§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.