Changes

==== Accreditation in Texas ====

==== Accreditation in Texas ====

The Texas relocation required the school to once again seek formal State accreditation, because Texas does not recognize TRACS as an accrediting agency. The school passed one initial site evaluation.<ref name=dmn>Hacker, Holly K. "[http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/121507dnmetcreation.2b0d011.html Creation college seeks state's OK to train teachers]." ''Dallas Morning News'', December 15, 2007. Accessed March 19, 2007.</ref> Subsequent to this, the Texas Higher Education Co-ordinating Board received 230 e-mails from interested parties. A review of the e-mails by ICR staff reveals that 177 individuals sent e-mails in support of ICR's application, while 36 individuals sent a total of 43 e-mails expressing opposition.<ref name=Morris>Morris, Henry M., III. E-mail to supporters dated April 17, 2008; received April 18, 2008, at 0844 UTC.</ref> Nevertheless, the Commissioner of Higher Education began distancing himself from the ICR application almost at once in his public commentaries.

The Texas relocation requires the school once again to seek formal State accreditation, because Texas does not recognize TRACS as an accrediting agency. The school passed one initial site evaluation.<ref name=dmn>Hacker, Holly K. "[http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/121507dnmetcreation.2b0d011.html Creation college seeks state's OK to train teachers]." ''Dallas Morning News'', December 15, 2007. Accessed March 19, 2007.</ref> Subsequent to this, the Texas Higher Education Co-ordinating Board received 230 e-mails from interested parties. A review of the e-mails by ICR staff reveals that 177 individuals sent e-mails in support of ICR's application, while 36 individuals sent a total of 43 e-mails expressing opposition.<ref name=Morris>Morris, Henry M., III. E-mail to supporters dated April 17, 2008; received April 18, 2008, at 0844 UTC.</ref>

 

Nevertheless, Commissioner of Higher Education Raymundo Paredes began distancing himself from the ICR application almost at once in his public commentaries. In fact, he convened a ''separate'' panel of scientists and science teachers and from them obtained a recommendation against the School. No one from the School was allowed even to make a presentation to this separate panel.<ref name=Morris2>Morris, Henry M., III. Press release issued April 25, 2008, from ICR's offices, Dallas, Texas.</ref>

In March of 2008, ICR finished furnishing to the THECB a number of requested documents required for regulatory compliance.<ref name=Morris/> The THECB set a date to hear ICR's request for April 23-24, 2008.<ref name=Morris/><ref name=phone>Telephone interview with ICR (Dallas, TX) staff conducted March 19, 2008.</ref>

In March of 2008, ICR finished furnishing to the THECB a number of requested documents required for regulatory compliance.<ref name=Morris/> The THECB set a date to hear ICR's request for April 23-24, 2008.<ref name=Morris/><ref name=phone>Telephone interview with ICR (Dallas, TX) staff conducted March 19, 2008.</ref>

On April 23, 2008, the THECB's Academic Excellence and Research Committee held an unusual thirty-minute "public hearing" (actually a request-for-public-comment) with ten three-minute slots for interested witnesses.<ref name=Morris/> Following that hearing, the AERC voted unanimously to deny the ICR Graduate School's application. As of the morning of April 24, 2008, the full Board had yet to act, but everyone familiar with the matter expected the full Board to deny the application as well. Dr. Morris is considering his options, which include:

On April 23, 2008, the THECB's Academic Excellence and Research Committee held an unusual thirty-minute "public hearing" (actually a request-for-public-comment) with ten three-minute slots for interested witnesses.<ref name=Morris/> Following that hearing, the AERC voted unanimously to deny the ICR Graduate School's application.<ref name=Haurwitz>Haurwitz, Ralph K. M. "[http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/04/24/0424creation.html Creation institute's proposal rejected by panel]." ''Austin American-Statesman'', April 24, 2008. Accessed April 24, 2008.</ref>

 

The next day, Commissioner Paredes formally recommended that the full Board deny the application, which the Board promptly did. In the same day, Mr. Joe Stafford, Assistant Commissioner for Academic Affairs and Research, read for the record portions of a Texas statute expressing an objective to "prevent public deception in the face of 'fraudulent' or 'substandard' college and university degrees." As with Mr. Paredes' "separate panel," ICR staff had no opportunity to respond to the obvious implied accusation of fraud that Assistant Commissioner Stafford had just leveled against the School.<ref name=Morris2/>

 

As of April 26, 2008, Dr. Morris is considering his options, which include:

# An administrative appeal.

# An administrative appeal.

# Recasting and resubmitting his proposal.

# Recasting and resubmitting his proposal.

# Suing the State of Texas.<ref>Haurwitz, Ralph K. M. "[http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/04/24/0424creation.html Creation institute's proposal rejected by panel]." ''Austin American-Statesman'', April 24, 2008. Accessed April 24, 2008.</ref>

# Suing the State of Texas.<ref name=Haurwitz/>

 

In his press release that he issued after the Board's April 24 decision, Dr. Morris called attention to some questionable procedures by Commissioner Paredes, Assistant Commissioner Stafford, the Board, and its committees.<ref name=Morris2/> As of April 26, 2008, Dr. Morris had not said publicly which of his three options he would pursue.

== References ==

== References ==