On June 7, 2002, the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE), which is the national organization that accredits chiropractic schools, revoked the accreditation status of Life University of Marietta, Georgia. Life advocates a "straight" chiropractic approach which holds that spinal malfunction ("subluxations") is the underlying cause of ill health and that spinal adjustments enable the body to heal itself. Although CCE will not reveal the precise basis of its decision, its investigators apparently concluded that Life students were not being taught how to detect and deal with problems that require medical attention. CCE's investigative report noted that "all patient charts reviewed revealed primary diagnoses of subluxation." [1] The Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners issued a statement supporting CCE's decision.
Commission on Accreditation |
Life appealed, but in October 2002, CCE ruled against it. A school official announced plans to apply for reinstatement, but that process could take between 6 and 30 months [2].
CCE is the only agency for chiropractic recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Life may not be able to retain its student body because graduation from a CCE-approved school is necessary for licensure in at least 35 states. Some states will consider regional accreditation, which Life continues to have through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, but that status is also in jeopardy and will be reviewed in December. CCE revoked Life's accreditation in June 2002 after a 12-month probation period, but the appeal temporarily kept it in force. Life has for many years operated the world's largest chiropractic school, but, since June 2002, enrollment in its chiropractic program has plummeted. On Oct. 23, the school reported 1,380 students remained in the chiropractic program. However, two weeks later Moody's Investor Services reported that chiropractic enrollment has dropped to 865 [4].
Life is still accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, but without CCE accreditation its chiropractic graduates will not be eligible to take licensing exams and the school is unlikely to survive. However, in December 2001, this commission warned Life that it had failed to meet five standards related to academic and professional preparation, financial stability, and overall management, and gave the university six months to respond [3]. Among other things, SACSCOC's investigation concluded that that Life's program "lacks depth in the areas of diagnosis and management of patient care beyond the chiropractic analysis and adjustment" and that over 90% of patients who present for treatment in the institution's clinics will have spinal x-rays taken, which is "inconsistent with current practice." [5]
Life's founder and president Sid Williams, D.C., has resigned. Nineteen students are already suing him and the University for negligence in losing the accreditation; and more students are expected to do the same [2]. The Chiropractic Student Resource Site features an archive of news reports about the situation.