Some students stick with Life

MARIETTA ã Amid a mass exodus of Life University students over 
the past several months, school 
01/11/03


By Phillip Giltman
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
 
MARIETTA ã Amid a mass exodus of Life University students over 
the past several months, school officials said they were surprised to 
see the number of students who decided to stand by the Marietta 
institution and register for winter quarter.
Life University¼s spokesman Will Hurst said 459 students enrolled in 
the doctor of chiropractic program, 525 students in the non-
chiropractic program and 66 students in the master¼s program.
„These numbers are a bit higher than we expected,¾ Life President 
Dr. Ben DeSpain said Friday. „We felt there would be an increase 
once the court provided a timeline to hear our motion for injunctive 
relief, and in fact that¼s what happened.¾
Life University filed a lawsuit against the Council on Chiropractic 
Education last week asking a federal judge to immediately reinstate 
the school¼s chiropractic accreditation.
According to Hurst, Senior Judge Charles Moye Jr. established a Jan. 
31 deadline for both Life and the accrediting agency to submit any 
written documentation to the court. He said oral arguments will 
commence after Jan. 31.
Even though Life¼s enrollment numbers have plummeted 87 percent 
from a high of 3,200 two years ago to 459 as of Friday, DeSpain 
remained 
optimistic.
„We are excited about our enrollment numbers, and we believe 
these figures are a vote of confidence in the position Life has taken 
to regain accreditation,¾ he said. „I am grateful for each and every 
student and their commitment to receiving 
a degree from Life University.¾
Life¼s chiropractic enrollment in the spring of 2002 was about 2,600. 
Following the school¼s loss of its chiropractic accreditation, that 
number dropped to about 700 as of Nov. 24.
DeSpain said the loss of so many students jeopardizes the financial 
stability of the Marietta institution, meaning the school may have to 
focus more attention on recruiting.
„Our future recruiting efforts will continue to emphasize our doctor 
of chiropractic program, and we will increase awareness of our 
master¼s program in sports health science and undergraduate 
degree programs that include business and dietetics,¾ he said.
The drop in enrollment ‚ from 3,200 to 459 ã equals about $35 
million, assuming each student pays $13,000 per year on tuition. 
The university once boasted an operating budget of about $50 
million a year.
Life University¼s non-chiropractic program still remains accredited 
through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools which 
placed the Marietta institution on a probation sanction.
The CCE stripped Life University of its chiropractic accreditation on 
June 10 and a three-member panel refused to lift the revocation on 
Oct. 20. CCE officials told Life that the school would have to wait 
until June 2004 before applying for accreditation, with the hopes of 
being accredited by January 2005.
DeSpain said Life will attempt to have the CCE named as a co-
defendant in several of the lawsuits recently filed against the 
university by about 550 former and current students.
In several of the suits, which are seeking class-action status, 
students are asking for damages exceeding $100 million for tuition, 
relocation costs and other expenses, the lawsuit states.
pgiltman@mdjonline.com