According to ISU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, “[f]or promotion to associate professor, excellence sufficient to lead to a national or international reputation is required and would ordinarily be shown by the publication of approximately fifteen papers of good quality in refereed journals. (Physics and Astronomy Procedures and Promotion and Tenure Policy and Procedure, emphasis added, page 4.)
Read ISU's policy on tenure and promotion.
Having produced 68 refereed scientific papers at the time of tenure review, Dr. Gonzalez exceeded his own department’s standard for “excellence” in research by more than 350%. One eminent scientist who reviewed Dr. Gonzalez’s tenure application said that, “Dr. Gonzalez is eminently qualified for the promotion according to your guidelines of excellence in scholarship and exhibiting a potential for national distinction. In light of your criteria I would certainly recommend the promotion." Indeed, 2/3 of the external reviewers who gave an opinion about whether Dr. Gonzalez deserves tenure said he should receive tenure.
In 2004 Guillermo Gonzalez wrote a book called The Privileged Planet, which was made into a movie. The research presented in the book and movie present evidence from astronomy and physics showing that the universe was designed for life and scientific discovery. Guillermo Gonzalez was awarded a prestigious grant from the Templeton Foundation to write The Privileged Planet as part of his official duties at ISU. However, his colleagues at ISU denied him tenure, because they didn't want a known ID sympathizer in their department. Subsequently, ISU President Gregory Geoffrey and later in February 2008 the Board of Regents of the State of Iowa turned down his appeal for tenure.
Iowa State professors sent emails that document their discrimination of Professor Gonzalez for his support of the Theory of Intelligent Design. Professor Gonzalez did not teach Intelligent Design while at Iowa State University. These emails were not admitted during the tenure appeal process by ISU President Greg Geoffrey or by the Iowa State Board of Regents.
Q. What are the published criteria for tenure at Iowa State?
A. Gonzalez’s achievements while at ISU exceed all three of the published criteria for tenure listed in the ISU Faculty Handbook. (Click here to see the requirements)
Q. Does Dr. Gonzalez meet the tenure requirements published in the ISU handbook?
A. Yes. First, he exceeds the minimum number of published peer-reviewed scientific articles by 350%. Second, he has an acceptable teaching record and co-authored a major college astronomy textbook published in 2006 by Cambridge University Press. Third, he has made significant contributions to his field, with articles featured in Science, Nature and a cover article in Scientific American. (Click here for details on Dr. Gonzalez’s publication record)
Q. How does Dr. Gonzalez’s work compare to those in his department that voted to exclude him?
A. Dr. Gonzalez exceeds his colleagues who are tenured ISU astronomers in key measures of scientific publications. First, Dr. Gonzalez’s had more per-capita peer-reviewed scientific publications than all tenured astronomers in his department from 2001 until 2007 (the years of his probationary period at ISU). Another key measurement of the contribution that a scientist is making to his field is shown by the number of times his work is cited by other scientists. Dr. Gonzalez’s per-capita citation count during that same period is 144. That is the HIGHEST citation count of ALL astronomers in his department. (Click Here to see Chart)
Q. Has the University Administration given valid reasons for rejecting Dr. Gonzalez tenure?
A. No. One excuse for denying tenure has been the amount of research funding granted to Dr. Gonzalez. First, it is important to note that research funding is NOT one of the criteria for tenure listed in his department’s tenure criteria. Even so, Dr. Gonzalez has received outside funding for his work including grants from NASA, the Templeton Foundation and the Discovery Institute. (Click here for more grant information)
Q. Was Dr. Gonzalez given a fair hearing by the Iowa Board of Regents?
A. No. A mountain of evidence showing an unjust tenure process was not allowed by the Iowa Board of Regents when they reviewed Dr. Gonzalez’s case. The Regents also refused Dr. Gonzalez’s request to defend his position in writing or in person. (See more info on unfair hearing)
Q. Where else can I read about Dr. Gonzalez’s work and tenure battle?
A. Click here for more articles and information.
Q. Who created a movement hostile to Dr. Gonzalez at Iowa State?
A. Atheist, Hector Avalos, professor of religious studies at Iowa State (that is not a misprint) who is the faculty advisor to the ISU Atheist and Agnostic Society, was behind a petition that showed intolerance towards Dr. Gonzalez’s personal viewpoint that the cosmos shows evidence of design. Dr. Avalos is same ISU professor that suggests that the Bible is worse than Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf.
Q. Is there proof that the professors that voted to exclude Dr. Gonzalez from a tenured position plotted in secret to discriminate against him?
A. Yes, after much resistance from the administration of Iowa State, emails were released that show faculty in Gonzalez’s department discriminated against him for philosophical NOT academic reasons. They associated Gonzalez with ‘idiots’ and ‘religious nutcases’. (Click Here for More Info)
Q. What is Intelligent Design?
A. Intelligent Design proposes that there is good evidence that some features of nature are best explained as the products of an intelligent cause and not chance and necessity. (Click Here for More on the Definition of Intelligent Design)
Q. Who are we?
A. A group of concerned Iowa State Alumni met at the ISU Memorial Union during Dr. Gonzalez’s tenure appeal. This group believes that Dr. Gonzalez was denied tenure for his personal conviction. FreeGonzalez.com’s objective is to make Dr. Gonzalez work and tenure situation known and to enable his research to continue. We are in no way affiliated with Discovery Institute.
