Oregon Code § ORS 348.594

Definitions for ORS 348.594 to 348.615
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As used in ORS 348.594 to 348.615:
(1)(a) Diploma mill means:
(A) A school against which a court or public body, as defined in ORS 174.109, has issued a ruling or finding, after due process procedures, that the school has engaged in dishonest, fraudulent or deceptive practices related to the award of degrees, academic standards or student learning requirements;
(B) An entity without legal authority as a school to issue degrees valid as credentials in the jurisdiction that authorizes issuance of degrees; or
(C) A school or entity that:
(i) Offers fee-based degrees, diplomas or certificates that may be used to represent to the general public that the individual possessing the degree, diploma or certificate has completed a program of post-secondary education or training;
(ii) Requires an individual to complete little or no education or coursework to obtain the degree, diploma or certificate; and
(iii) Has not been accredited by a post-secondary accrediting agency.
(b) Diploma mill does not include:
(A) A school operating legally under ORS 348.604; or
(B) A school that is actively seeking and able to show evidence of reasonable progress toward institutional accreditation with a post-secondary accrediting agency.
(2) Post-secondary accrediting agency means a legal entity, or part of a legal entity, that:
(a) Conducts accrediting activities through voluntary peer review;
(b) Makes decisions concerning the accreditation or pre-accreditation status of institutions and programs; and
(c) Is recognized by the United States Department of Education as an entity that conducts the activities and makes the decisions described in this subsection.
(3)(a) School means a person, organization, school or institution of learning that confers or offers to confer an academic degree upon a person or to provide academic credit applicable to a degree.
(b) School does not include:
(A) An Oregon community college;
(B) A public university listed in ORS 352.002; or
(C) The Oregon Health and Science University.

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