President assures students Life will 
regain accreditation

MARIETTA ã Life University interim president Dr. Michael Schmidt laid 
out a game plan for stud 
07/17/02


By David Burch
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
 
MARIETTA ã Life University interim president Dr. Michael Schmidt 
laid out a game plan for students Tuesday on how the embattled 
school plans to win back chiropractic accreditation.
Schmidt assured a group of several hundred Life chiropractic 
students that he plans to pursue every avenue possible to regain 
accreditation for the school.
„I absolutely did not come here to shut this place down,¾ Schmidt 
said. „I am not interested in a takeover or a teach- out. It is not my 
intention to be the last president of Life University.¾
The Council on Chiropractic Education has already received notice 
from Life that it plans to appeal the decision to revoke the school¼s 
accreditation. Life has until Aug. 9 to file its official appeal, after 
which the CCE has 60 days to make a decision.
„We hope that is successful,¾ Schmidt said.
If the appeal fails, Schmidt said the university plans to re-apply to 
the CCE for a new accreditation, a process Schmidt said would be 
„fast-tracked¾ by the CCE and should be complete by March 2003.
„We have had some interest and indication that (CCE) would be 
open to that,¾ he said.
The CCE, Schmidt said, would still be open to re-accrediting the 
school even if they opt to turn down Life¼s appeal because the 
school is now in the process of addressing many of the concerns 
outlined by the CCE. These include a new administration and 
reforms to curriculum and faculty policy at the school.
Schmidt said he prefers not to dwell on the „worse case scenario¾ 
that accreditation will be lost forever, because he said „the 
chiropractic profession would not be served by the closing of the 
largest college of chiropractic in the nation.¾
But he also said that there are no guarantees in the re-
accreditation process.
„I am not going to promise you an outcome,¾ Schmidt told the 
students. „I can¼t do that.¾
Gone from Tuesday¼s assembly was much of the political rhetoric of 
former president and Life founder Dr. Sid Williams ã who had 
suggested that the CCE¼s decision was an „attack on chiropractic,¾ 
or a conspiracy against the school and its „straight approach¾ to the 
profession.
Rather, Schmidt said he plans to focus on correcting the issues 
addressed by the CCE and expand the curriculum at the school to 
include a „physio-therapy¾ approach to chiropractic. The „PT¾ 
courses ã which teach topics like heat therapy, exercise and 
stretching ã have not been offered at Life before and are required 
for a chiropractor to be licensed in many states.
Schmidt also said those who supported Williams¼ approach to 
chiropractic may oppose these curriculum changes and accuse him 
of „selling out¾ to the agenda of the CCE.
But curriculum questions aside, a more pressing concern for many at 
the assembly was the „what if¾ scenario that accreditation is never 
regained.
To the frustration of many students at the assembly, Schmidt was 
unwilling to answer what he called „hypothetical¾ questions about a 
failed re-accreditation process. At one point, some students walked 
out of the assembly when questions went unanswered about how 
they would be protected if the school closed.
Schmidt was unable to provide a contingency plan for students or 
the school. He also was hesitant to answer questions about 
national board exams and licensing, but he did repeat a prior 
pledge from the school that students scheduled to graduate in 
September will not be affected by the accreditation.
Some students remain positive about Schmidt¼s appointment as 
interim president and the future of the school.
„I think he was very candid, and I think the students support him,¾ 
said David Rendelstein, a member of the steering committee for 
Life¼s Student Task Force on Accreditation. „He¼s got a plan. He 
knows what needs to be done, I think he made that clear.¾
Echoing Rendelstein¼s remarks, the task force released a statement 
following the assembly saying they were „thrilled¾ with Schmidt¼s 
appointment and that the new interim president „knows what 
changes need to be made and has the administrative skills to 
effectively implement those changes.¾
dburch@mdjonline.com