OAR 583-050-0016
Validation of a Secular Degree
(1)
Any person claiming in Oregon to possess an academic degree shall, upon request from the Commission’s Executive Director, have an official transcript of the degree sent directly to the Commission from the registrar or other appropriate official of the conferring school.(2)
Where validation of a degree by telephone or electronic means seems readily obtainable from a school, the Commission at its discretion may postpone with option of waiver the requirement for a transcript upon receiving from the degree claimant the name, address, and telephone number of the conferring school. Requirement of one or more transcripts may be reinstated at any time if other methods of validation are not sufficient for a conclusive determination.(3)
Upon receipt of evidence of a valid degree, the executive director shall inform the degree claimant that a validation has been entered into the record, which shall specify any title and abbreviation that may be used to claim the degree.(4)
Honorary degrees must be distinguished from earned degrees.(a)
Any person claiming in Oregon to hold an honorary degree must label any written use of the degree using the word “honorary” or the abbreviation “hon.” in order to make the public aware that the degree is not an earned credential. Any oral reference to the degree must be accompanied by a reasonable effort to ensure that listeners are made aware that it is honorary.(b)
Any person using an honorary doctorate may not use the title “Doctor” or “Dr.” unless the word “honorary” or the abbreviation “hon.” accompanies the claim in a clear and visible form, or is stated orally when an honorary doctorate is used as the basis for an oral use of the title.(c)
An honorary degree may not be used as a credential for employment in Oregon.
Source:
Rule 583-050-0016 — Validation of a Secular Degree, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/view.action?ruleNumber=583-050-0016.