State attorneys general are doing their best to make sure that online diploma mills are not long for this world, but plenty of folks have already secured degrees from ersatz institutions like “the University of Berkeley” and “Columbia State.” Should those people face more aggressive prosecution?
Lawmakers haven’t come to a consensus on that question. As the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes, several states have passed laws that make it a crime to use fake diplomas. But most states still treat that kind of résumé padding as standard-issue fraud. And a measure introduced in the House of Representatives, which would increase the chance of prison time for federal employees who use fake degrees, has yet to make it out of committee. —Brock Read
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