[ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 01/03/03]
Life U. sues to recapture chiropractic accreditation 
By MARY MacDONALD 
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 

Life University has filed a lawsuit that asks a federal judge to immediately 
reinstate its chiropractic accreditation and seeks damages from the agency 
that stripped the program of its good standing.
The suit filed late Thursday in U.S. District Court in Atlanta alleges that the 
Arizona-based Council on Chiropractic Education unfairly revoked the 
accreditation of Life's largest degree program.
The loss of chiropractic accreditation triggered an exodus of students that Life 
says jeopardizes its survival. Chiropractic enrollment is now fewer than 300 
students, down from nearly 700 in December and 2,600 in June, the suit 
states. "If accreditation is not restored very quickly, Life's survival will become 
impossible," the 44-page complaint says.
Paul Walker, executive vice president of the accrediting council, could not be 
reached for comment Thursday.
In its June decision to revoke the accreditation, the agency cited management 
and academic deficiencies, including insufficient supervision of students in 
Life's public chiropractic clinics. Life lost its appeal of the decision in October.
Life President Ben DeSpain, appointed in November to replace Life founder Sid 
Williams, initially told students and faculty he didn't want to challenge the 
accrediting agency. But DeSpain later said he changed his mind after 
becoming frustrated with the council's insistence that Life wait two years to 
reapply for accreditation.
"You can't reason with them," DeSpain said. "They're trifling with us. They have 
no intention of providing any immediate attention that would allow any source of 
relief."
Life's lawsuit contends the CCE has become dominated by proponents of a 
philosophy of chiropractic that advocates a closer relationship with the medical 
field. Life was founded to promote an approach that maintains a division in 
treatment and diagnosis between chiropractors and physicians.
The lawsuit says CCE violated its own policies by sending representatives of 
competing chiropractic schools to review Life's accreditation. Review team 
members from schools in Texas, California and Missouri "aggressively 
solicited" transfer students from Life, the lawsuit states. A representative of 
Logan College of Chiropractic near St. Louis was on an appeal panel that 
revoked Life's accreditation. Within days, the chairman of Logan's board of 
trustees made an offer to purchase Life, the lawsuit states.
The suit also names Walker individually, and states the loss of accreditation 
came because of his personal animosity toward Williams. "Walker recently 
confirmed his animus against Life when he informed Life's current president, 
prior to his interview with Life, that Life never should have lost accreditation, but 
that such action was due to 'that demagogue,' Dr. Williams," the complaint 
states. Williams, now retired, could not be reached for comment.
The university soon will try to have the chiropractic agency named as a co-
defendant in lawsuits filed against Life by nearly 200 current and former 
students, DeSpain said. The lawsuits include a case filed in Fulton County that 
asks a judge to approve class-action status. Students are seeking damages 
exceeding $100 million for tuition, relocation costs and other expenses, Life's 
federal lawsuit states.
The nearly four-year chiropractic program's tuition is $58,000. Without 
chiropractic accreditation, Life graduates cannot be licensed to practice in most 
states.
The federal lawsuit comes as Life, once the largest chiropractic school in the 
country, prepares to reopen Monday for spring semester, the first since the loss 
of chiropractic accreditation in October. Other programs at Life remain 
accredited but are on probation.
A September report by the accrediting agency that oversees non-chiropractic 
programs said the university could lose as much as $10 million this year. 
Several students said this week they are pleased at the new aggressiveness.
The lawsuit is overdue, said Patrick Seay, a chiropractic student who expects to 
graduate in June. "I'm looking for better things to come along."
Gregory Lumpkin, 38, a student midway through the chiropractic program, said 
the suit should restore confidence among students debating whether to leave. 
"The students have been looking for something different. If they had filed this 
suit earlier, this school wouldn't be in the predicament it's in now."