(1) Each year, on a date prescribed by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, a school that obtains an exemption under ORS § 348.604 or 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 that offered only degrees leading to occupations in theology or religious occupations, shall submit to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission a statement that reads: ‘(Name of School) hereby certifies that the school remains in compliance with all conditions for a religious exemption from ORS § 348.594 to 348.615.’

(2) A school that obtains an exemption under ORS § 348.604 or 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 that offered only degrees leading to occupations in theology or religious occupations remains exempt unless the Higher Education Coordinating Commission suspends or revokes the exemption.

(3) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission may suspend or revoke an exemption if:

(a) After the notice and opportunity to cure provided in subsection (4) of this section, a school fails to provide the statement required by subsection (1) of this section;

(b) The commission has received a complaint from a student or former student of the school that the school is failing to comply with a condition for exemption under ORS § 348.604, the commission determines that the complaint is valid, the school has been provided with notice and opportunity to cure as required by subsection (4) of this section and the school fails to comply with the condition listed in the notice; or

(c) After the notice and opportunity to cure provided in subsection (4) of this section, a school is in violation of ORS § 348.605.

(4) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall provide notice of and 90 days to cure a school’s:

(a) Failure to provide the statement required by subsection (1) of this section;

(b) Failure to maintain compliance with a condition for exemption under ORS § 348.604 if the commission has received a complaint from a student or former student of the school that the school is failing to comply with a condition for exemption under ORS § 348.604 and the commission has determined the complaint is valid; or

(c) Violation of ORS § 348.605.

(5) A school may appeal the denial, suspension or revocation of an exemption to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.

(6) A school may appeal the Higher Education Coordinating Commission’s decision that a faculty member does not possess sufficient compensatory qualifications to substitute for an academic degree in the field in which the faculty member teaches.

(7) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall conduct an appeal under this section as a contested case under ORS Chapter 183.

(8)(a) If a school appeals the denial, suspension or revocation of an exemption and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission upholds the denial, suspension or revocation, the commission shall provide the school 90 days to cure the grounds for the denial, suspension or revocation. If the school does not cure the grounds for the denial, suspension or revocation within 90 days after the commission upholds the denial, suspension or revocation, then the denial, suspension or revocation becomes effective 90 days after the issuance of the decision on the appeal by the commission.

(b) If a school does not appeal the denial, suspension or revocation of an exemption to the commission and the school does not cure the grounds for the denial, suspension or revocation within the period of time to appeal the decision to the commission, then the denial, suspension or revocation becomes effective upon the expiration of the period of time to appeal. [2005 c.546 § 5; 2011 c.353 § 4; 2011 c.637 § 185; 2013 c.747 § 122; 2016 c.30 § 9; 2023 c.557 § 13]

See note under 348.597.