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.
###
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.
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.
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.
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.
Horned Frogs fans can start marking their calendars. TCU’s complete football schedule for the upcoming 2008 season was released yesterday afternoon.
This season’s non-conference opponents include Stephen F. Austin, Stanford, SMU and Oklahoma. The official season opens with a conference game Aug. 30 at New Mexico kicking off at 5 p.m.
2008 TCU Football Schedule
Aug. 30 - at New Mexico*, 5 p.m. (VERSUS)
Sept. 6 - Stephen F. Austin, 6 p.m.
Sept. 13 - Stanford, 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sept. 20 - at SMU, TBA (TBA)
Sept. 27 - at Oklahoma, TBA (TBA)
Oct. 4 - San Diego State*, 5 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Oct. 11 - at Colorado State*, 2:30 p.m. (CBS College Sports Network)
Oct. 16 - BYU*, 7 p.m. (VERSUS)
Oct. 25 - Wyoming*, 5 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Nov. 1 - at UNLV*, 7 p.m. (CBS College Sports Network)
Nov. 6 - at Utah*, 7 p.m. (CBS College Sports Network)
Nov. 22 - Air Force*, 2:30 p.m. (VERSUS)
*Mountain West Conference game
All times Central
Schedule from GoFrogs.com
Tonight kicked off the start of Greek Week with music, laughter, banner making and skits. More than 500 Greeks were in attendance from every fraternity and sorority on campus.
The week’s activities include a tailgate party tomorrow at the Baylor-TCU baseball game, Greek Olympics on Thursday and Greeks in the Streets, a community service day, on Friday.
The Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright will no longer be attending, but the awards ceremony honoring him will go on as scheduled.
The 4th Annual State of the Black Church Summit and Awards Banquet will be held March 29 at 6:30 p.m. at Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, according to the Brite Divinity School Web site. The theme will be “Saving Our Souls Without Losing Our Minds: Redeeming the Social Teachings of the Black Church.”
Dr. Brad Braxton, a professor at Vanderbilt Divinity School, will be the keynote speaker, said an assistant to event organizer Stacey Floyd-Thomas who asked not to be identified.
Friendship-West will also host a National Studies Forum Friday afternoon, an event for black studies programs from around the country to meet and discuss issues in the black community, Floyd-Thomas’s assistant said.
Saturday, a luncheon panel discussion will be held at Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Floyd-Thomas’s assistant said. Tickets for the forum and panel are each $15 and free to Brite Students, the assistant said.
Tickets to the awards ceremony are $125 or $1,000 for an eight-person table.
In a March 26 interview with the Skiff, the Rev. Rickey Hill, executive pastor for Friendship-West, said Brite always knew the door was open for his church to move the ceremony if TCU backed out.
“Not only were the doors closed at TCU, they were closed all over Fort Worth,” Hill said. “I’m ashamed of that, being from Fort Worth.”
Floyd-Thomas and other Brite administrators would not return calls asking for comment.
Today, Dr. Barbara Gerner de Garcia will visit the TCU campus.
Gerner de Garcia specializes in teaching hearing impaired Latino students at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. For 17 years, she has worked in Boston public schools, done extensive research and successfully published several works.
The Green Honors Chair speaker will lecture on “Teaching Latino Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students: Identifying and Meeting Unique Learning Needs.”
Gerner de Garcia will be on campus today at 3 p.m. in the Palko Building Lecture Hall, Room 130.
For more information students can log on to the TCU Web site, or find additional information on the TCU Daily Skiff Web site.
Tarrant County commissioners lifted a burn ban today, but fireworks are a still no go for the 4th of July.
Although, outdoor burning is allowed again, the county still forbids burning at night or when the wind speed is more than 20 mph. Only brush, tree limbs, grass clippings and leaves must be burned and water must be available at all times.
The burn ban has been in place since Jan. 15 by Burleson Mayor Ken Shetter because of high winds and dry conditions. The ban was lifted because of the heavy rains Tarrant County has seen this March.
The staff at the Daily Skiff blog on DailySkiff.com about campus news and sports.
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