Life University

Life University is located in Marietta, Georgia. It specializes in degrees in Chiropractic, and also offers programs in Pre-Chiropractic, Business, Nutrition, Sport Health Sciences and Biology. The university's current president is Dr. Guy Riekeman, D.C., former Chancellor of the Palmer Chiropractic University System. Dr. Riekeman was appointed President of Life in March 2004.

Education programs

Life University is divided into three distinct colleges: The College of Chiropractic, The College of Graduate Studies, and The College of Undergraduate Studies. Degrees offered include: Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.), B.B.A. Business, B.S. Biology, B.S. Nutrition, B.S. Dietetics, B.S. Computer Information Management, A.S. Computer Information Management, A.S. Nutrition Technology. Life also offers a Master's of Sport Health Science with a concentration in the following areas: Chiropractic Sport Science, Sport Injury Management, Exercise and Sport Science, Sport Coaching.

Pre-requisites for entering the DC (Doctor of Chiropractic) program in the College of Chiropractic includes 6 semester or 9 quarter hours of English Language Skills, 3 semester or 4.5 quarter hours of psychology, 15 semester or 22.5 quarter hours of additional Humanities or Social Sciences, 6 semester or 9 quarter hours of biological sciences, 12 semester or 18 quarter hours of chemistry, and 6 semester or 9 quarter hours of physics with unduplicated content (of which one must include a pertinent related laboratory that covers the range of material presented in the didactic portions of the course) or 3 semester or 4.5 quarter hours in physics (with laboratory) and 3 semester or 4.5 quarter hours in either biomechanics, kinesiology, statistics or exercise physiology. A bachelor's degree is not necessary for entering the DC program however, 90 semester / 135 quarter hours of pre-requisite undergraduate courses as specified by the CCE are required. Life University offers a curriculum for pre-chiropractic that is not a degree program but may lead to an undergraduate degree.

The DC program is 14 quarters long, which is three-and-a-half years.

History

Life University was founded in 1974 by Dr. Sid Williams as Life Chiropractic College. The university was established on the site of a placer gold mine. Twenty-two students attended the first classes in January, 1975. They became known as "Day one class". Yet by 1990, the school had grown to become the largest college of chiropractic in the world. In 2006, Life University remains the largest school in the chiropractic profession.About Life, Historical Information, "Life University—Fulfilling a Vision". [http://www.life.edu/About_Life/historic_NEW.asp available online] ]

Accreditation: revocation and restoration

On June 7, 2002, the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) revoked Life University's accreditation. The actual citations leading to revocation of Life's accreditation were not revealed to the public.

Dr. Williams resigned as President of Life University as a direct result of this incident, and the corporate board which had governed the university was dissolved. Michael J. Schmidt was appointed President to succeed Dr. Williams in August, 2002. A subsequent appeal kept the accreditation in force until October of that year, but by November enrollment at the school had fallen to 865 students. In a lawsuit filed by Life against CCE in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Judge Charles E. Moye, Jr. granted an injunction on February 10, 2003 retroactively restoring Life's accreditation. Because the injunction was retroactive, Life's accreditation effectively never ceased.

On August 30, 2004, Dr. Sid Williams and Life University settled lawsuits which had been filed against one another, and Dr. Williams subsequently returned to association with the university. Dr. Bob Braille. "Sid Williams Settles Suit with Life University", The Information Age. [http://www.braile.net/TIA/2004_September_a_TIA.htm available online] ] Dr. Williams appeared before the Georgia Council of Chiropractic on September 11, 2004 to appeal for donations and support in the university's endeavour to become re-accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Life University's accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) was reaffirmed on December 7, 2004 to award Associates, Bachelors, Masters, and Doctor of Chiropractic degrees. On November 12, 2005, the CCE's Commission on Accreditation formally accreditted the Doctor of Chiropractic program at Life University College of Chiropractic.LIFE RETURNS TO NORMAL, "Once-Troubled Chiropractic School Receives CCE Accreditation", Michael Devitt. [http://www.chiroweb.com/college/news/life.html available online] ] The university is accredited by the CCE through 2012."DIRECTORY OF CHIROPRACTIC DEGREE PROGRAMS AND SOLITARY PURPOSE CHIROPRACTIC INSTITUTIONS HOLDING ACCREDITED STATUS", THE COUNCIL ON CHIROPRACTIC EDUCATION (CCE). [http://www.cce-usa.org/CCE%20Publication%20of%20Accredited%20Programs.pdf#search=%22%22life%20university%22%202011%22 available online] PDF] Further, the "Didactic Program in Dietetics" and the "Dietetic Internship Program" at Life University have each been granted initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association.Life Universite website, "About Life", "Accredidation Information". [http://www.life.edu/About_Life/accreditation_NEW.asp] ]

In 2004, enrollment had risen back up to approximately 3100 students."Life University Information", U.S. College Search [http://www.uscollegesearch.org/life-university.html available online] ]

Athletics

Life's most notable sport is rugby, which began in 1980. Along with UC Berkeley is one of two varsity rugby programs in the United States, and the only one that offers scholarships. In 1982, Life lost to UC Berkeley in the collegiate National Championships. Since 1986, Life has played at a senior level rather than collegiate with considerable success, including a stint in the Rugby Super League from 1997 to 2002. In 2000 Life won the Rugby Super League National Championship, and in 2007, Life University's rugby team was ranked number one of the Division 1 clubs in the nation. ERugbyNews, "Division I Clubs Get Ranked", April 13th, 2007. [http://www.life.edu/Press_Room/2007_April_rugby_ranked1.asp available online] ]

Other sports include volleyball, cycling, soccer, hockey, tennis, golf, powerlifting, racquetball, and triathlon.

Notable alumni

*Matt Leonard
*Julie Peterson
*Warrior
*Wayne Rhodes

References

External links

* [http://www.life.edu Life University Official website]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1147373 "Life University loses accreditation - link to National Public Radio"]
* [http://www.life.edu/Athletics/ "Life University Athletics"]
* [http://www.liferugby.com/ "Life Rugby"]