§18B-4-7 Accreditation of institutions of higher education; standards for degrees.
§18B-4-7. Accreditation of institutions of higher education; standards for degrees.
The Council shall make rules for the accreditation of community and technical colleges in this state and shall determine the minimum standards for conferring degrees. The Commission shall make rules for the accreditation of colleges and universities in this state, except the governing boards of Marshall University and West Virginia University shall make rules for the state institutions of higher education known as Marshall University and West Virginia University, and shall determine the minimum standards for conferring degrees. The governing boards of Marshall University and West Virginia University shall promulgate rules pursuant to the provisions of section six, article one of this chapter for the accreditation of the state institutions of higher education known as Marshall University and West Virginia University. An institution of higher education may not confer any degree on any basis of work or merit below the minimum standards prescribed by the Council, Commission or the governing boards. Nothing in this section infringes upon the rights, including rights to award degrees, granted to any institution by charter given according to law, or by actions of the Council or Commission or their predecessors, prior to the effective date of this section. With the approval of the Commission, governing boards of institutions which currently offer substantial undergraduate course offerings and a master's degree in a discipline are authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees in that discipline.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, a charter or other instrument containing the right to confer degrees of higher education status may not be granted by the State of West Virginia to any institution, association or organization within the state, nor may any such degree be awarded, until the condition of conferring the degree has first been approved in writing by the Council, Commission or appropriate governing board.