students , but many have their doubts .
if your bmi has to be a requirement .
all had body mass index ( bmi ) scores above 30 or to take “ fitness for life , ” a one semester class that mixes exercise , nutritional instruction and discussion of the risks of obesity .
an individual 's bmi measures the amount of body fat .
it might sound like a joke , or a violation of individual rights , but james l. deboy , chair of lincoln ’s health , physical education and recreation department , said he sees it as his “ professional responsibility to be honest and tell students they ’re not healthy .
” ninety - two students , 19 percent of the freshman class of 484 that entered three years ago , had bmis of 30 or greater .
amid fierce criticisms , lincoln university , in oxford , pa. , are in danger of not being able to graduate this spring -- not because they ’re under disciplinary probation or have n’t fulfilled the requirements of their majors , but because they were obese as freshmen .
james l. deboy , who is chair and professor of the department of health , physical education and recreation could not be reached for comment .
lincoln university students will now have to endure a physical exam determining each student 's bmi ( body mass index ) before they are permitted to graduate .