Using Patent Office for research on degree mills.

I've just realized that people can use the U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office at uspto.gov for researching degree mills.

Someone was recently asking about an ancient degree mill called World University. That's not listed, but there's a dead/abandoned trademark with that name dating from 1998. More interestingly, it appears that on 2/01/02 a Ugandan named Musolini Hamidu filed trademark applications for "World University," "World University of Leadership," "World University of Management," and "World University of Christian Leadership." This was done on behalf of worlduni.com / hartingdale.com.au.

Interestingly, there is no trademark application for American World University. As I understand trademark law, that means that any one of us can apply for, and get, our own trademark for "American World University." Limited, local trademarks can be grandfathered in despite this, so I suppose Maxine Asher can have a trademark on "American World University" in the portion of central Mississippi or wherever where she keeps her mailbox.

 

I don't have my Bears' Guides in front of me, but IIRC World University used to be in Puerto Rico and regionally accredited. The International Graduate School in Missouri was affiliated with them before IGS closed. I don't recall a diploma mill by that name.