Maine § 20-A §10801 Definitions

Maine Statutes

§ 20-A §10801 — Definitions

Maine·Title 20-A EDUCATION·Part 5 POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION·Ch. 410 FALSE ACADEMIC DEGREES OR CERTIFICATES

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

1.Accreditation. "Accreditation" means a formal status granted by an accrediting agency to an institution meeting or exceeding the educational quality criteria as stated in the accrediting agency's publication in order to assess and enhance the educational quality of an institution, ensure consistency in institutional operations, promote institutional improvement and provide for public accountability.

2.Accreditation mill. "Accreditation mill" means an entity that is created to give the appearance that certain substandard schools or institutions of higher education are legitimately accredited organizations, that is not recognized by any authorized state, professional or natio

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As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
1.
Accreditation.
"Accreditation" means a formal status granted by an accrediting agency to an institution meeting or exceeding the educational quality criteria as stated in the accrediting agency's publication in order to assess and enhance the educational quality of an institution, ensure consistency in institutional operations, promote institutional improvement and provide for public accountability.
2.
Accreditation mill.
"Accreditation mill" means an entity that is created to give the appearance that certain substandard schools or institutions of higher education are legitimately accredited organizations, that is not recognized by any authorized state, professional or national agency and that has few, if any, standards for quality.
3.
Diploma mill.
"Diploma mill" means an institution of higher education operating without accreditation or supervision of a state or a nationally recognized professional agency and granting diplomas that are either fraudulent or, because of lack of proper standards, worthless.
4.
Degree mill.
"Degree mill" means a school or institution of higher education without accreditation that meets any one of the following conditions:
5.
Duly authorized institution of higher learning.
"Duly authorized institution of higher learning" means an institution that:
6.
False academic degree.
"False academic degree" means a document such as a degree or certification of completion of a degree, course work or academic credit, including a transcript, that provides evidence or demonstrates completion of a course of instruction or course work that results in the issuance of an associate or more advanced degree by an institution that is not a duly authorized institution of higher learning.
7.
Substandard school or institution of higher education.
"Substandard school or institution of higher education" means an entity without accreditation that offers credentials purported to be degrees without requiring the type and level of academic work typically needed to earn a degree and that: