Life students return amid uncertainty 
 
10/01/02
By Phillip Giltman
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
MARIETTA ã Life students returned to campus Monday morning for 
the start of fall quarter, expressing mixed concerns about whether 
to remain enrolled as the embattled institution waits to hear back 
on the status of its accreditation.
„I¼m going to stay and see what happens,¾ 13th quarter students 
Jenny Scheitel said Monday after registration. „I know I¼m taking a 
risk staying here, but I think Life will straighten this out.¾
Life University was stripped of its chiropractic accreditation on June 
10 for failing to comply with standards dictated by the Council on 
Chiropractic Education. Life appealed the CCE¼s decision and 
remains accredited during the appeal process. The CCE will meet 
with the university Oct. 20 to discuss the appeal.
Most other students shared similar sentiments as that of Ms. 
Scheitel, saying they are „going to stick it out and see what 
happens.¾
„I¼ve been here 13 quarters, and I would hate to start another year 
somewhere else,¾ said a 14th quarter student who declined to give 
his name. „I know most 14th-quarter students have been hanging 
around because we should be out of here in time.¾
Life students on average take 14 quarters to graduate. A diploma 
from an unaccredited school would be deemed worthless.
„It¼s sad what Life is going through, and I hope the CCE can do 
something to save the school; maybe place them back on 
probation,¾ Ms. Scheitel said. „There is a lot of faculty here that 
didn¼t deserve this either.¾
John Carelton, a 13th-quarter student from New Jersey, said he 
can¼t deal with the uncertainty and has decided to transfer to Logan 
College of Chiropractic in St. Louis.
„Life keeps beating around the bush, and they are not helping the 
students in answering our questions,¾ he said. „It¼s kind of sad, 
because I only had two quarters left, and this will set me back 
about eight months.¾
Eagle Queens, a fifth-quarter student from Florida, said she is 
confident Life will get this problem resolved, even if it meant 
reapplying for accreditation.
„I¼m a little nervous about this whole thing, but if we lose our 
accreditation we can always reapply,¾ she said. „This is a great 
school, it has qualified teachers, and I¼m sticking with it.¾
Several other students had no choice but to stay due to either 
family or living arrangements.
„I have a house and a wife, so it¼s kind of hard to just pick up and 
relocate somewhere else,¾ said Chris Berard, an 11th-quarter 
student who lives in the Marietta area. „I never thought Life would 
be dealing with something like this, but I¼m pretty confident things 
will be resolved.¾
Though fall enrollment figures will not be released until Friday, many 
students said it looked like the numbers have declined greatly 
gauging by the lack of students around campus and in the 
classroom.
„This parking lot used to be packed with cars, but now you can park 
wherever you want,¾ Berard said.
pgiltman@mdjonline.com