Life regains credentials


A federal judge restored Life University¼s chiropractic credentials 
Monday afternoon, meaning s 

02/11/03


By Matt Schafer
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer

 

A federal judge restored Life University¼s chiropractic credentials 
Monday afternoon, meaning students who recently graduated can 
now receive accredited diplomas, the school¼s officials announced. 

Eleventh Circuit U.S. District Judge Charles Moye Jr. granted Life an 
injunction against the Council on Chiropractic Education¼s decision to 
strip the school of its chiropractic accreditation last year.

The injunction comes as part of a lawsuit filed in December alleging 
the CCE acted unfair in revoking Life¼s accreditation. The lawsuit 
seeks accreditation and damages from the CCE. 

The judge granted the injunction restoring Life¼s chiropractic 
credentials pending the outcome of the lawsuit. 

After announcing the surprising news to the student body Monday 
afternoon, Life President Dr. Ben DeSpain said the decision cleared 
the way for Life¼s future.

„We¼re heading down a road for a final resolution,¾ he said. „It¼s 
something we¼ve been needing. We¼ve got a lot of work to do, but 
we¼re going to move quickly so we can remove any shadow of a 
doubt.¾

DeSpain said lawyers were instructed to prepare for a trial within 
four months. 

Moye also ordered the CCE to meet with Life to work on a 
settlement before the case comes to trial, officials said. 

After refusing an appeal in October, the CCE said Life could not 
apply until 2004, meaning re-accreditation would not have been 
achieved until January 2005. 

Attempts to reach Moye were unsuccessful. Life officials said Moye¼s 
ruling was issued verbally from his bench Monday after a five-hour 
hearing before Life officials and CCE representatives. A written 
ruling is expected within days. 

Officials with the CCE could not be reached for comment. 

DeSpain said he expects an agreement to be reached without 
further legal battle.

„I would expect that,¾ he said. „It¼s not unusual to receive some 
kind of overture and work out some kind of settlement.¾ 

DeSpain did not release any conditions the school might be seeking 
from the CCE.

Moye¼s decision places the school back on its pre-June probationary 
status. 

Students ã who have had little to celebrate since the CCE stripped 
accreditation in June ã greeted the news with relief. 

„I felt the room lift as soon as the decision was announced,¾ said 
Evan Hughes, 24, of Marietta. „A lot of people¼s instincts were 
rewarded today.¾

Hughes is one of the 493 chiropractic students who have remained 
at Life ã one the largest chiropractic school in the nation. In total 
there are 1,080 students currently attending classes, down from 
2,262 at the same time last year.

DeSpain expects most of those students to come back.

„Walk out on campus tomorrow and you¼ll see a caravan,¾ he said. 
„I think that there is a large number of students who will return just 
as soon as we (determine if there is) an appeal, and all of those 
other things.¾

Life board member Dr. Chuck Ribley ‚ who attended the student 
assembly ã said he felt validated by the decision.

„I feel very positive,¾ he said. „The judge ruled the way he should 
have ruled. I¼m one of the founders, and I believe in what we teach 
at Life.¾

The lawsuit states that the CCE is trying to liberalize the realm of 
chiropractic education by teaching doctors of chiropractic to act as 
primary care physicians by going beyond the diagnosis and 
treatment of displacements of spinal segments.

In contrast, Life University holds a more conservative approach 
which emphasizes that chiropractic care should be limited to the 
traditional diagnosis and adjustment of displacements of spinal 
segments or other musculoskeletal structures

Will Hurst, Life¼s spokesman, said Moye¼s ruling should secure Life¼s 
future accreditation. Resolving the ideological issues will take much 
longer.

„It would be a fairly lengthy process to resolve our differences, by I 
think we took the first step today,¾ he said. Hurst equated the 
ruling with winning „round one of a 10-round fight.¾

Monday¼s ruling also casts doubts on a class-action lawsuit filed by 
325 students seeking $100 million in damages. The students allege 
Life did not do enough to maintain its certification.

What will happen with that suit now is unknown.

„That is a very interesting question.. because the judge has ruled in 
our favor,¾ DeSpain said. 

In June, the CCE said it stripped Life of its chiropractic accreditation 
for a variety of infractions including: failing to maintain a 
comprehensive and ongoing system of evaluation and planning; 
failing to establish instructional objectives; failing to demonstrate 
adequacy and stability of basic and clinical sciences, faculty and 
staff. 

Most states will not allow chiropractors to practice without diplomas 
from accredited schools. 

mschafer@mdjonline.com