N
Dispute notion school was unfairly targeted

MARIETTA ã Nearly two dozen Life University faculty and staff members argued in an 
open letter 
11/02/02


By Phillip Giltman
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
 
MARIETTA ã Nearly two dozen Life University faculty and staff members argued in an 
open letter Wednesday that the school¼s loss of accreditation isn¼t attributable to anything 
more than founder and former president Dr. Sid Williams¼ approach to managing the 
institution.
Four faculty members independently verified that the letter spoke for 20 current Life 
staffers, but all wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal.
„We are afraid because of the retribution this institution has exhibited in the past,¾ said one 
doctor who works in a Life campus chiropractic clinic. „Academic freedom is an issue 
here, and it always has been.¾
Life spokesman Will Hurst said that although staff cuts have been ongoing, Life isn¼t 
singling anyone out for their views.
„The days of alleged retribution are long gone,¾ he said Friday.
Three days following the university¼s loss of an appeal to regain its chiropractic 
accreditation, Williams said the Council on Chiropractic Education¼s decision resulted from 
a rift in the field caused by the CCE¼s push to turn chiropractic into medicine.
„Nothing could be farther from the truth,¾ the letter states. „Life did not fail to meet the 
standards because we could not meet them ã Life failed to meet the standards because we 
were not allowed to meet them. Not allowed by Williams, his board and his regime.¾
Williams wrote in his reaction to the loss of appeal that „the flexibility and tolerance that the 
CCE is supposed to display to differing philosophies has died under their drive to eliminate 
those principles with which they do not agree.¾
But the authors of the letter say it¼s more than that.
„The policies and standards of the CCE clearly encourage and require that students be 
taught the fundamental principles of chiropractic¼s founder, including the concepts and their 
applications related to subluxation, wellness and vitalism,¾ the letter states. „It was the 
institution, under the leadership of Williams, his servant administration and an absent 
Board of Trustees, that failed to comply with those standards.¾
In late June, former board of trustees chairwoman Dr. Rebecca Ray resigned. In July, 
Williams and his family left the institution and three new members were appointed to the 
board of trustees.
The CCE stripped Life of its chiropractic accreditation on June 10 and on Oct. 20 denied an 
appeal to lift the revocation.
The authors also criticized Williams¼ contentions that the CCE is demanding a singular 
approach to chiropractic education, when „it was Williams himself that sought to control 
the content of Life¼s curriculum, restrict academic freedom and stifle the development and 
maturation of new ideas.¾
Williams was unavailable for comment Friday evening.
The letter states Williams deliberately sought to create an adversarial relationship with 
accrediting agencies based on „ego instead of a relationship rooted in partnership.¾
The letter states, „Much of this attitude and behavior continues through his supporters that 
remain on the Board of Trustees, in the administration and amongst the faculty that 
interferes with the changes needing to be made.¾
Authors of the letter said one of their major concerns is that the Williams¼s regime is not 
over and his supporters¼ ideology continue to control decisions that effect the viability of 
the institution.
„It was Dr. Williams, his administration and the Board of Trustees at Life University who 
repeatedly failed to act when the CCE sighted specific weaknesses in the educational 
processes,¾ the letter reads. „We here at the institution have the ability and talent to create a 
vibrant institution, we need only be allowed to do what needs to be done.¾
pgiltman@mdjonline.com