Please copy the letter on your letterhead, sign it, and FAX to the CCE at 480-483-7333. Follow up with a hard copy. Also, send a copy of the letter to: Rod Paige, Secretary
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202 
  (or fax at 202-401-0689)

========= Sample letter =======
===Print on your letterhead===

Paul D. Walker, Ph.D. 
Executive Vice President 
Council on Chiropractic Education 
8049 N. 85th Way 
Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Dear Dr. Walker:

I am writing to voice my strong protest against three of the proposed revisions to the CCE Standards for Chiropractic Programs and Institutions.

These provisions could have extremely serious ramifications for the entire profession, and allow the CCE to interfere in state regulatory functions. They could change the way chiropractic is taught, and how the public perceives it. Most critical, however, is that they clearly over reach the authority of the CCE to set accreditation standards.

Section G – This proposal is an attempt to control continuing education by providing accreditation requirements for use by the FCLB for certification of CE courses. This proposal, as a prelude to the PACE project, could impinge on academic freedom by imposing content restrictions. CCE and FCLB leadership is dominated at this time by medically oriented doctors who could easily use this power to deny approval to subluxation-based CE courses. In addition, the proposal denies the states the right and discretion to approve their own CE programs, and could potentially increase the costs of CE programs for doctors. This proposal extends the authority of the CCE without the consent and approval of the profession.

Section C – The change of the designation from doctors of chiropractic to “physicians” would be interpreted as an “official” chiropractic designation and as a mandate to chiropractic colleges. This is an extremely ill-advised proposal, since several state statutes prohibit the use of the word “physician” by chiropractors. In addition, the terminology has no relevance to educational standards and is not therefore an issue to be decided by the CCE.  Finally, use of the term would confuse the public and further blur the distinction between medical physicians and chiropractic doctors.

Section H – The requirement that ALL chiropractic colleges include physiotherapy in the D.C. degree requirement and in clinical competencies denies autonomy to the colleges and could interfere with their mission. The task of the CCE is to ensure that colleges fulfill their mission – not to dictate what that mission will be. Further, the use of physiotherapy is prohibited in some jurisdictions and, where it is permitted, its use is discretionary, not mandatory. Colleges should be permitted this same freedom to include physiotherapy as an option, not a requirement. The mandatory inclusion of physiotherapy could change the basic character of a college’s educational direction, shifting the emphasis from subluxation correction to treatment therapy.

The proposed revisions are totally unacceptable and must be rejected.

In addition, I want to voice my protest over the lack of time given to the profession to respond to these proposals.  The CCE made no attempt to distribute information on these proposals to the entire profession in a timely manner that would enable doctors to study the proposals and respond in full. By releasing the information shortly before the Christmas holiday season, the CCE denied doctors the chance to participate fully in the process.

Yours truly,