[ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 11/20/02 ]
Tennessee dean named president of Life University 
By MARY MACDONALD 
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer 


Life University trustees reached beyond chiropractic circles Tuesday and chose 
a career educator as president of the embattled school.
Ben DeSpain, a 30-year university and public school administrator, was 
appointed by the board of trustees following a four-month search.
DeSpain, 63, is dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at 
the University of Tennessee at Martin, a 6,000-student university northeast of 
Memphis.
He was among three finalists recommended by a search committee that 
included faculty and students. The committee considered 60 applicants.
DeSpain said Tuesday he is looking forward to the challenge of restoring 
public confidence in the Marietta university, which lost accreditation of its 
chiropractic program in October after a failed appeal.
"I've been blessed with the demeanor and the skills to function at a higher level 
of efficiency in a crisis situation," he said. "The mission is to not only survive 
this crisis, but move on to bigger and better things in the future."
In June, the Arizona-based Council on Chiropractic Education revoked 
accreditation of the university's largest degree program, triggering an exodus of 
nearly 2,000 students. About 800 chiropractic students remain this week at the 
university, a spokesman said, down from 2,600 in June. Another 600 students 
are enrolled in bachelor's and master's degree programs.
The accreditation problems resulted in the resignation of Life founder and 
President Sid Williams.
The university annually contributes about $100 million to the Cobb County 
economy. 
DeSpain's lack of experience in chiropractic education is not an issue, said 
Charles Ribley, a Michigan chiropractor who leads the university trustees. "He 
has a strong academic background. He has vision and energy. He's a problem 
solver."
"Being the president of Life University doesn't require you to have a chiropractic 
background." 
DeSpain plans to meet with students Friday, and visit the campus frequently 
before beginning full-time in January.
His career goal, he said, was to become a university president. He spent more 
than 20 years in public school administration as principal or superintendent, 
before moving into university positions eight years ago.
Fourteen years ago, he filed a $2 million federal lawsuit against a public school 
system in Louisiana that had fired him as superintendent, the Baton Rouge 
State Times reported. DeSpain said Tuesday he was fired because he had 
objected to improper activity by board members and had notified a federal 
prosecutor. He received a settlement, DeSpain said Tuesday. 
DeSpain holds a master's degree in education from Arkansas State University 
and a doctorate of education from the University of Memphis, with an emphasis 
in community college and higher education administration. He was raised on a 
farm in the Ozarks region of Missouri.