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September 21, 2009Dear Mrs. Curtis and Members of the Discipline Committee,

Since coming to La Sierra last January, it has been clearly set before my eyes andears that the University is teaching the theory of evolution as "The single unifyingexplanation of the living world." Realizing this teaching as contrary to the truthcontained in the Bible, I have worked toward creating awareness.Since La Sierra University identifies itself with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Ithought it very important that parents, family members, and alumni, as well as othermembers of the church know what the students are being taught. This was donethrough giving many parents and alumni curriculum information in the form of aletter. I was thanked by a host of people, many of whom were shocked and had noidea that evolution was being promoted at La Sierra. These people included bothSeventh-Day Adventists and alumni who are not church members.I have also worked toward helping my fellow students see that the model of originsas taught in the Bible is supported by objective scientific data and observation, andthat evolution is not the single unifying explanation of life on earth. This has beendone by passing ou t DVDs to students, as well as hosting a seminar on Creationscience in Hole Memorial Auditorium. La Sierra University's website states that it is"Convinced that God is the author of all truth." Following this principle, I have madean effort to ask questions in class, in hopes that students may at least question as towhether or not what they are being taught is in harmony with God's truth. This is inline with La Sierra's principle of maintaining "An atmosphere of freedom andopenness for intellectual exploration and expression." On that note, I applied toform a student group called "Students in Support of Creation Science" during springquarter, and was turned down.Now to the purpose of this letter. I currently have a hold placed by ProvostTrenchard on my ability to register at La Sierra, based upon some behavioralproblems he feels I have displayed. Today the Provost told me that he placed thehold on my student account at the beginning of the summer. I find it interesting thathe took no such disciplinary action during the Winter or Spring quarters of 2009.I would like to request that if the Mr. Trenchard has any reason for which todisallow my request to be a student at La Sierra University, he would openly state it.I believe it would be appropriate for him to identify any specific reasons in writing,and to present them to me, as well as to the Committee. I wonder why Mr.Trenchard has delegated the decision for my suitability as a student to Mrs. Curtis,who told me today that she is not familiar with the reasons for Mr. Trenchard's holdon my account.To you on the Discipline Committee I write personally. Go to the Provost, and askhim to describe the behavior I have displayed for which he restricts my ability to be

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a student at La Sierra University. In this way, you can judge for yourselves whetheror not his claims are of legitimate weight.While attending UC Davis, I was given opportunity to stand for my faith as aSeventh-Day Adventist. As I competed on the university golf team, many of myfellow competitors wondered and were able to learn why I was sitting out whencompetition was held on Sabbath. Also, several newspaper articles were writtenabout me, and my stand for the Sabbath always came up. One of these articlescovered the entire back page of the campus newspaper, so that thousands ofstudents were able to learn about my beliefs. I was awarded the Student Athlete ofthe Year Award in 2007, and was given the opportunity to speak about God in frontof hundreds of people. A recently published article in the Tulsa World shared mydecision not to play on Sabbath with thousands across the Bible Belt region. I haverealized through these experiences that people in the world, who don't know thesignificance of SDA beliefs, still show a great deal of respect for them. I came to LaSierra, and was given another opportunity to speak up for my faith. Rather thanseeing traditional SDA beliefs respected, they are being silenced.I have strived to help La Sierra University uphold its position that God is the authorof all truth. I ask you to think about your position. While we attempt to resolve thismatter, does it concern you that students at La Sierra are being told that though "allhumanity was created in the image of God," you in fact share common ancestry withan ape?May I ask each of you to individually pray about this matter, and consider theimplications it has for the Creation/Evolution controversy at La Sierra.

Sincerely,

Louie Bishop

cc: Ricardo Graham