Even though Dr. Michael J. Schmidt has spent a lifetime in chiropractic higher education, he recently took on the greatest challenge of his career when he assumed the role of interim president at Life University.
The Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) revoked its accreditation for Life’s Doctor of Chiropractic program on June 10, and the Board of Trustees has entrusted Dr. Schmidt with the task of guiding the school through this tumultuous period.
After accepting the position in early July, he became the first to take the reins of power following the resignation of Life’s visionary founder, Dr. Sid E. Williams.
Dr. Schmidt has his work cut out for him. As the school moves through the appeal process with the CCE, he is reorganizing the institution and working to convince students that remaining at Life will benefit them.
He most recently served as dean of Life Chiropractic College West for 10 years. Previously, he was chair of the technique department at Life West from 1986 to 1990 and served as chief of staff of the Life West Clinic from 1982 to 1986. From 1975 to 1980, he was one of the early faculty members at Life Chiropractic College in Marietta, Ga.
Dr. Schmidt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from New Jersey’s Upsala College, and he received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1975.
Today’s Chiropractic recently spoke with him about his new position and his vision for Life.
TC: What is the
main task facing you as the interim president of Life University?
Dr. Schmidt: Life University has played a major role in my career and I
appreciate the board of trustees’ confidence in me. I am proud to be at
Life again and to be working with the faculty, staff and students to create
an atmosphere of open communication where everyone has a say in the decision-making
process. My primary mission right now is to ensure that Life University’s
Doctor of Chiropractic program has its accreditation reaffirmed.
I also function as the CEO of the university on a day-to-day basis. That means
working with the administration and the board of trustees to manage the challenges
we’re facing and to institute the changes that need to be made to ensure
the long-term viability of the College of Chiropractic and the university as
a whole.
TC: What changes
are being made to Life’s College of Chiropractic?
Dr. Schmidt: Physiological therapeutics, once only an off-campus elective,
will now be an on-campus elective and will be supported through the clinical
experience. There are also other changes in the academic program that are being
implemented for the fall quarter. Those changes involve a differential diagnosis
course to increase the students’ knowledge of situations they might encounter
in clinical settings, enhanced clinical proficiency testing and a transition
to a more traditional health-care provider educational model.
There are other changes being made in the sequencing of courses to provide students
an opportunity to take national boards as early as sixth quarter, as opposed
to eighth quarter. We’re also looking at changing the sequence of clinic
and moving it back to a quarter later. I would like to see us restructure the
entire curriculum to offer a 12-quarter honors track program along with the
traditional 14-quarter program.
TC: With the decline
in enrollment, you’ve said there will be budget reductions. How will you
decide where the cuts are made?
Dr. Schmidt: The first round of reductions has already been made in areas
that don’t affect the academic programs. The largest one is the elimination
of intercollegiate athletics, which accounts for a third of the necessary $6
million in budget reductions for this fiscal year. We’re also seeking a
sponsor to help us maintain the “Lights of Life” holiday light show,
which has been very popular with the local community. The possibility of establishing
the B.J. Palmer Historic Home in Florida as a non-profit foundation is another
option we are considering. The bottom line is we will make whatever decisions
are necessary to ensure the continued financial solvency of the university.
TC: Are you considering
selling any university property?
Dr. Schmidt: We have identified six properties outside of our main campus
that we would like to sell. The buildings are administrative or industrial buildings
that will put $5 million to $6 million back into the university’s financial
reserves. Disposing of the real estate will also save the school hundreds of
thousands of dollars on maintenance, security fees and insurance.
TC: Will there be
more workforce reductions?
Dr. Schmidt: Some staff reductions—approximately 50 people—have
already taken place. Departments have been reorganized to make them more efficient
and orient resources to support academics. We are doing what we can to assist
those whose positions have been eliminated. As enrollment figures become clear,
we will be looking at what is appropriate in the academic area. With a decreasing
number of students, obviously, we may not need as many faculty members.
TC: If the Council
on Chiropractic Education does not restore accreditation on appeal, will you
then reapply for accreditation?
Dr. Schmidt: We are completely focused on the appeal process right now,
and it would be imprudent to speculate on the outcome of that process. The students
should know one thing: We will do everything in our power to obtain accreditation.
We are moving as fast as possible—by the book and by the rules.
TC: What are you
saying to the students at Life about this issue of accreditation and why they
should remain enrolled at Life University?
Dr. Schmidt: I am speaking to students on a daily basis. The only assurance
I can give them is that we, meaning the administration, the board and faculty,
are doing everything that we can to restore accreditation as quickly as possible.
That is our top priority.
TC: Beyond regaining
accreditation, are there other major plans or changes in store for the university?
Dr. Schmidt: It’s hard to look beyond the crisis that we’re
in right now. When you have time to look at it, the possibilities are infinite.
As the world’s largest chiropractic school, Life can become the benchmark
by which chiropractic education is judged. We could also become a center for
many different kinds of learning—in sports medicine, for instance—through
our graduate and undergraduate programs. We can expand our presence in the research
field. We can go wherever we want. Life University will continue to build on
the dream and vision of (founder and former president) Dr. Williams. Our best
days are still to come.
TC: Do you see any
role at Life for Dr. Sid E. Williams?
Dr. Schmidt: No. Dr. Sid retired and no longer has a role, formal or
informal, at Life University. Everyone here deeply appreciates the work he did
over nearly three decades to nurture Life University into a great institution
of higher learning. His greatest future contribution to Life is the continued
support the school receives from others throughout the profession that Dr. Sid
inspired. We hope that all those people will continue to support the students
and the university.
TC: What are you
doing to build closer ties to the alumni of Life University?
Dr. Schmidt: I’m establishing and re-establishing communication
with them as quickly as possible. The administration will keep them informed,
both directly and indirectly, through our web site and alumni publications like
Campus Life. The school needs their participation and support in what we’re
doing in this crisis and beyond. Alumni are important, and I want to do everything
possible to ensure that they are proud of Life University.
TC: If alumni want
to know what they can do to help the university, what would you tell them?
Dr. Schmidt: They can work on a local level with their state associations
and political affiliations to carry the banner for Life University. They can
say with confidence that Life is working diligently to regain its accreditation
and that the administration
is determined to push the school to even greater heights. They can be supportive
of their student referrals. It’s important that students hear something
positive from the alumni.
This crisis will be resolved, the university will go on and we will need alumni
support—both through gifts and student referrals. They are always welcome
to visit the campus and are encouraged to tell us other ways that we can help
them.
TC: Have you received
support from the chiropractic profession?
Dr. Schmidt: The profession has been very supportive of Life. On a local
level, the Georgia Council on Chiropractic is awarding $1,000 scholarships to
18 of our current students. This action is a very tangible means of saying GCC
believes in Life and its future.
TC: What would you
say to a prospective chiropractic student about attending Life University at
this time?
Dr. Schmidt: Life has a first-class faculty teaching an expanded curriculum
on the best campus of any chiropractic college in the world. The organizational
improvements we are making are built around serving the student community. The
accreditation appeal is under way, and we are hopeful about the outcome. I believe
Life is still the best place to be for any young person seeking a chiropractic
education.
TC: Is the university
now seeking a permanent president, and are you a candidate for that job?
Dr. Schmidt: The Board of Trustees has established a search committee,
and the committee will be reviewing candidates and passing those along to the
full board. I am interested in the permanent position. Over the weeks that I’ve
been here, I’ve come to an even greater appreciation for the institution
and the people that make up the Life family. It’s a great institution with
a bright future. The choice of a new president is obviously very important,
because that person will be leading the university into a new and changing era.
I’m sure the board will be looking at each candidate and their qualifications
very carefully.
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