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The Latest Stuff from Gerry

By Gerard W. Clum, D.C.

I am very pleased to advise you that on January 10, 2003, the Commission on Accreditation (COA) of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) reaffirmed the accredited status of Life Chiropractic College West for a period of eight (8) years!

Accreditation reviews should be eventful but routine processes, but due to the circumstances involving the withdrawal of accreditation from the College of Chiropractic of Life University in Georgia, this accreditation cycle for Life West was far from routine.

The accreditation timeline involved a submission of a self-study on May 1, 2002, a site visitation team being on campus in late August 2002 and the exchange of reports and responses throughout the fall of the year. The hearing on January 10, 2003 was the last phase in the process.

The factors that made this accreditation cycle less than routine involved the confusion on the part of many chiropractors and many prospective students regarding the relationship between Life Chiropractic College West and the College of Chiropractic of Life University. Another factor in the non-routine nature of the process involved a level of opportunism that was seized by those who had something to gain from capitalizing on the Life West-Life University confusion. Let me explain.

Life Chiropractic College West and Life University have ALWAYS been separate institutions. We have shared perspectives on chiropractic and on our most unifying concept–Lasting Purpose. Otherwise, we have each been accredited separately and we have each been answerable to the CCE Standards based on our own performance and circumstance. Bottomline: Our reaffirmation does not benefit Life University and Life University’s problems with CCE should not have harmed Life West.

Over the past six months, we have encountered a perspective that we came to refer to as “the other shoe syndrome.” This relates to the people in the profession who assumed that the fate of Life Chiropractic College West was the same as the fate of the College of Chiropractic of Life University. People with this syndrome have held off on referring students or donating to Life West fearing that their efforts would be wasted.

There has been a pathological version of “the other shoe syndrome.” In this situation, persons at various chiropractic colleges have lied to prospective students about Life West and proffered the idea that Life West and Life University are the same, and if it happened at one, it will happen at the other. The first form of the syndrome is based on fear and concern. The pathological form is based on greed and is de-liberate and conscious in intent.

In light of the reaffirmation of the accredited status of Life West by the COA, I am asking for your help in getting accurate information disseminated to our colleagues. Specifically, I am asking for your help as follows:

1. Please take advantage of every opportunity to let our colleagues know of the recent reaf-firmation action of the COA with respect to Life Chiropractic College West. When you have lunch with a chiropractor, attend a county or state chiropractic meeting, or you attend a con-tinuing education seminar–wherever you see chiropractors, please be sure and let people know of the good news about Life West.

2. Please take every opportunity to let prospective students know of the opportunities available to them at Life West. Many prospective students are confused about the relationship between Life West and Life University. Please be sure they have the correct information about Life West. Remind them that we live, work and study in a place (the San Francisco Bay Area) that people all over the world dream about visiting one time in their lives!

3. If you are in contact with students who have transferred from Life University to another chi-ropractic program, or if you are in contact with students who have withdrawn from Life Uni-versity and are taking a breather, let them know we can help them. We have had calls from many students who have transferred elsewhere who are concerned that the promises of the Summer of 2002 are not the reality of the Winter of 2003. If we can be of assistance to them, we would be pleased to do so.

4. Remember that a donation to Life West is needed and appreciated. Please know that your do-nation will be well used to serve the educational needs of our students and to help secure the profession for those that follow us.

If you have any questions about any aspect of this letter, please feel free to call me at 510.780.4500 ext. 4550 or to write me at [email protected]

Thank you for your continued interest in “The Latest Stuff from Gerry.” We’ll be in touch soon with more news of the day for you, your patients and your practice.

Be well.

Gerry

Gerard W. Clum, D.C.
President
Life Chiropractic College West
25001 Industrial Boulevard
Hayward, California 94545
510.780.4500 extension 4550 voice
510.780.4515 facsimile
www.lifewest.edu

planetc1.com-news @ 6:28 pm | Article ID: 1042943333

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