Appeal was last hope for chiropractic students

MARIETTA ã The last hope for Life University to retain its chiropractic 
accreditation came to  
10/21/02

By Phillip Giltman
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
 
MARIETTA ã The last hope for Life University to retain its 
chiropractic accreditation came to an end Sunday afternoon when 
the institution¼s accrediting agency voted to deny the school¼s bid 
for reaccreditation.
„Obviously, we are disappointed with the decision,¾ interim 
president Dr. Michael Schmidt said Sunday. „We hoped that our 
appeal would convince the panel to recommend reaccreditation.¾
Life officials said they will immediately reapply for their chiropractic 
accreditation from the Council on Chiropractic Education, a process 
that could take as long as two-and-a-half years.
„We will continue doing everything possible to meet the CCE 
requirements, and we will immediately reapply for accreditation,¾ 
Schmidt said.
Dr. Steve Petty, an outspoken Life critic, said even though the 
university failed to regain its accreditation, the students have 
suffered the greatest lost.
„The students are caught up in a situation where the administration 
told them everything was fine, and they tried to keep them there,¾ 
he said. „I don¼t know why any student would still be at the school, 
and it is now obvious they have every right to take legal action.¾
A CCE appeal panel met with Life executives Sunday morning and 
decided not to return its chiropractic accreditation.
„The decision is unfortunate, but Life University will survive, and we 
will continue our efforts to provide an excellent education to our 
students,¾ said Dr. Chuck Ribley, chairman of Life¼s Board of 
Trustees.
The CCE stripped Life of its accreditation on June 10, but the 
institution remained accredited while the school appealed the 
council¼s decision.
CCE members were unavailable for comment Sunday evening.
Schmidt, in a message posted on Life¼s Web site, assured students 
that the school would not close and that the institution was 
financially capable of keeping the school operating throughout the 
reaccreditation process.
Schmidt said more steps to keep the school operating may be 
necessary over the coming months, „but the administration is 
committed to seeing the reaccreditation process through.¾
„The school will not close, period,¾ he said. „We ask students, 
faculty and friends of Life University to remain faithful and 
supportive of our efforts to restore this great institution.¾
Life spokesman Will Hurst said the administration has also 
undertaken necessary cost-containment measures, including 
elimination of Life¼s intercollegiate athletics program, to ensure the 
school¼s financial solvency during the crisis.
With the CCE¼s monumental decision, chiropractic students are left 
in limbo and will have to decide whether to transfer or stick it out 
and see if their school can regain accreditation.
Life University remains accredited with the Southern Association of 
Colleges and Schools, but after losing its chiropractic accreditation, 
graduates of the chiropractic program cannot be licensed to practice 
in most states.
SACS gave Life a warning citation back in December and refused to 
renew Life¼s accreditation for a 10-year period. The school, 
however, was given a one-year extension on their accreditation. 
SACS will decide in December the school¼s accreditation status.
Dr. Mike Hoefer, a physiology professor at Life University, said he 
saw the CCE¼s decision coming.
„We hoped it wasn¼t coming, but many of us expected it,¾ he said. 
„Now we have to work on getting our accreditation back.¾
Trustee Stewart Rowbery said he hopes Life can regain its 
accreditation as soon as possible but remains apprehensive about a 
decline in student enrollment.
„Student enrollment has always been a concern,¾ he said. „We are 
going to have to see what the CCE¼s terms and conditions are, and 
then we can take it from there.¾
Trustee Judge Kenneth Nix refused to comment, and all other 
trustees could not be reached Sunday evening.
Founded in 1974 by Dr. Sid Williams, Life University was once the 
largest chiropractic school in the nation with an enrollment of over 
2,600 students. After the CCE initially stripped the college of its 
chiropractic accreditation, Life saw its enrollment drop nearly 40 
percent from fall 2001 to fall 2002.
Dr. Sid Williams was unavailable for comment Sunday evening.
As student enrollment began to decline, Life executives had to make 
some financial reductions and decided to cut 49 jobs from campus 
operations and warned of future layoffs.
„It¼s very sad,¾ said former faculty member Paul Lapides. „You have 
to wonder how this happened to the largest chiropractic school in 
the country.¾
The institution also has several law suits pending against them. 
One of the suits, filed Sept. 30 by five Life students, claims the 
school did not take the necessary steps to assure its accreditation 
was maintained.
Atlanta attorney Cary King said another suit with nine students 
should be filed soon.
pgiltman@mdjonline.com