Massachusetts General Laws Part IV. Crimes, Punishments and Proceedings in Criminal Cases (Ch. 263-280) Ch. 266, § 89

Whoever, in a book, pamphlet, circular, advertisement or advertising sign, or by a pretended written certificate or diploma, or otherwise in writing, knowingly and falsely pretends to have been an officer or teacher, or to be a graduate or to hold any degree, of a college or other educational institution of this commonwealth or elsewhere, which is authorized to confer degrees, or of a public school of this commonwealth, and whoever, without having lawful authority to confer degrees, offers or confers degrees as a school, college or as a private individual, alone or associated with others, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Any individual, school, association, corporation or institution of learning, not having lawful authority to confer degrees, using the designation of “university” or “college” shall be punished by a fine of one thousand dollars; but this shall not apply to any educational institution whose name on July ninth, nineteen hundred and nineteen, included the word “university” or “college”.