Columbia State University was a diploma mill based in California that used a Louisiana mailing address. It operated from the mid-1980s until it was closed by court order in 1998. Although its name implied that Columbia State was a state-supported educational institution, it was not associated with a state government. Rather, it was a private operation owned by Ronald Pellar, a professional hypnotist also known as Ronald Dante who performed on stage under the name Dr. Dante.