I am familiar with the Oregon law and it does have specific penalities for
using a degree that is considered fraudulent. There was a recent case where
a person applied for a job and claimed he had a highschool diploma. The diploma
was from a mill. I believe the person was fined for using the fraudulent
degree because it was argued that he was misleading the employer for net
gain. As an aside, he lost the job.
I have not specifically seen anything that halts the use of a degree…
Still, if you were using the degree for the purpose of misleading then it
could be a problem. Here is a quote from the FAQ from Oregon Department of
Degree Authorization:
Can I use a degree from an unaccredited college as a credential in
Oregon?Such degrees are invalid for use for academic or professional purposes in
public or licensed employment in Oregon unless the college has ODA approval.
See ORS 348.609. A few have such approval. See the institution lists and
the ODA Approved Non-Campus (External) Degree Programs. Contact ODA with
questions or to request an evaluation. There are fees for inquiries and for
evaluations.May a degree issued by a state-approved but unaccredited school in another
state be used in the private sector in Oregon?Yes, provided that the user discloses on all resumes, letterhead, business
cards or web sites that the degree is unaccredited and unapproved by ODA.”Also,”Does Oregon have an exemption for religious colleges?
Oregon has a slightly reduced review option for religious institutions offering
exclusively religious degrees. It exempts only religious aspects of degree
programs. Interested schools should contact ODA for details. Oregon law on
this subject is changing and new applications will not be accepted until
summer 2005″ [This email is dated May 2007, and Oregon’s website is still
saying this as of June 2007]from http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/faq.html#oregon
In other words, we ‘degree holders’ in Oregon have to state that we have
a non approved degree. I may disagree with the regulation but I have always
stated that my degree is not academic and not approved. I can still use the
degree title so long as I disclose the status of the degree. I have other
degrees that are academic but this degree is not academic. It is not a major
road block issue to me and I live (and teach) in Oregon.