University will keep accreditation through injunction, president says

Tuesday, August 26, 2003 3:51 AM EDT

By Phillip Giltman

Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer

MARIETTA - Life University and the Council on Chiropractic Education have agreed to peacefully coexist after both parties dismissed all litigation issues involving the school's chiropractic accreditation.

The CCE stripped Life of its accreditation in June of last year, and the school has been reeling since - despite a court-ordered injunction that restored its accreditation. The damage done to the university since the CCE's decision last year can be measured by enrollment, which is down more than 2,000 students from two years ago.

"The CCE and Life University announced that the litigation concerning (Life's) accreditation status has been concluded, and that (Life's) lawsuit and the CCE's appeal have both been dismissed," Life officials posted on the school's Web site. "CCE and (Life) look forward to a cooperative, collaborative and mutually beneficial process in the years to come."

The same message was posted on the CCE's Web site, but officials there refused to comment on the agreement.

Life President Dr. Ben DeSpain said Life will maintain its chiropractic accreditation through the injunction, but the possibility still exists that the CCE will deny Life's request for accreditation when the school applies for its credentials in 2005.

Life filed a lawsuit against the CCE in December, claiming the agency unfairly stripped the school of its chiropractic accreditation in June 2002 and was causing irreparable harm.

Federal Judge Charles Moye Jr. granted Life an injunction, immediately placing the school's chiropractic program back to its probationary status.

The CCE appealed Life's decision, but the new agreement between the two parties dismisses both Life's lawsuit and the CCE's appeal.

DeSpain said he will work to ensure Life's accreditation even after 2005.

"Life will be accredited after 2005," he said. "It is my job to see to it that we continue to deliver when it is necessary, and it is always necessary. We are not entertaining other options, and we have the right people to get in place to get the job done. We don't think about any other way."

Without going into specifics, DeSpain said the school will maintain its chiropractic accreditation through the court order until the end of the application process, which should last through January 2005.

"We have the protection of the injunction through the entire process," he said.

DeSpain said now that matters have been resolved outside the courts, the school can focus on other issues, such as increasing recruiting efforts, reviewing and revising the curriculum and properly preparing for the next accreditation visit.

"We have to take it up a notch and have things in order for the visit," he said. "They will see we have made a lot of progress, and I am sure we will be ready."

Life is currently in its summer quarter. DeSpain said about 757 students are enrolled in the chiropractic program, down from a high of 3,200 two years ago. About 550 are in the non-chiropractic program.

He did not have enrollment projections for fall quarter, which begins Sept. 29.

pgiltman@mdjonline.com