View Geoffroy’s Full Statement Here.

Guillermo Gonzalez, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, has had his appeal for tenure denied.

In a written statement, President Gregory Geoffroy wrote that he has denied Gonzalez’s appeal.

John McCarroll, executive director of university relations, said the statement has been released due after it was learned that Gonzalez had disclosed the result of his appeal to a member of the local media.

Geoffroy wrote that a member of his staff reviewed the appeal request and the documents related to Gonzalez’s tenure in addition to examining it himself.

“I independently concluded that he simply did not show the trajectory of excellence that we expect in a candidate seeking tenure in physics and astronomy – one of our strongest academic programs,” Geoffroy said in a written statement.

He wrote that the areas of focus in his decision “gave special attention to his [Gonzalez’s] overall record of scientific accomplishment while an assistant professor at Iowa State, since that gives the best indication of future achievement.”

“I specifically considered refereed publications, his level of success in attracting research funding and grants, the amount of telescope observing time he had been granted, the number of graduate students he had supervised, and most importantly, the overall evidence of future career promise in the field of astronomy,” he wrote.

Geoffroy also wrote he has much experience in assessing tenure requests.

“I have reviewed and passed judgment on close to 1,000 faculty promotion and tenure cases,” he wrote.

Gonzalez could not be reached for comment.