Title 23.1, Title 23.1. Institutions of Higher Education; Other Educational and Cultural Institutions

A. The Council shall annually collect and publish on its website data on the proportion of graduates of each public institution of higher education and each nonprofit private institution of higher education eligible to participate in the Tuition Assistance Grant Program (§ 23.1-6…

The Council may prepare plans, administer federal programs, and receive and disburse any federal funds in accordance with the responsibilities assigned to it by federal statutes or regulations.

A. 1. The Council shall develop and revise as appropriate, in consultation with the respective Chairmen of the House Committees on Education and Appropriations and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and on Education and Health or their designees, representatives …

A. The Council shall issue and revise guidelines for tuition relief, refunds, and reinstatement for students whose service in the Armed Forces of the United States or the Commonwealth has required their sudden withdrawal or prolonged absence from their enrollment in a public inst…

A. The Council shall develop policies, formulae, and guidelines for the fair and equitable distribution and use of public funds among the public institutions of higher education, taking into account enrollment projections and recognizing differences and similarities in institutio…

The governing board of each public institution of higher education shall provide the Council annual data indicating the apportionment and amounts of expenditures that the relevant institution expends by category, including academic costs, administration, research, and public serv…

A. The Council shall provide advisory services to accredited nonprofit private institutions of higher education on academic and administrative matters. The Council may review and advise on joint activities, including contracts for services, between nonprofit private institutions …

A. The Council may enter into interstate reciprocity agreements that authorize accredited associate-degree-granting and baccalaureate (i) public institutions of higher education and (ii) private institutions of higher education to offer postsecondary distance education. The Counc…

A. The powers of the governing boards of public institutions of higher education over the affairs of such institutions are not impaired by the provisions of this chapter except to the extent that powers and duties are specifically conferred upon the Council in this chapter. B. Th…

A. As used in this section, "nuclear education program" means an instructional program that leads to a degree or credential that specifically supports the nuclear power industry, including nuclear engineering and nuclear welding. B. There is hereby created in the state treasury a…

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Academic-vocational non-college degree school" means a non-college degree school that offers degree and nondegree credit courses. "Agent" means a person who is employed by any institution of higher educati…

Whenever the Council is required to send any mail or notice by certified mail pursuant to this article and such mail or notice is sent certified mail, return receipt requested, the Council may send any subsequent, identical mail or notice by regular mail.

A. The Council shall adopt, pursuant to the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.), such regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this article, including (i) procedures by which a postsecondary school may apply for Council approval to confer degrees…

A. The Council shall establish and seek the advice of the Career College Advisory Board, which shall assist the Council in the performance of its duties and provide advisory services in academic and administrative matters relating to proprietary private postsecondary schools, exc…

A. No person shall open, operate, or conduct any postsecondary school in the Commonwealth without certification to operate such postsecondary school issued by the Council. The Council shall certify those postsecondary schools in compliance with Council regulations issued pursuant…

A. The Council shall maintain a list of postsecondary schools holding valid certification under the provisions of this article and shall make such list available to the public. B. Upon confirmation of any notification or discovery of any postsecondary school operating without its…

A. Without obtaining the certification of the Council or a determination that the activity or program is exempt from such certification requirements, no postsecondary school subject to the provisions of this article shall: 1. Use the term "college" or "university" or abbreviation…

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 stu…

A. The Council may refuse to grant a certification, may revoke or suspend a prior approval or certification, including any approval or authorization issued prior to July 1, 1980, and may add conditions to any approval or certification on such grounds as may be provided in its reg…

A. The Council may, by regulation, authorize its Executive Director to take immediate action on its behalf in any instance in which a postsecondary school holding certification to operate in the Commonwealth is the subject of an adverse action by the U.S. Department of Education …

A. In the event of school closure or revocation of its approval or certification, the postsecondary school shall (i) make arrangements for the transfer of the academic and financial records of all students to the Council within 30 days of the closure or (ii) with the approval of …

The Council may establish nonrefundable fees for services and methods for collecting such fees.

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 affa…

A. The provisions of this article shall not apply to any public institution of higher education as that term is defined in § 23.1-100 or any entity authorized to issue bonds pursuant to Chapter 11 (§ 23.1-1100 et seq.). B. The following activities or programs offered by postsecon…

The laws of the Commonwealth shall govern any agreement, contract, or instrument of indebtedness executed between a postsecondary school and any person who enrolls in any course or program offered or to be offered by such school in the Commonwealth or any person who is employed o…

A. Violations of this article or the Council's implementing regulations are punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. Each degree, certificate, program, academic transcript, or course of study offered, conferred, or used in violation of this article or the Council's regulations shall …

A. Each postsecondary school shall notify the Council of its intention to close at least 30 days prior to the closure. The notice shall be accompanied by a comprehensive plan for closure and a teachout plan that makes provision for presently enrolled students to complete the prog…

A. No postsecondary school that is required to be certified by the Council shall enroll students without entering into an enrollment agreement with each student. Such enrollment agreement shall be signed by the student and an authorized representative of the school and shall cont…

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Qualified education loan" means any qualified education loan obtained specifically to finance education or other school-related expenses. "Qualified education loan" does not include credit card debt, home …

A. The Council shall create within the agency the Office of the Qualified Education Loan Ombudsman. The Office of the Qualified Education Loan Ombudsman shall provide timely assistance to any qualified education loan borrower of any qualified education loan in the Commonwealth. A…

On or before December 1, 2019, the Office of the Qualified Education Loan Ombudsman, in consultation with the Council, shall establish and maintain a qualified education loan borrower education course that shall include educational presentations and materials regarding qualified …

Any provider of private education loans, as defined in 12 C.F.R. § 1026.46(b)(5), shall disclose to any student attending an institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, prior to issuing a qualified education loan to such student, the contact information for the Office of…

On or before January 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, the Council shall submit a report to the House Committees on Labor and Commerce and on Education and the Senate Committees on Commerce and Labor and Education and Health. The report shall address (i) the implementation of thi…