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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 25, 2008 Contact: Dave Eaton 612-805-6097 dmeaton@msn.com Iowa State
University Alums with Minnesota Connections Supporting www.FreeGonzalez.com website launched
to raise research funds Deephaven, MN – A
group of Iowa State University alumni with strong Minnesota connections — upset
by the recent denial of tenure to former ISU assistant professor Guillermo
Gonzalez, and the unresponsiveness of ISU administrators to their objections —
are taking matters into their own hands. “As alumni of ISU, we are
appalled that the current Iowa State administration would stoop to expelling a
brilliant young scientist and gifted instructor from the classroom, not for
teaching about intelligent design or even mentioning it in his classroom, but
for simply committing the thought crime of advocating it as science,” said ISU
alumnus David Eaton. According to the ISU Alumni
Association, the Twin Cities has one of the largest concentrations of ISU alumi
in the U.S. with over 9,000 ISU graduates.
The FreeGonzalez organization is led by approximately 25 ISU alumni,
including business executives in Minnesota and Iowa. After reviewing evidence
showing that Gonzalez’s tenure denial was based on his personal convictions
rather than on his record as a professor, a group of concerned ISU alumni met
at the ISU Memorial Union during Dr. Gonzalez’s tenure appeal. As the
Iowa State Board of Regents denied Dr. Gonzalez’s request to defend his
position in writing or in person as they reviewed his case, this alumni group
decided to take action on his behalf, forming FreeGonzalez.com in order to publicize Dr. Gonzalez’s tenure
situation and provide financial support for his continuing research. “Academic freedom is
supposed to be the foundation of Iowa State University, yet Dr. Gonzalez was
denied tenure there because of his support for intelligent design – a clear
infringement of academic freedom,” Eaton said. “Something is very wrong
with the ISU administration, and as committed ISU alumni we have the
responsibility to do what we can to fix it.” To that end,
FreeGonzalez.com has set up a fund to support Dr. Gonzalez’s continuing
research into the properties of stars with planets and the Galactic Habitable
Zone (GHZ), a concept he invented which has been featured in Science and
Nature and featured on the cover of Scientific American.
Eaton said that the group intends to provide a higher level of funding than what
ISU was providing for this research. With what amounts to Dr.
Gonzalez’s termination by ISU this May, the fund will help provide the
resources he needs to keep his groundbreaking research moving ahead. For more information on the
fund and how to support Guillermo Gonzalez, visit www.FreeGonzalez.com. Dave Eaton is available for interviews at
612-805-6097, dmeaton@msn.com
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