Bill to Curb 'Diploma Mills' May Pass Senate

A bill which gives an agency of the Massachusetts Department of Education the right to recommend the revocation of certain college charters will pass the State senate on Monday, according to several well-informed legislators.

The bill, proposed by State Commissioner of Education Owen B. Kiernan and already passed by the House, is aimed at controlling or eliminating what Kiernan terms "fly-by-night educational institutions." These are "diploma mills" which provide little or no education for degrees which are officially recognized by the State.

After initial reservations, reputable college leaders appear to be backing the bill. "We are for it," a spoksman for MIT told the CRIMSON. However Harvard has taken no position yet.

The bill would give the agency, the Board of Collegiate Authority, power to review charters it has granted during its 20 year existence and to recommend to the Secretary of State the suspension or revocation of such charters of institutions not meeting "minimum requirements." Minimum requirements, which presently apply to the granting of original charters by the Board, concern "faculty, courses of study, financial organization, physical plant, and leadership."

Other bills presented over the past four years which aimed at restricting the diploma mills met stiff opposition from reputable colleges fearful of political infringement on their academic freedom. However, this time the only public opposition to the bill has come from representatives from Curry College, an institution which Kiernan termed "not up to standards."

The major difference between this bill and earlier ones lies in the scope of the Board's responsibility. Whereas former proposals would have given the Board power to review the charter of any college (except Harvard, which receives charter rights from the Constitution of the Commonwealth) the present bill concerns only colleges originally chartered by the Board.

Cannot Revoke Charters

The Board itself cannot revoke charters or deny a college to grant degrees. It may only recommend revocation, which can then be appealed through the State courts by the institution involved. The Board consists of the nine member State Board of Education, plus five college presidents.