la sierra university responds to false charges on independent websites
TRANSCRIPT
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7/29/2019 La Sierra University Responds to False Charges on Independent Websites
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ForImmediateRelease
LarryBecker
ExecutiveDirector,UniversityRelations
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LaSierraUniversityRespondstoFalseChargesonIndependentWebsites
Educatetruth.comandADvindicate.comhavefocusedtheireffortsondamagingthe
reputationofDr.RaulDiaz,whojoinedtheLaSierraUniversitybiologyfacultyatthebeginningofJanuary.
InitiallyoneofthesesitesusedanunnamedsourcetoaccuseDr.Diazofbeinganatheist.Whenthatwasprovenfalse,thesitechangeditsconjecturetoDr.Diazbeing
agnostic.Infact,Dr.DiazisabaptizedmemberoftheSeventh-dayAdventistChurch.HehasattendedvariousAdventistchurchesthroughoutthespanofhisacademic
career.
Dr.Diazisalsoquotedbythesesitesassayingheisanevolutionarybiologist.
Usingthisasanattackshowsalackofunderstandingofcontemporarybiology.An
evolutionarybiologistdoesfocusedanalysisofthediversityoflife,thegenetic
variationsoflivingorganisms,andhoworganismsinteractwiththeirenvironment.
Throughthisimportantwork,thesescientistsmakepossibleadvancesinhuman
healthandmedicine,agriculture,andtheenvironment.
Dr.Diazisadedicatedandtalentedyoungscientistwhoisseekingtodiscoverwhatcauseshumanfacialandhandmalformationsthroughhisresearch.Hispassionfor
hissubjecthasalreadyshonethroughtostudentsinthethreeweekshehasbeenon
campus.Helooksforwardtousinghisbio-medicalresearchtodevelopclassesfor
studentswithapre-professionalhealthfocus.Hisfieldandlaboratoryresearch
effortswillalsobenefitthosestudentsplanningtoseekgraduatebiologyeducation.
EducateTruth.comhasalsobeenattemptingtoshort-circuittheboardseffortsto
revisetheuniversitysbylawsinresponsetoWASCsandAAAsconcernsregardinggovernanceissues.TheBylawsCommitteemembershaveworkedmanyhours
educatingthemselvessothattheyfullyunderstandtheissues.Theireffortshave
resultedinasetofrecommendedbylawschangesfortheuniversityconstituentsto
actonduringaspecialconstituencymeetingonFebruary21.
TheserecommendationsarenotdesignedtoremovetheuniversityfromChurch
control,asclaimedbysome.Theproposalsleavethatdefiningrelationshipstrong
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7/29/2019 La Sierra University Responds to False Charges on Independent Websites
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andunchanged,whileaddressingWASCsstatedconcernaboutpotentialconflictof
interestattheboardleadershiplevel.Thisisauniquesituation,becausethePacific
UnionConferenceistheonlyunionintheNorthAmericaDivisionwheretheunion
presidentchairstwocollegeboardsPacificUnionCollegeandLaSierraUniversity.
AkeyrecommendationfromtheBylawsCommitteeisthattheboardchairbe
electedandbeoneofthefourPacificUnionofficerswhoserveasexofficioboard
members,ratherthanautomaticallybeingtheunionpresident.Thisallowsthe
boardtoselectitsownchair,whileensuringthatthechairwillalwaysbeaunion
officer.Theonlylimitationimposedthroughtheproposalisthatneithertheboard
chairorvicechairofLaSierraUniversitysboardmayconcurrentlyserveaschairor
vicechairofanotheruniversityorcollegeboard.
Thereisnochangetotheexofficiomembershipoftheboard,whichwillcontinueto
haveamongitsmembersthePacificUnionConferencepresident,secretary,treasurer,vicepresident,directorofeducation,andthepresidentsoftheArizona,
SoutheasternCalifornia,andSouthernCaliforniaConferences.Therevisedbylaws
makenochangetotheconstituentmembership,andtheconstituencyretainsallexistingcontroloverlayappointmentstotheboardandanyamendmentstothe
bylaws.
Theboard,accordingtotheproposedbylaws,willcontinuetofocusonsetting
policiesthatkeeptheuniversitycloselyalignedwiththemission,goals,and
objectivesoftheAdventistChurch.
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