ORS 345.110 Tuition Protection Fund; rules

The Tuition Protection Fund is established separate and distinct from the General Fund. Interest earned by the fund shall be credited to the fund. Proceeds of the fund are continuously appropriated to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to protect students when a career school ceases to provide educational services and for administrative expenses incurred under subsection (5) of this section.

The commission shall maintain and administer the fund and shall adopt by rule procedures governing the administration and maintenance of the fund, including requirements relating to contributions to and claims against the fund.

Each career school shall pay to the Tuition Protection Fund an initial capitalization deposit in amounts and within time limits established by rule of the commission. Thereafter, each school shall make installment payments based on a matrix adopted by rule of the commission. In establishing the amount and frequency of payments, the commission may consider the enrollment and financial condition of each school and such other factors as the commission considers appropriate. The commission may deny, suspend or revoke the license of a school which fails to make payments or fails to conform to other requirements of this section or rules adopted by the commission under this section.

The commission shall deposit moneys received under this section with the State Treasurer in the Tuition Protection Fund.

The commission may disburse moneys from the fund by checks or orders drawn upon the State Treasurer in conformance with rules of the commission and only for tuition protection purposes, including the commission’s costs in administering and maintaining the fund.

The commission may enter into contracts to carry out the purposes of the fund. The provisions of ORS 279.835 to 279.855 and ORS chapters 279A and 279B do not apply to contracts entered into under this subsection.