(a) If an institution that has not been accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education seeks to offer one or more degree programs, the institution shall satisfy the following requirements in order to be issued a provisional approval to operate degree programs from the bureau: (1) The institution may not offer more than two degree programs during the term of its provisional approval to operate degree programs. (2) The institution shall submit an accreditation plan, approved by the bureau, for the institution to become fully accredited within five years of issuance of its provisional approval to operate degree programs. The plan shall include, at a minimum, identification of an accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, from which the institution plans to seek accreditation, and outline the process by which the institution will achieve accreditation candidacy or pre-accreditation within two years, and full accreditation within five years, of issuance of its provisional approval to operate degree programs. (3) The institution shall submit to the bureau all additional documentation the bureau deems necessary to determine if the institution will become fully accredited within five years of issuance of its provisional approval to operate degree programs. (b) If an institution is granted a provisional approval to operate degree programs pursuant to subdivision (a), the following is required: (1) Students seeking to enroll in that institution shall be notified in writing by the institution, before the execution of the studentâs enrollment agreement, that the institutionâs approval to operate is contingent upon it being subsequently accredited. (2) Within the first two years of issuance of the provisional approval to operate degree programs, a visiting committee, empaneled by the bureau pursuant to Section 94882, shall review the institutionâs application for approval and its accreditation plan, and make a recommendation to the bureau regarding the institutionâs progress to achieving full accreditation. (3) The institution shall provide evidence of accreditation candidacy or pre-accreditation within two years of issuance of its provisional approval to operate degree programs, and evidence of accreditation within five years of issuance of its provisional approval to operate degree programs, with the scope of that accreditation covering the offering of at least one degree program. (c) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), an institution required to comply with this section that fails to do so by the dates provided, as required, or for which accreditation is removed or revoked by the accrediting agency, shall have its provisional approval to operate degree programs automatically suspended on the applicable date. The bureau shall issue an order suspending the institutionâs degree programs and that suspension shall not be lifted until the institution complies with the requirements of this section or has its accreditation reinstated. An institution that has its degree programs suspended shall not enroll new students in any of its degree programs and shall execute a teach-out plan for its enrolled students in those degree programs. (2) (A) This section does not prohibit an institution from voluntarily ceasing to pursue accreditation. An institution that voluntarily ceases to pursue accreditation shall immediately notify the bureau in writing of the institutionâs intent to stop offering its degree programs and shall comply with all other applicable laws and regulations. Upon the bureauâs receipt of the notification, the institutionâs approval to operate degree programs is deemed voluntarily surrendered. (B) An institution offering both degree and nondegree programs that has its provisional approval to operate degree programs suspended or that voluntarily ceases to pursue accreditation may continue to offer its nondegree programs, subject to all o
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