For  Immediate  Release  Larry  Becker  Executive  Director,  University  Relations  lbecker@lasierra.edu  1-­‐1-­‐1  

 

 

La  Sierra  University  Responds  to  False  Charges  on  Independent  Websites  

 

Educatetruth.com  and  ADvindicate.com  have  focused  their  efforts  on  damaging  the  reputation  of  Dr.  Raul  Diaz,  who  joined  the  La  Sierra  University  biology  faculty  at  the  beginning  of  January.      

Initially  one  of  these  sites  used  an  unnamed  source  to  accuse  Dr.  Diaz  of  being  an  atheist.  When  that  was  proven  false,  the  site  changed  its  conjecture  to  Dr.  Diaz  being  agnostic.  In  fact,  Dr.  Diaz  is  a  baptized  member  of  the  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  Church.  He  has  attended  various  Adventist  churches  throughout  the  span  of  his  academic  career.    

Dr.  Diaz  is  also  quoted  by  these  sites  as  saying  he  is  an  “evolutionary  biologist.”  Using  this  as  an  attack  shows  a  lack  of  understanding  of  contemporary  biology.  An  “evolutionary  biologist”  does  focused  analysis  of  the  diversity  of  life,  the  genetic  variations  of  living  organisms,  and  how  organisms  interact  with  their  environment.  Through  this  important  work,  these  scientists  make  possible  advances  in  human  health  and  medicine,  agriculture,  and  the  environment.    

Dr.  Diaz  is  a  dedicated  and  talented  young  scientist  who  is  seeking  to  discover  what  causes  human  facial  and  hand  malformations  through  his  research.  His  passion  for  his  subject  has  already  shone  through  to  students  in  the  three  weeks  he  has  been  on  campus.  He  looks  forward  to  using  his  bio-­‐medical  research  to  develop  classes  for  students  with  a  pre-­‐professional  health  focus.  His  field  and  laboratory  research  efforts  will  also  benefit  those  students  planning  to  seek  graduate  biology  education.  

 

EducateTruth.com  has  also  been  attempting  to  short-­‐circuit  the  board’s  efforts  to  revise  the  university’s  bylaws  in  response  to  WASC’s  and  AAA’s  concerns  regarding  governance  issues.  The  Bylaws  Committee  members  have  worked  many  hours  educating  themselves  so  that  they  fully  understand  the  issues.  Their  efforts  have  resulted  in  a  set  of  recommended  bylaws  changes  for  the  university  constituents  to  act  on  during  a  special  constituency  meeting  on  February  21.    

These  recommendations  are  not  designed  to  remove  the  university  from  Church  control,  as  claimed  by  some.  The  proposals  leave  that  defining  relationship  strong  

and  unchanged,  while  addressing  WASC’s  stated  concern  about  potential  conflict  of  interest  at  the  board  leadership  level.  This  is  a  unique  situation,  because  the  Pacific  Union  Conference  is  the  only  union  in  the  North  America  Division  where  the  union  president  chairs  two  college  boards—Pacific  Union  College  and  La  Sierra  University.    

A  key  recommendation  from  the  Bylaws  Committee  is  that  the  board  chair  be  elected  and  be  one  of  the  four  Pacific  Union  officers  who  serve  as  ex  officio  board  members,  rather  than  automatically  being  the  union  president.  This  allows  the  board  to  select  its  own  chair,  while  ensuring  that  the  chair  will  always  be  a  union  officer.  The  only  limitation  imposed  through  the  proposal  is  that  neither  the  board  chair  or  vice  chair  of  La  Sierra  University’s  board  may  concurrently  serve  as  chair  or  vice  chair  of  another  university  or  college  board.  

There  is  no  change  to  the  ex  officio  membership  of  the  board,  which  will  continue  to  have  among  its  members  the  Pacific  Union  Conference  president,  secretary,  treasurer,  vice  president,  director  of  education,  and  the  presidents  of  the  Arizona,  Southeastern  California,  and  Southern  California  Conferences.  The  revised  bylaws  make  no  change  to  the  constituent  membership,  and  the  constituency  retains  all  existing  control  over  lay  appointments  to  the  board  and  any  amendments  to  the  bylaws.  

The  board,  according  to  the  proposed  bylaws,  will  continue  to  focus  on  setting  policies  that  keep  the  university  closely  aligned  with  the  mission,  goals,  and  objectives  of  the  Adventist  Church.    

 

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