President Gregory Geoffroy said the intelligent design theory did not play a role in his decision to deny tenure to Guillermo Gonzalez, assistant professor of physics and astronomy.

Geoffroy said the appeal had been on his desk for three weeks.

“I thought deeply about this case and all of the issues surrounding it for that entire three weeks,” he said.

Geoffroy said he based his decision on his “independent analysis of the strength of the research and scholarship in the dossier and the promise for future excellence.”

Geoffroy, who wrote in his statement that he had reviewed almost 1,000 faculty promotions and tenure cases during the past two decades, said no tenure decisions are easy.

“This one was more difficult than most because so many people and lots of places were interested in the decision and the outcome,” he said. “I, in the end, tried to separate myself from all of those interested parties.”

Geoffroy said he focused only on the “merits of the case.”

To those who say Gonzalez was discriminated against because he is a proponent of intelligent design, Geoffroy said he focused only on the material included in Gonzalez’s dossier.

“I can only say that in my independent evaluation, from which I based my final decision of the appeal, I did not consider any inappropriate factors,” he said.

Gonzalez could not be reached for comment.

In a written statement on www.evolutionnews.org, Gonzalez said although he understands the decision for Geoffroy was a difficult one, his fate was decided when the petition was circulated by ISU professors “condemning” the theory of intelligent design.

Gonzalez also wrote that at the same time the petition was circulating about intelligent design, “some of the same ISU faculty spread misinformation about me and the nature of my intelligent design research in the local press.”

These events “poisoned the atmosphere” on campus about intelligent design, he wrote.

He also wrote he believes he has met the criteria for tenure but has not decided if he will appeal the result to the Board of Regents.

Eli Rosenberg, professor and chairman of physics and astronomy, who was involved in the tenure process for Gonzalez, could also not be reached for comment.

Gonzalez was denied tenure in March. Many supporters of Gonzalez believe he was denied tenure because he supports the theory of intelligent design.

He appealed the decision to Geoffroy, who had until June 6 and ruled Friday to deny him tenure.