Virginia Code 23.1-220: Approval procedures.
A. Prior to Council approval for a postsecondary school to use the term “college” or “university” or abbreviations or words of similar meaning in its name or in any manner in connection with its academic affairs or business, offer courses or programs for degree credit, enroll students in any courses or programs, or confer or award degrees, each postsecondary school shall be evaluated by the Council in accordance with the regulations adopted pursuant to § 23.1-215.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 23.1-220
- Council: means the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. See Virginia Code 23.1-100
- Degree: means any earned award at the associate, baccalaureate, graduate, first professional, or specialist levels that represents satisfactory completion of the requirements of a program or course of study or instruction beyond the secondary school level. See Virginia Code 23.1-213
- Postsecondary school: includes programs of academic, vocational, and continuing professional education, except courses or programs of continuing professional education set forth in subdivision B 4 of § Virginia Code 23.1-213
B. Upon finding that the applicant has fully complied with the regulations adopted pursuant to § 23.1-215, the Council shall approve the application.
C. The Council may defer a decision on an application upon determining that additional information is needed.
D. The Council shall not take into account duplication of effort by public institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education or other questions of need when considering an application.
Code 1950, § 23-269; 1980, c. 658; 1996, cc. 691, 832; 2002, c. 178, § 23-276.5; 2003, c. 461; 2004, c. 991; 2005, c. 447; 2016, c. 588.