Brescoll of Yale University and Eric Uhlmann of Northwestern University, women cannot afford to be angry.
The study shows that women lose credibility when they get angry in the work place, while angry men get rewarded.
“It pays to stay emotionally neutral or at least explain what ticked you off in the first place,” Brescoll said.
The study shows that people think angry women are too emotional and irrational, though, it is expected of men to be angry.
Throughout the year, almost every month seems to have some sort of national holiday — Martin Luther King Day, National Black History Month, etc.
The month of April not only has April Fool’s Day, but also National Alcohol Screening Day.
TCU will be celebrating National Alcohol Screening Day at 10 a.m. today in the Student Center lobby. The event will run until 2 p.m.
According to the TCU Web site, the program is used to help students assess drinking behaviors and attitudes. Students will be able to find out if alcohol is hindering their success in work, school, social situations and life itself.
For more information, students can contact the TCU Alcohol and Drug Education Center or visit the TCU Web site.
The staff at the Daily Skiff blog on DailySkiff.com about campus news and sports.
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