CHEYENNE - Rutherford University, an online school with an office in Evanston, quit doing business in Wyoming as of Thursday, the state Department of Education announced.

Whether other online schools follow suit remains to be seen, but the state's top education official credited a new state law with helping bring about Rutherford's departure.

The Canada-based degree-granting school was licensed in Wyoming but not accredited.

The new law adopted by the Legislature last winter requires all private, post-secondary institutions doing business in Wyoming to be accredited or in the process of accreditation by July 1. Supporters said the new law will erase the state's reputation as a haven for diploma mills.

"The new law has already begun to make a difference," Superintendent of Public Instruction Jim McBride said in a news release.

He praised the Legislature for passing the law and said the Department of Education will continue to monitor each school's progress toward full accreditation.

The department and the state Board of Education had been working on the Rutherford situation for some time before the new law passed.

The board lodged a complaint against Rutherford based on department inspections in May 2004 and June 2005. The inspectors found that Rutherford was not in compliance with state regulations because the school conducted no substantive academic or student service activities at the Evanston location. The school also was faulted for failing to keep complete records of faculty members, their qualifications and the classes they teach, according to earlier published reports.

At that time, the state board warned Rutherford its license would be revoked unless the school followed state regulations.

Rutherford University officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The department earlier sent notices to all the private, degree-granting colleges to alert them to the requirements of the new law.

Education department officials will look at the other private, degree-granting colleges after July 1, said Tim Lockwood, the department's public information officer.

Ten other such schools are not accredited by the state, including American City University; Cheyenne; American Central University, Laramie; American Global University, Cheyenne; Columbia Commonwealth University, Rock Springs; EC-Council University, Laramie; Halifax University, Casper; Kennedy-Western University, Cheyenne; Newport International University, Laramie; Paramount University of Technology and Preston University, both of Cheyenne.

Capital bureau reporter Joan Barron can be reached at (307) 632-1244 or at joan.barron@casperstartribune.net.