December 06, 2002 Decision expected next week on entire school¼s accreditation MARIETTA ã The fate of Life University may be in jeopardy next week when the body that accredi 12/06/02 By Phillip Giltman Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer MARIETTA ã The fate of Life University may be in jeopardy next week when the body that accredits the entire university decides whether to strip the school from its membership list. The Commission on Colleges from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools will meet for their annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, from Saturday to Tuesday to decide what action to take regarding Life¼s accreditation. „If there is anything other than good news, I think we are out of business,¾ Life¼s founder Dr. Sid Williams said, adding he felt confident SACS would continue Life¼s accreditation. SACS gave Life a warning sanction in December of last year and sent out a site team in September to interview faculty members, students and administrators to assess what changes have been made since their last visit. Tom Benberg, associate executive director for SACS Commission on Colleges, said the commission will make the decision on Tuesday and immediately relay the news to the university. Benberg said SACS can decide on one of four options. n The commission can find everything OK, remove the warning sanction and renew accreditation for 10 years n Deny reaffirmation for a 10-year period and continue the institution on warning n Deny reaffirmation for a 10-year period and place the institution on probation which is the most severe of the two public sanctions n Drop the institution from membership. Benberg said if SACS decides to strip Life¼s accreditation and drop the school from its membership, the decision would take effect immediately, unless the university decides to appeal. Many Life affiliates, including the school¼s founder, said if Life loses its SACS accreditation, the institution might be forced to close its doors. „If SACS takes away our accreditation, Life is gone,¾ Williams said. „I don¼t see us as having any other choice.¾ Life¼s spokesman Will Hurst and newly appointed president Dr. Ben DeSpain were both unavailable for comment. Dr. Steve Petty, a Florida chiropractor and former Life professor, said it would be an absolute miracle to see Life keep itself afloat without SACS accreditation. „I see no viable future for Life University if the decision does not go in their favor,¾ he said. „Besides, I don¼t think Life can offer any student loans without accreditation.¾ According to the SACS Web site, government agencies rely on a school¼s accreditation in making student loans and other funds available to the institution. Most other Life supporters said they feel optimistic SACS will continue the university¼s accreditation. „I think SACS will give them some credit for the work they have done so far and give them the benefit of the doubt,¾ Dr. Tim Langley, a local chiropractor and Life advocate, said. Life University lost its chiropractic accreditation on June 10, and a three-member panel from the Council on Chiropractic Education refused to lift the revocation on Oct. 20. Established in 1895 and based out of Decatur SACS¼ mission is the improvement of education in the south through accreditation. The body accredits 12,000 public and private educational institutions throughout 11 states in the South. pgiltman@mdjonline.com