OAR 715-045-0061: Private Career School Agents

(1) An agent shall be a person who has attained the age of 18 years, is of good moral character and is otherwise competent and qualified to safeguard and protect the interests of the public. (2) No person shall act in the state as an agent for a private career school unless the Commission has received the agent's registration. (3) Agents shall be considered registered only when the school notifies the Commission in writing of the name, address, date of employment, and geographic territory for each agent. (4) For licensing purposes, registered agents shall be considered employees of the school. (5) No agent shall begin recruiting students until completing school-provided training in the areas identified in OAR 715-045-0060(5)(a). (6) The school shall be responsible for developing identifying credentials and passport pictures for each of its agents. The credentials shall remain the property of the school. The identifying credentials shall include: (a) The full name and address of the agent; (b) The full name and address of the career school to be represented; and (c) A passport-type picture affixed to the identifying credentials. (7) The school shall immediately notify the Executive Director of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission of the termination of employment of an agent and demand return of the agent's credentials. (8) The school may be fined for failure to keep its agent files current and accurate. (9) Agents, when representing more than one school, shall disclose to each employing institution that they are employed by more than one school. (10) Agents, when representing a school, shall: (a) Report first to the administrative offices of any high school or college before conducting any student interviews or presentations; (b) Make no statements which are false, misleading or fraudulent; (c) Respond with all facts about the school the prospective student may wish to know prior to the making of an enrollment decision; (d) Use only advertising that complies with OAR 715-045-0033 and 715-045-0034; (e) Provide a copy of the school's catalog/brochure to high school administrators or counselors prior to making any presentation at a high school; (f) Disclose information on tuition and other instructional costs upon request by prospective students; (g) Explain to the student payment obligations before the student signs the enrollment agreement, and explain the school's refund policy; (h) Make clear the school's academic policies and code of conduct; (i) Accurately describe the school's facilities and living accommodations, and explain living costs; (j) Give a report on current job prospects; (k) Make available for review samples of the school's distance learning lessons prior to the signing of the enrollment agreement; (l) Explain the school's placement assistance, and provide placement statistics; (m) Explain the school's admissions criteria; (n) Provide a copy of the enrollment agreement and fully explain all terms and conditions; (o) Suggest that the prospective student visit the school to talk with teachers, guidance counselors, employment counselors and students; and (p) Wear identifying credentials at all times when involved in recruitment activities outside of the school. (11) Agents shall not: (a) Make false, inaccurate or misleading statements concerning any degree, certificate or diploma offered by the school; (b) State that credits from the school are transferable unless such claims are supported by documentation in the school's files and provided to and on file with the commission. The agent shall, at the time of representation, identify each school or type of school and program which accepts such credits. The agent shall clearly and conspicuously disclose all limitations on such transferability; for example, it is not possible to transfer credits from a certificate program to a degree program; (c) Recommend a prospective student for acceptance if the agent does not have reason to believe the student has a chance to succeed; (d) Distribute distance learning lessons if to do so limits the student's right to cancel the enrollment within five business days of signing and receive a full refund of all monies paid to the school; (e) Collect any fee other than the application fee prior to the student's official admittance; or (f) Represent that any commodity or service is free when, in fact, such commodity or service is regularly included as part of a course for which tuition or any other fee is paid. (12) The school shall monitor its agent's activities and sales and marketing practices and immediately investigate and resolve complaints about their activities. The school shall be accountable for the adherence of its agents to ORS Chapter 345 and OAR chapter 581, division 45.