United States Naval Community College: establishment and degree granting authority

10 U.S.C. § 8595

• Title: 10 — Armed Forces
• Chapter: 859 — PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION SCHOOLS

Text

(a) Establishment and Function.—There is a United States Naval Community College. The primary function of such College shall be to provide—
(1) programs of academic instruction and professional and technical education for individuals described in subsection (b) in—
(A) academic and technical fields of the liberal arts and sciences which are relevant to the current and future needs of the Navy and Marine Corps, including in designated fields of national and economic importance such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and software engineering; and
(B) their practical duties;
(2) remedial, developmental, or continuing education programs, as prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy, which are necessary to support, maintain, or extend programs under paragraph (1);
(3) support and advisement services for individuals pursuing such programs; and
(4) continuous monitoring of the progress of such individuals.
(b) Individuals Eligible for Programs.—Subject to such other eligibility requirements as the Secretary of the Navy may prescribe, the following individuals are eligible to participate in programs and services under subsection (a):
(1) Enlisted members of the Navy and Marine Corps.
(2) Officers of the Navy and Marine Corps who hold a commission but have not completed a postsecondary degree.
(3) Civilian employees of the Department of the Navy.
(4) Other individuals, as determined by the Secretary of the Navy, so long as access to programs and services under subsection (a) by such individuals is—
(A) in alignment with the mission of the United States Naval Community College; and
(B) determined to support the mission or needs of the Department of the Navy.
(c) Degree and Credential Granting Authority.—
(1) In general.—Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy, the head of the United States Naval Community College may, upon the recommendation of the directors and faculty of the College, confer appropriate degrees or academic credentials upon graduates who meet the degree or credential requirements.
(2) Limitation.—A degree or credential may not be conferred under this subsection unless—
(A) the Secretary of Education has recommended approval of the degree or credential in accordance with the Federal Policy Governing Granting of Academic Degrees by Federal Agencies; and
(B) the United States Naval Community College is accredited by the appropriate civilian academic accrediting agency or organization to award the degree or credential, as determined by the Secretary of Education.
(3) Congressional notification requirements.—
(A) When seeking to establish degree or credential granting authority under this subsection, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives—
(i) a copy of the self assessment questionnaire required by the Federal Policy Governing Granting of Academic Degrees by Federal Agencies, at the time the assessment is submitted to the Department of Education's National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity; and
(ii) the subsequent recommendations and rationale of the Secretary of Education regarding the establishment of the degree or credential granting authority.
(B) Upon any modification or redesignation of existing degree or credential granting authority, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing the rationale for the proposed modification or redesignation and any subsequent recommendation of the Secretary of Education on the proposed modification or redesignation.
(C) The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing an explanation of any action by the appropriate academic accrediting agency or organization not to accredit the United States Naval Community College to award any new or existing degree or credential.
(d) Civilian Faculty Members.—
(1) Authority of secretary.—The Secretary of the Navy may employ as many civilians as professors, instructors, and lecturers at the United States Naval Community College as the Secretary considers necessary.
(2) Compensation.—The compensation of persons employed under this subsection shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy.

History

(Added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title V, §557(a), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1739.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments
2018—Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §807(f)(2), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1838, redesignated items for chapters 631 to 669 as 861 to 897 and redesignated section numbers 7201 to 7921 as 8604 to 8951. Section numbers were conformed to the first section appearing in each chapter after renumbering by Pub. L. 115–232 to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
2011—Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title III, §363(b), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1379, added item for chapter 669.
2008—Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title X, §1061(a)(6), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4612, added item for chapter 667 and struck out former item for chapter 667 "Issue of serviceable material other than to Armed Forces".
Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title III, §377(b), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 85, added item for chapter 667.
2000—Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title X, §1085(b)(3)(B)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–289, struck out "Related" after "Quarters, Utilities, and" in item for chapter 649.
1996—Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title II, §282(a)(2), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2473, added item for chapter 665.
1993—Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title VIII, §828(b)(3), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1714, struck out item for chapter 635 "Naval Aircraft".
1984—Pub. L. 98–525, title XV, §1532(a)(2), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2631, added item for chapter 663.
1982—Pub. L. 97–295, §1(50)(H), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1300, struck out "Naval Oceanographic Office and" after "United States" in item for chapter 639.
Pub. L. 97–295, §1(51)(B), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1300, added item for chapter 661.
1980—Pub. L. 96–513, title V, §513(1), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2931, substituted "7420" for "7421" in item for chapter 641.
1962—Pub. L. 87–533, §2, July 10, 1962, 76 Stat. 155, substituted "United States Naval Oceanographic" for "Hydrographic" in item for chapter 639.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions
A prior chapter 861, consisting of sections 8811 to 8820, related to separation from service within the Air Force for various reasons, prior to renumbering as chapter 939 of this title.

Amendments
2025—Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title III, §375, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 839, added item 8617A. Amendment was made pursuant to operation of section 102 of this title.
2023—Pub. L. 118–31, div. B, title XXVIII, §2882(a), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 780, added item 8618. Amendment was made pursuant to operation of section 102 of this title.
2021—Pub. L. 117–81, div. B, §2003(b), title XXVIII, §2821, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2162, 2195, added item 8617.
2018—Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §807(e)(4), (f)(1), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1838, redesignated chapter 631 of this title as this chapter and items 7204, 7205, 7207, 7211, 7212, 7214, 7216, 7219 to 7229, 7231, and 7233 to 7235 as 8604, 8605, 8607, 8611, 8612, 8614, 8616, 8619 to 8629, 8631, and 8633 to 8635, respectively.
2015—Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title III, §312(b), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 789, added item 7235.
2006—Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, §515(b)(4)(D), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3235, substituted "Navy Reserve" for 'Naval Reserve" in items 7225 and 7226.
2004—Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title XII, §1223(b), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2090, added item 7234.
2000—Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title IX, §942(e)(2)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–243, substituted "Naval Historical Center Fund: references to Fund" for "Naval Historical Center Fund" in item 7222.
1999—Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, §1014(a)(2), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 742, added item 7233.
1996—Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title X, §1073(b)(2)(B), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2657, substituted "Naval Historical Center Fund" for "Office of Naval Records and History gift fund" in item 7222.
1994—Pub. L. 103–355, title III, §3025(b), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3334, struck out item 7203 "Scientific investigation and research".
1993—Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title VIII, §828(a)(6), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1713, struck out items 7201 "Guided missiles: research and development, procurement, and construction", 7210 "Purchase of patents, patent applications, and licenses", 7213 "Relief of contractors and their employees from losses by enemy action", and 7230 "Sale of degaussing equipment".
1990—Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XIII, §1331(8), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1673, struck out item 7217 "Annual report to Congress: appropriations".
1988—Pub. L. 100–370, §1(e)(3)(B), July 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 845, struck out item 7209 "Rewards for recovery of missing naval property".
1984—Pub. L. 98–525, title XIV, §1401(d)(3)(B), (j)(3)(B), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2616, 2620, struck out "; transportation of dependents" at end of item 7204 and struck out item 7208 "Latin American cooperation".
1982—Pub. L. 97–258, §2(b)(11)(A), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1057, added item 7231.
1975—Pub. L. 94–106, title VIII, §804(b), Oct. 7, 1975, 89 Stat. 538, struck out item 7202 "Emergency and extraordinary expenses".
1968—Pub. L. 90–377, §4, July 5, 1968, 82 Stat. 288, struck out item 7215 "Naval prisons, prison farms, and prisoners".
1966—Pub. L. 89–529, §1(4), Aug. 11, 1966, 80 Stat. 339, struck out item 7218 "Recognition for accomplishments, special service, and good conduct".
1959—Pub. L. 86–55, §2, June 23, 1959, 73 Stat. 89, inserted "and aircraft" in item 7227.
1958—Pub. L. 85–861, §1(150), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1513, struck out item 7206 "Minor construction and extension of structures".
1957—Pub. L. 85–43, §1(2), May 31, 1957, 71 Stat. 45, added item 7230.