THECB Progress Report Table of Contents
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THECB Progress Report Table of Contents Executive Summary Standard 4: Distinction of Roles Standard 7: Institutional Effectiveness Standard 8: Student Admission and Retention Standards 9 and 10: Faculty Qualifications and Size Standard 12: Curriculum Standard 15: Library Access to Information Items, Agreement between Information Sources ICRGS General Catalog 2008-2009 Appendices A Board Minutes regarding Distinction of Roles B Handbook for Effectiveness Assessment C Faculty Research and Publication D Position Description: Resumes of Applicants for Full-time Faculty Position in Science Education E Comparison of Program Titles F Comparison of Program Purposes G Comparison of Admission Criteria H Comparison of Instructional Delivery Systems I Comparison of Curricula J Comparison of Graduation Requirements K Scope and Sequence of the Program L Prerequisites for Each Course M Textbook Adoption Analysis N Professional Journal Subscriptions Supporting the Curriculum O Letter of Agreement for Library Staffing and Facsimile of the ICRGS Online Library Tutorial P Libraries Available for Online Students Q Comparison with Texas Teaching Domains R Special Comments regarding the ICRGS Institutional Viewpoint Distinctives S The Institute for Creation Research Graduate School Curriculum Syllabi T Exploring the Limitations of the Scientific Method Institute for Creation Research Graduate School Response to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Executive Summary Prepared and Submitted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by Henry M. Morris III Chief Executive Officer March 2008 Introduction The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) and its educational ministry the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School (ICRGS) is pleased to provide additional information about our Master of Science degree program in Science Education. The following documents are in response to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) requests that aggregate from the THECB Visiting Team report on November 8, 2007, the interview with the THECB Certification Advisory Council on December 14, 2007, and a subsequent meeting with a special team of advisors assembled by Commissioner Parades on January 10, 2008. Relying on First Amendment principles, ICR has carefully reviewed and revised its online programs to meet, and in some areas to exceed, virtually all of the AAAS Project 2061 Benchmarks (in science, mathematics, technology, etc,) and National Science Education Standards. Variations would occur only on those content issues which dogmatically or substantively conflict with ICR’s sincerely held religious convictions and/or those which dogmatically or substantively conflict with ICR’s sincerely held scientific-interpretive positions. Although it is common for accredited universities in Texas and the United States to teach other disciplines with a “science” designation (i.e. military science; social science; political science, etc.), the real challenge is to accommodate the teaching of the natural sciences (e.g. bioscience and geophysical science) that is comparable to other Texas accredited institutions, and equal to the academic rigor standards Executive Summary Page 1 of 4 required of them, while duly respecting the academic freedom and religious freedoms prioritized in our U.S and Texas constitutions (and in the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1999). Accordingly, a short list of Special Comments regarding ICRGS’s “Institutional Viewpoint Distinctives” is provided in the accompanying Appendix R, to aid consideration of these types of special issues, in hopes that the ultimate outcome promotes educational diversity and liberty within the world of private online postsecondary education. The ICRGS has made a careful audit of all the THECB critiques of our program, and is confident that we have addressed each of the specified concerns identified by members of the THECB staff and advisors. We have arranged the material in the sequence of the various THECB Standard nomenclatures so that the documentation follows a coherent pattern. Standard 4: Distinction of Roles Although the ICR Trustee Board is large and diverse, concern was expressed about the apparent conflict of interest and possible lack of distinction of roles by the ICR Chief Executive Officer and the ICR President. In its January 26, 2008 meeting, the ICR Board of Trustees amended the Bylaws to designate these two offices as Ex Officio members of the Board. A copy of the appropriate section of those minutes is provided in Appendix A. Standard 7: Institutional Assessment The THECB visiting team recognized that the ICRGS Institutional Assessment was both cumbersome and difficult to administer. The ICRGS had been following a previous guideline from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) under which the ICRGS had previously obtained accreditation. Subsequent to the THECB visiting team’s report, the ICRGS adopted the Nichols model for assessment. A copy of the current draft of the ICRGS Handbook of Effectiveness Assessment is provided in Appendix B. Standard 8: Student Admission and Remediation Concerns were raised about the ICRGS admission requirements for the different minors within the Science Education program, requesting clarification and amplification in the catalog and on the website. Those concerns are addressed in the Tab for Standard 8 and the specific course requirements are outlined in Appendix L. Standard 9 and 10: Faculty Qualifications and Size Requests were made to the ICRGS that we provide a list of the Faculty research and publication history in order to more effectively assess the faculty qualifications. A complete list of research projects and publications is contained in Appendix D. Concern was expressed that the Science Education component of the ICRGS faculty was insufficient for the number of courses, and a request was made that the ICRGS demonstrate an active recruiting process to obtain qualified faculty. The Executive Summary Page 2 of 4 public position announcement and subsequent resumes submitted are contained in Appendix D. Appendix T contains copies of three recent articles from our publications, Acts and Facts, which address the issue of scientific evidence. Standard 12: Curriculum Although the THECB visiting team carefully reviewed the ICRGS curriculum and recommended approval, the subsequent review by Commissioner Parades’ ICR Review Committee requested that the ICRGS conduct a comparative analysis of its curriculum against several specified “smaller” universities in Texas. A summary of the requests and the ICRGS basic response is provided under the Tab labeled “Standard 12: Curriculum.” The details of the comparative analysis are contained in the following Appendices: Appendix E: Comparison of Program Titles Appendix F: Comparison of Program Purposes Appendix G: Comparison of Admission Criteria Appendix H: Comparison of Instructional Delivery Systems Appendix I: Comparison of Curricula Appendix J: Comparison of Graduation Requirements The ICR Review Committee also requested additional information on Scope and Sequence, Prerequisites for Admission, Textbook adoptions, and a listing of the Professional Journal subscriptions. These data are supplied in the following Appendices: Appendix K: Curriculum Scope and Sequence Appendix L: Prerequisites for Admission Appendix M: Comparison of Textbook Adoptions Nationwide Appendix N: Professional Journal Subscriptions Standard 15: Library Concern was expressed by the THECB visiting team that the ICRGS did not have professional library support or personnel. Request was made that the ICRGS identify and secure agreements with strategically located libraries for the online student population to access, and that the ICRGS contract for professional librarian assistance to be immediately available for the student. It was further suggested that the ICRGS prepare an online tutorial to assist its students in the use of their research with the professional journals. These issues are addressed in Appendix O and P respectively. Changes in Access to Information During the Commissioner’s special committee meeting of January 10, 2008, concern was expressed that certain information was either difficult to find or verify on the ICRGS website, or that comparisons between ICRGS printed material and its website differed. The ICRGS has undertaken a complete re-write of its Catalog Executive Summary Page 3 of 4 (provided in the Tab so labeled) and has insured that its website conveys precisely the same information. Further to insure that all material presented to the THECB was consistent, the ICRGS has rewritten all of the course syllabi to conform to other publicly available information. Those syllabi are available in Appendix S. Executive Summary Page 4 of 4 Standard 4: Distinction of Roles “…pertaining to Standard 4 – the Distinction of Roles, and consist of removing the Chief Operating Officer and the President from governing board service…” Source: Recommendation from the Certification Advisory Council review conducted on December 14, 2007. Assurances were given verbally at the December meeting by CEO Dr. Henry M. Morris III that the ICR Board would take such action at its next scheduled meeting to be held on January 26, 2008. The ICR Board meeting was held as scheduled and an amendment to the ICR Bylaws was made by appropriate motion of the board. A copy of the relevant portion of the ICR Board Minutes appears in Appendix A. Distinction of Roles Page 1 Standard 7: Institutional Effectiveness