§ 49-7-2003 — Part definitions

As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Agent" means any person representing a postsecondary educational institution for payment, who solicits in any form and enrolls, or seeks to enroll, a student for education offered by an authorized institution, or offers to award educational credentials, for remuneration, on behalf of any such institution. Persons owning an interest in an institution and the institution's full-time employees and directors shall not be considered agents under this part; (2) [Deleted by 2022 amendment.] (3) "Authorization" means approval of a postsecondary educational institution by the commission for the institution to engage in activities or operations otherwise prohibited by § 49-7-2007 ; (4) [Deleted by 2022 amendment.] (5) "Certificate program" means, generally, one (1) or more technical courses usually completed in one (1) to twenty-six (26) weeks, or up to and including five hundred (500) contact hours normally with a single skill objective; (6) "College" means: (A) A unit of a university offering specialized degrees; or (B) A postsecondary educational institution offering courses of study leading to a degree; (7) "Commission" means the Tennessee higher education commission; (8) [Deleted by 2022 amendment.] (9) [Deleted by 2022 amendment.] (10) "Education," "educational services" or like term includes, but is not limited to, any class, course or program of training, instruction or study; (11) "Educational credentials" means degrees, diplomas, certificates, transcripts, reports, documents, or letters of designation, marks, appellations, series of letters, numbers or words which signify, purport or are generally taken to signify enrollment, attendance, progress or satisfactory completion of the requirements or prerequisites for education at a postsecondary educational institution; (12) "Entity" includes, but is not limited to, any company, firm, society, association, partnership, corporation and trust; (13) [Deleted by 2022 amendment.] (14) "Optional expedited authorization" means the alternative optional authorization available under this part to accredited postsecondary educational institutions; (15) "Postsecondary educational institution" includes, but is not limited to, a school, college, university, or other type of entity offering educational credentials, instruction, educational services, or other activities as described in § 49-7-2007 , primarily to persons who have completed or terminated their secondary education, or who are beyond the age of compulsory high school attendance, for the attainment of educational, professional, or vocational objectives; (16) "To grant" includes awarding, selling, conferring, bestowing or giving; (17) "To offer" includes, in addition to its usual meanings, advertising, publicizing, soliciting or encouraging any person, directly or indirectly, in any form to perform the act described; (18) "To operate" an educational institution, or like term, means to establish, keep or maintain any facility or location in this state where, from or through which education is offered or given or educational credentials are offered or granted, and includes contracting with any person, group or entity to perform any such act; and (19) "Tuition guaranty fund" or "fund" means the tuition guaranty fund created by § 49-7-2018 .

Legislative History

Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1044, s 6, eff. 7/1/2022. Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1044, s 5, eff. 7/1/2022. Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 868, Secs.s 13, s 14 eff. 10/1/2016. Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 868, s 12, eff. 10/1/2016. Amended by 2014 Tenn. Acts, ch. 831, s 1, eff. 4/29/2014. Acts 1961, ch. 112, § 3; 1965, ch. 350, § 3; 1967, ch. 355, § 35; 1968, ch. 624, § 2; 1974, ch. 781, § 3; 1983, ch. 398, §§ 1, 2; T.C.A., § 49-3903; Acts 1989, ch. 425, §§ 3, 6; 1998, ch. 695, §§ 1 - 4; 2006, ch. 766, §§ 1 - 3.