Code of Virginia § 23.1-225. Prohibited acts.

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A. Without prior Council approval, no person or other entity subject to the provisions of this article shall use in any manner within the Commonwealth the term "college" or "university" or abbreviations or words of similar meaning in its name, in connection with its academic affairs or business, or in any literature, catalog, pamphlet, or descriptive material.

This subsection shall not apply to any person or other entity that

(i)used the term "college" or "university" openly and conspicuously in its title within the Commonwealth prior to July 1, 1970;

(ii)was granted authority to operate in the Commonwealth by the Council between July 1, 1970, and July 1, 2002, and maintains valid authority to so operate in the Commonwealth on or after July 1, 2002;

(iii)was exempted from the provisions of former Chapter 21 (§ 23-265 et seq.) of Title 23, as such law was in effect prior to July 1, 2002; or

(iv)was authorized by the Council to use a name while its request for approval to enroll students is pending before the Council.

B. No person or other entity shall sell, barter, or exchange for any consideration, or attempt to sell, barter, or exchange for any consideration, any degree credit, degree, or certificate.

C. No person or other entity shall:

1. Use or attempt to use, in connection with any business, trade, profession, or occupation, any degree credit, degree, or certificate, including any transcript of coursework that it knows or has reason to know has been fraudulently issued, obtained, forged, materially altered, or purchased;

2. Issue or manufacture a fraudulent academic credential;

3. Physically present a fraudulent academic credential, knowing it is fraudulent, in an attempt to obtain employment, promotion, licensure, or admission to an institution of higher education;

4. In any way represent that it is an institution of higher education that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or has the foreign equivalent of such accreditation if the person or entity is not so accredited; or

5. Represent that credits earned at or granted by any institution of higher education or academic-vocational non-college degree school may be applied for credit toward a degree unless such person is exempted from the provisions of this article or granted certification or approval by the Council in accordance with this article and the Council's regulations.

Code 1950, § 23-272; 1980, c. 658; 2002, c. 178 , § 23-276.10; 2004, c. 991 ; 2008, c. 856 ; 2016, c. 588 .