As used in ORS 348.594 to 348.615:

1. (1)

   1. (a) “Diploma mill” means:

      1. (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;
      2. (B) An entity without legal authority as a school to issue degrees valid as credentials in the jurisdiction that authorizes issuance of degrees; or

      3. (C) A school or entity that:

         1. (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;
         2. (ii) Requires an individual to complete little or no education or coursework to obtain the degree, diploma or certificate; and
         3. (iii) Has not been accredited by a post-secondary accrediting agency.

   2. (b) “Diploma mill” does not include:

      1. (A) A school operating legally under ORS 348.604; or
      2. (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. (2) “Post-secondary accrediting agency” means a legal entity, or part of a legal entity, that:

   1. (a) Conducts accrediting activities through voluntary peer review;
   2. (b) Makes decisions concerning the accreditation or pre-accreditation status of institutions and programs; and
   3. (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. (3)

   1. (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.

   2. (b) “School” does not include:

      1. (A) An Oregon community college;
      2. (B) A public university listed in ORS 352.002; or
      3. (C) The Oregon Health and Science University.

[1997 c.652 §8; 1999 c.59 §93; 2005 c.546 §8; 2007 c.325 §1; 2016 c.30 §2; 2023 c.557 §7]