Schools open to Life partnership 
06/27/02
Staff file photo by Jim Bolt A partnership with another chiropractic college maBy 
Phillip Giltman 
and David Burch
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writers
MARIETTA ã Should Life University lose its appeal to regain its 
accreditation, two chiropractic schools said they would like to form a 
partnership ã permitting students attending Life to graduate from 
an accredited university.
„Service is a part of our mandate, and it is a specific part of our 
mission to help (Life University) by providing assistance in whatever 
way we can,¾ said Fred Schultz, director of institutional 
advancement at Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward, Calif.
Representatives from Cleveland Chiropractic College ã with 
campuses in Los Angeles and Kansas City, Mo. ã also met with Life 
officials to discuss a potential partnership.
„Our interest is in protecting the educational investment and 
aspirations of 2,700 Life University students,¾ said Dr. Carl 
Cleveland III, president of Cleveland Chiropractic College. 
„Leadership must step forward and effectively bring the institution 
into compliance with standards of accreditation.¾
The Life University Board of Trustees voted on Tuesday to consider 
a partnership.
Schultz, who wasn¼t exactly sure of the logistics on how the two 
schools could become partners, said that Life will first exhaust its 
appeals process before it agrees to form a partnership with other 
chiropractic institutions.
„What Life is dealing with is a very complicated issue and the board 
is exploring all of the different options and ramifications,¾ he said. 
„The appeal will be the first step, and if that prevails, all problems 
will be solved, but beyond that, I really can¼t speculate.¾
Schultz said he could not speculate because he couldn¼t recall any 
other chiropractic institutions having to overcome an obstacle of this 
magnitude.
„This is unchartered waters and there aren¼t many road maps for 
Life to follow,¾ he said. „Over the last 100-plus years, there have 
been many small chiropractic schools that have come and gone. I 
am personally 
not familiar of any school that has had to go through a procedure 
like this.¾
If a partnership were agreed upon, the Council on Chiropractic 
Education would have to sign off on the plan. The CCE stripped Life 
of its accreditation on June 10. Students will still graduate from an 
accredited program until the appeals process is exhausted later this 
fall.
A former instructor and Life graduate said too many possible 
outcomes exist to make a prediction about whether the CCE will 
approve a partnership with another school.
„Obviously, there are too many scenarios,¾ Dr. Steven Petty said. 
„Basically, the CCE will do what is best for the students.¾
Petty said he thinks the most likely outcome will be an arrangement 
called a „teach out,¾ in which existing Life University faculty and 
administrators are removed, faculty from the new partner school 
move in and continue to teach the existing students.
On the up side, the arrangement would allow existing Doctor of 
Chiropractic students at Life to graduate from an accredited 
university and receive professional licenses. On the down side, a 
teach out agreement would likely mean the end of Life University.
In addition to the CCE, Life would also need the approval of the 
Decatur-based Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which 
publicly sanctioned the school in December.
For Life West and Cleveland ã both with campuses in California ã a 
partnership will have to be approved by the Western Association of 
Schools and Colleges.
Suggesting that both schools share the same traditional approach 
to chiropractic medicine, Schultz said Life West is „philosophically 
akin to Life University.¾
„We have our roots in the Life movement in traditional chiropractic 
education,¾ he said.
Schultz said Life West has kept a close eye on the recent 
developments at Life University suggesting that both schools are 
most concerned about the students.
„I know Life does not want those students to suffer,¾ he said. 
„Everybody is working to prevent harm, disappointment or 
inconvenience for the students in the chiropractic program.¾
Originally called Pacific States Chiropractic College, Schultz said the 
California school took the life name in 1981, after Dr. Sid Williams, 
founder and president of Life University, agreed to bail the school 
out of financial and other organizational problems.
Life West President Dr. Gerry Clum also helped Williams establish 
Life Univeristy in Marietta in 1974.
Life West, which has been incorporated since 1976, has been good 
friends with Life University, Schultz said, and they are doing 
everything they can to help Life students finish under an accredited 
program without being inconvenienced.
„I would imagine that Life students are aware of the complexity of 
the problem and are probably going to stay put until the dust 
settles and the path clears,¾ he said. „The least we can do is offer 
our assistance.¾
pgiltman@mdjonline.com
dburch@mdjonline.com