(1) A school that obtains an exemption under ORS § 348.604 or that, on July 14, 2005, met the criteria and followed procedures to obtain a religious exemption adopted by rule by the Oregon Student Access Commission and that offered only degrees leading to occupations in theology or religious occupations may not:

(a) Award more than 25 percent of the credit toward a degree for noninstructional activities, such as challenge examinations and professional or life experiences;

(b) Represent that the school is:

(A) Approved by the State of Oregon; or

(B) Accredited by an organization unless the organization qualifies as a post-secondary accrediting agency as defined in ORS § 348.594; or

(c) Pay a faculty member a commission or otherwise base a faculty member’s compensation on the faculty member’s recruitment of students to the school.

(2) A school that obtains an exemption under ORS § 348.604 or that, on July 14, 2005, met the criteria and followed procedures to obtain a religious exemption adopted by rule by the Oregon Student Access Commission and that offered only degrees leading to occupations in theology or religious occupations shall:

(a) Preserve official transcripts for all faculty members and students;

(b) Notify the Higher Education Coordinating Commission if a faculty member or administrator at the school has:

(A) Been convicted of a felony; or

(B) Violated a state or federal law related to the operation of a school;

(c) Place in any course catalog that is available to students or to the public a notice that states: ‘(Name of school) has been granted exempt status by the State of Oregon to offer theological and/or religious occupations degrees.’;

(d) If the school closes, return to students tuition payments for the current term on a prorated basis;

(e) If the school provides placement services to a student, describe the placement services clearly and accurately to the student and avoid giving unrealistic expectations of placement to the student; and

(f) If an administrator claims to possess an academic degree:

(A) Ensure that the administrator possesses the academic degree that the administrator claims to possess; and

(B) Require that the degree is from a school that, at the time of the conferral of the degree, was accredited by a post-secondary accrediting agency as defined in ORS § 348.594, held an exemption under this section, or was a school that, on July 14, 2005, met the criteria and followed procedures to obtain a religious exemption adopted by rule by the Oregon Student Access Commission and offered only degrees leading to occupations in theology or religious occupations. [2005 c.546 § 3; 2011 c.353 § 3; 2011 c.637 § 182; 2023 c.557 § 12]

See note under 348.597.