Former names | Life Chiropractic College (1976–1989) Life College (1989–1996) |
---|---|
Type | Private university |
Established | 1974 |
President | Robert Scott |
Academic staff | 183 |
Students | 2,692 |
Undergraduates | 718 |
Postgraduates | 1,974 |
Location | , United States 33°55′57″N84°30′52″W / 33.9325°N 84.5145°W |
Colors | Green, light green & yellow |
Nickname | Running Eagles |
Sporting affiliations | NAIA – SSAC |
Website | life.edu |
Life University is a private university focused on training chiropractors and located in Marietta, Georgia, USA. It was established in 1974 by a chiropractor, Sid E. Williams. [1]
A 2024 report found that students in Life's doctor of chiropractic program had the 12th highest debt-to-income ratio among all graduate programs in the US, at 490%. [2] [3]
The university was founded in 1974 by Williams as "Life Chiropractic College" [1] on the site of a placer gold mine, next to Southern Technical Institute (later Southern Polytechnic State University and now Kennesaw State University - Marietta Campus). 22 students attended the first classes in January 1975. [4]
In 1989, the name was shortened to "Life College", as it had recently opened an undergraduate program and was no longer purely chiropractic. This undergraduate program allowed Life to establish an intercollegiate athletic program. By 1990, it had grown to become the largest college of chiropractic in the world. [1] In 1996, Life College became Life University.
In March 2004, Guy Riekeman, the former chancellor of the Palmer Chiropractic University System, was appointed as the president of Life University. [4] In 2017, Rob Scott took over as president of the university and Riekeman became chancellor. [5]
In 2024, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported on the high debt burden of students who pursued degrees in alternative medicine. For Life, the median loan was $245,218 and the median earnings were $50,040, resulting in a debt to earnings ratio of 490%. This was the 12th highest ratio among graduate programs in the US, with the ratio of Life Chiropractic College West being ranked tenth at 512%. [2] [3] In lists of Health Education Assistance Loan defaults analyzed by Quackwatch at four time points between 1999 and 2012, Life had the highest number of defaulted loans among health professionals at every point. The percent of defaults from Life students among all health professionals ranged between 8 and 12 percent. [6] [7] [7]
Life University is known for discouraging vaccinations, contrary to the recommendations of mainstream medical experts. An alumnus said, "The philosophy of the school leads people to be anti-vaxxers and not get vaccinated." Anti-vaccine activists Andrew Wakefield and Del Bigtree presented at Life's "flagship seminar" in 2017. Wakefield is the doctor who was struck off the medical register for his involvement in The Lancet MMR autism fraud. [8] [9]
In 2023, university president Rob Scott invited anti-vaccine leader Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the closing speaker at Life's "Life Vision Extravaganza", a convention with room for 2000 people. [10]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Life sponsored an anti-vaccination conference and provided continuing education credits for attending. The school also refused to distribute COVID vaccines. Guy Riekeman falsely claimed that COVID vaccination "causes genetic mutation" and that COVID may not exist. [8]
The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, bachelor, master's and doctoral degrees. [11] The doctoral degree program is also accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education. [12] Two programs in dietetics are accredited by the American Dietetic Association. [13]
On June 7, 2002, the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE), which is the national organization that accredits chiropractic schools in the US, revoked the accreditation status of Life University. [14] A federal judge retroactively restored the accreditation in February 2003 and placed the chiropractic program on a probationary status. This was due to CCE's investigators apparently concluding 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.” The Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners issued a statement supporting CCE’s decision. Life appealed, but in October 2002, CCE ruled against it. Although it eventually got its accreditation restored, it has struggled with keeping its accreditation [15] [16] ever since.
The Life athletic teams are called the Running Eagles. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC; formerly known as Georgia–Alabama–Carolina Conference (GACC) until after the 2003–04 school year) starting the 2022–23 academic year. [17] The Running Eagles previously competed in Mid-South Conference (MSC) from 2014–15 to 2021–22; as an NAIA independent within the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) from 2008–09 to 2011–12 (and during the 2013–14 academic year), and in the TranSouth Athletic Conference (TranSouth or TSAC) during 2012–13.
Life competes in 20 intercollegiate varsity sports. Men's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, rugby, soccer, swimming, track & field, volleyball and wrestling. Women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, swimming, track & field, volleyball and wrestling. Co-educational sports include cheerleading.
The Running Eagles reached the national quarterfinals in 2011 in its first season. Life reached the national semi-finals in the 2011–12 season and finished the season ranked #2 in the US. [18] In 2018 and 2019, Life U beat the California Golden Bears to become back-to-back national champions. [19]
Life University has been successful in rugby sevens. It won the 2011 USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships. [20] Life U won the spring 2012 Las Vegas Invitational, earning a place at the June 2012 Collegiate Rugby Championship, [21] where Life U was undefeated in pool play and reached the semi-finals. The CRC tournament, played at PPL Park in Philadelphia, is the highest profile college rugby tournament in the US and is broadcast live every year on NBC. [22] Life U won the fall 2012 South Independent 7s tournament. [23] This victory earned Life an automatic place and a chance to defend its title at the fall 2012 USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships, where Life U went 5–1 and finished second in the tournament, losing in the Cup Championship match to rival Arkansas State. In 2013, Life U went 5–1 at the USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships to finish fifth. [24]
Since 1986, Life U has played at a senior level, including in the Rugby Super League from 1997 to 2002. Life U rejoined the RSL in 2009. [25]
Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially of the spine. It is based on several pseudoscientific ideas.
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