The state board of career colleges and schools shall:

(A) Adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities under this chapter;

(B) Establish minimum standards for the registration and operation of private career schools including but not necessarily limited to standards to ensure school financial stability;

(C) Issue certificates of registration to private career schools pursuant to division (A) of section 3332.05 of the Revised Code;

(D) Suspend or revoke the certificate of registration of schools pursuant to sections 3332.09 and 3332.091 of the Revised Code;

(E) Establish minimum standards for certificate, diploma, and degree programs offered by schools;

(F) Issue program authorization pursuant to divisions (B) and (C) of section 3332.05 of the Revised Code;

(G) Suspend or revoke program authorization for schools pursuant to sections 3332.09 and 3332.091 of the Revised Code;

(H) Establish minimum standards, including but not necessarily limited to a code of ethics, for agents employed by schools registered under this chapter to reasonably ensure that such agents provide adequate, ethical, and accurate information to prospective students;

(I) Grant permits to agents pursuant to sections 3332.10 and 3332.11 of the Revised Code;

(J) Suspend or revoke an agent's permit pursuant to section 3123.47 or 3332.12 of the Revised Code;

(K) Monitor recruitment and admissions practices of schools holding certificates of registration to ensure compliance with this chapter and the rules of the board;

(L)

(1) Adopt rules requiring all schools to provide all applicant students, prior to their signing enrollment agreements, written information concerning the school's graduation and placement rates for each of the preceding three years and any other information the board deems pertinent.

(2) Adopt rules requiring all schools to provide any student or applicant student, prior to the signing of any financial aid, grant, or loan application, written information concerning the obligations of a student obtaining such financial aid, grant, or loan.

(3) Upon request, a school shall furnish the board with a copy of all information required by this division. The board shall monitor schools to ensure their compliance with this division.

(M) Adopt a rule requiring all schools to include, in the enrollment agreement, notice that any problems the student is having with the school, or complaints the student has about the school, may be directed to the board, which notice shall include the telephone number of the executive director of the board;

(N) Report annually to the governor and the general assembly on the activities of the board and private career schools, and make legislative recommendations when necessary to enable the board to better serve the student population and the schools registered under this chapter;

(O) Adopt a rule requiring a uniform tuition refund policy for all schools subject to this chapter. In adopting the rule, the board shall consider the tuition refund policies effectuated by state-supported colleges and universities. Each school subject to this chapter shall furnish to each prospective student, prior to the signing of an enrollment agreement, a copy of the tuition refund policy.

(P) Adopt a rule establishing minimum standards for all faculty and instructional staff in all instructional programs at a school. In the case of full-time faculty members employed for degree programs, such standards shall include all of the following:

(1) A prohibition against employing on or after July 1, 1993, any new full-time faculty member to teach the general study portion of any degree program, unless the person holds a master's degree in the subject matter discipline or holds a master's degree in education with proficiency in the subject matter discipline demonstrated in accordance with the standards adopted by the board.

(2) Except as provided under the standards adopted pursuant to division (P)(3) of this section, a prohibition against employing or reemploying on or after July 1, 1998, any full-time faculty member to teach the general study portion of any degree program, unless the person holds a master's degree in the subject matter discipline or holds a master's degree in education with proficiency in the subject matter discipline demonstrated in accordance with the standards adopted by the board.

(3) Standards under which the board, upon written request submitted to the board prior to July 1, 1994, by any school, may exempt the school from the prohibition adopted pursuant to division (P)(2) of this section with regard to any individual full-time faculty member employed by the school who has demonstrated outstanding teaching performance in the general study portion of any degree program at the school for a period of at least six years prior to July 1, 1993.

(4) Definitions of "full-time faculty member," "new faculty member," and any other term the board considers necessary to define.

(Q) Adopt a rule prohibiting a school or branch campus thereof from claiming accreditation from an accrediting agency in any of its advertising, recruiting, or promotional materials unless the agency is recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States department of education.

Effective Date: 04-03-2003.