(110 ILCS 1010/4) (from Ch. 144, par. 234)

Sec. 4. Period before award.

(a) Unless a degree granting institution was authorized to operate in Illinois, or was in operation, on August 14, 1961, it shall not award any earned degree until one year after it has filed a written notice with and until such institution has received the authorization and approval of the Board. Except as permitted under Section 5, no educational organization or entity shall be authorized to award any degree nor be approved as a degree granting institution unless it requires an appropriate period of instruction to be in residence. The notice shall be under oath or affirmation of the principal officer of the institution and shall contain: the name and address of the degree granting institution; the names and addresses of the president or other administrative head and of each member of the board of trustees or other governing board; a description of the degree or degrees to be awarded and the course or courses of study prerequisite thereto; and such additional information relevant to the purposes of this Act as the Board may prescribe. An amendment to the notice shall be under oath or affirmation of the principal officer of the institution and shall be filed with the Board prior to the award of any degree not contained in the original notice or prior amendments thereto. A degree authorized in an amendment shall not be awarded until one year after the filing of the amendment with and the authorization of the Board. The submission of the regular catalog of the institution shall, if it covers the matters hereinabove mentioned, be deemed to constitute compliance herewith.

(b) A degree granting institution shall keep the notice which it shall have filed with the Board current at all times. For this purpose, it shall report annually, by appropriate amendment of the notice, any change in any fact previously reported.

(c) The Board shall not approve any notice or amendment thereto filed pursuant to this Section unless it finds the facts stated therein to be correct and further finds that such facts constitute compliance with the requirements of this Act for degree granting institutions.

(d) The Board may not approve any notice, amendment, or application that has been plagiarized, in part or in whole, and may return any notice, amendment, or application. Additionally, the Board may not approve any notice, amendment, or application that has not been completed in its entirety. Any such uncompleted notice, amendment, or application shall be returned to the degree granting institution.

(e) The Board may not approve any proposed degree program unless it is educationally and economically consistent with the educational priorities and needs of this State and meets a need that is not currently met by existing institutions and is supported by clear evidence of need.

(Source: P.A. 102-1046, eff. 6-7-22.)