[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 185 (Wednesday, September 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49962-49963]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25321]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity; Meeting

AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity, Education.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the proposed agenda of the National 
Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. Notice of 
this meeting is required under section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act. This document is intended to notify the general public 
of its opportunity to attend this public meeting.

DATES AND TIMES: November 19-21, 1997, 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The Latham Hotel, 3000 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 
20007. The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. 
An individual with a disability who will need an accommodation to 
participate in the meeting (e.g., interpreting service, assistive 
listening device, or materials in an alternate format) should notify 
the contact person listed in this notice at least two weeks before the 
scheduled meeting date. Although the Department will attempt to meet a 
request received after that date, the requested accommodations may not 
be available because of insufficient time to arrange it.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol F. Sperry, Executive Director, 
National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, 
U.S. Department of Education, 7th & D Street, SW, Room 3082, ROB 3, 
Washington, DC. 20202-7592, telephone: (202) 260-3636. Individuals who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. 
and 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Advisory Committee on 
Institutional Quality and Integrity is established under Section 1205 
of the Higher Education Act (HEA) as amended by Public Law 102-325 (20 
U.S.C. 1145). The Committee advises the Secretary of Education with 
respect to the establishment and enforcement of the criteria for 
recognition of accrediting agencies or associations under subpart 2 of 
part H of Title IV, HEA, the recognition of specific accrediting 
agencies or associations, the preparation and publication of the list 
of nationally recognized accrediting agencies and associations, and the 
eligibility and certification process for institutions of higher 
education under Title IV, HEA. The Committee also develops and 
recommends to the Secretary standards and criteria for specific 
categories of vocational training institutions and institutions of 
higher education for which there are not recognized accrediting 
agencies, associations, or State agencies, in order to establish 
eligibility for such institutions on an interim basis for participation 
in federally funded programs.

Agenda

    The meeting on November 19-21, 1997 is open to the public. The 
following agencies will be reviewed during the November 1997 meeting of 
the Advisory Committee:
    Petitions for Renewal of Recognition--1. Accreditation Board for 
Engineering and Technology, Inc. (Scope of recognition: the 
accreditation of basic (baccalaureate) and advanced (master's) level 
programs in engineering, associate and baccalaureate degree programs in 
engineering technology, and engineering-related programs at the 
baccalaureate and advanced degree level).
    2. Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (Scope 
of recognition: the accreditation of institutions of higher education 
that offer non-collegiate continuing vocational education programs and 
higher education programs of non-collegiate continuing vocational 
education).
    3. American Optometric Association, Council on Optometric Education 
(Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Reasonable Assurance/Preliminary Approval'' {for professional degree 
programs} and ``Candidacy Pending'' {for optometric residency programs 
in facilities of Veterans' Administration}) of professional optometric 
degree programs, optometric residency programs, and optometric 
technician programs).
    4. Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Accreditation 
Commission (Scope of recognition: the accreditation and 
preaccreditation (``Candidacy for Accredited Membership'') of basic, 
advanced, and supervisory clinical pastoral education programs).
    5. Commission on Opticianry Accreditation (Scope of recognition: 
the accreditation of two-year programs for the ophthalmic dispenser and 
one-year programs for the ophthalmic laboratory technician).
    6. National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on 
Accreditation (Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions 
and units within institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree-
granting programs in art, design, and art/design-related disciplines).
    7. National Association of Schools of Dance, Commission on 
Accreditation (Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions 
and units within institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree-
granting programs in dance and dance-related disciplines).
    8. National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on 
Accreditation, Commission on Non-Degree-Granting Accreditation and 
Commission on Community/Junior College Accreditation (Scope of 
recognition: the accreditation of institutions and units within 
institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree-granting programs 
in music and music-related disciplines, including community/junior 
colleges and independent degree-granting and non-degree-granting 
institutions).
    9. National Association of Schools of Theater, Commission on 
Accreditation (Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions 
and units within institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree-
granting programs in theater and theater-related disciplines).
    10. New England Association of Schools and Colleges (Scope of 
recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for 
Accreditation'') of non-degree granting postsecondary vocational, 
technical and career institutions and degree-granting institutions of 
higher education awarding an associate degree in Connecticut, Maine, 
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont).
    11. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission 
on Institutions of Higher Education (Scope of recognition: the 
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of 
institutions of higher education in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, 
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, 
Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West 
Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming).
    12. Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on 
Colleges (Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Candidate for Accreditation'') of institutions of higher education 
in Alaska, Idaho, Montana,

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Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington).
    13. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting 
Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (Scope of recognition: the 
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of 
community and junior colleges in California, Hawaii, American Samoa, 
Guam, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and 
the Republic of the Marshall Islands).
    Petitions for Renewal of Recognition and Expansion of Scope--1. 
merican Psychological Association, Committee on Accreditation (Current 
scope of recognition: the accreditation of doctoral programs in 
clinical, counseling, school, and combined professional-scientific 
psychology, and predoctoral internship training programs in 
professional psychology). (Requested expansion of scope: the 
accreditation of post-doctoral residency programs in professional 
psychology).
    2. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (Current scope of 
recognition: the accreditation of Master's degree programs in speech-
language pathology and audiology). (Requested expansion of scope: the 
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy'') of graduate 
educational programs that provide for entry-level professional 
preparation with a major emphasis in audiology and/or speech-language 
pathology.)
    3. Council on Occupational Education (Current scope of recognition: 
the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for 
Accreditation'') of non-degree granting postsecondary occupational/
vocational institutions and those postsecondary occupational/vocational 
education institutions currently accredited by the Council that either 
have state authorization to grant the applied associate degree in 
specific vocational/occupational fields or that receive such 
authorization during the Council's current recognition period). 
(Requested expansion of scope: the accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Candidate for Accreditation'') of postsecondary, prebaccalaureate, 
degree-granting and non-degree-granting vocational education 
institutions nationwide.)
    Interim and Progress Reports (Interim and Progress reports are 
follow-up reports on an accrediting agency's compliance with specific 
criteria for recognition that was requested by the Secretary when the 
Secretary granted recognition to the agency)--
    1. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal 
Education and Admissions to the Bar.
    2. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on 
Higher Education.
    3. National Environmental Health Science and Protection 
Accreditation Council.
    4. New York State Board of Regents.
    5. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on 
Colleges.
    6. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting 
Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.
    Progress Report--1. National League for Nursing Accrediting 
Commission.

State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary 
Vocational Education

    Interim Report--1. New York State Board of Regents, Vocational 
Education.

State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education

    Interim Report--1. New York State Board of Regents, Nursing 
Education Unit.

Federal Agency Seeking Degree-Granting Authority

    In accordance with the Federal policy governing the granting of 
academic degrees by Federal agencies (approved by a letter from the 
Director, Bureau of the Budget, to the Secretary, Health, Education, 
and Welfare, dated December 23, 1954), the Secretary is required to 
establish a review committee to advise the Secretary concerning any 
legislation that may be proposed that would authorize the granting of 
degrees by a Federal agency. The review committee forwards its 
recommendation concerning a Federal agency's proposed degree-granting 
authority to the Secretary, who then forwards the committee's 
recommendation and the Secretary's recommendation to the Office of 
Management and Budget for review and transmittal to the Congress. The 
Secretary uses the Advisory Committee as the review committee required 
for this purpose. Accordingly, the Advisory Committee will review the 
following institution at this meeting:
    Proposed Master's Degree-Granting Authority--1. U.S. Army War 
College, Carlisle, PA (request to award a master's degree in Strategic 
Studies).
    A request for comments on agencies that are being reviewed during 
this meeting was published in the Federal Register on July 2, 1997.
    This notice invites third-party oral presentations before the 
Advisory Committee. It does not constitute another call for written 
comment. Requests for oral presentation before the Advisory Committee 
should be submitted in writing to Ms. Sperry at the address above by 
October 20, 1997. Requests should include the names of all persons 
seeking an appearance, the organization they represent, and a brief 
summary of the principal points to be made during the oral 
presentation. Presenters are requested not to distribute written 
materials at the meeting. Presenters who wish to provide the Advisory 
Committee with written copies of their proposed testimony or with 
documents directly, but briefly (no more than 6 pages maximum), 
illustrating the main points of their oral testimony may submit them to 
Ms. Sperry by October 20, 1997 (one original and 25 copies). Documents 
submitted after that date will not be distributed to the Committee. 
Presenters are reminded that this call for third-party oral testimony 
does not constitute a call for additional written comment.
    At the conclusion of the meeting, attendees may, at the discretion 
of the Committee chair, be invited to address the Committee briefly on 
issues pertaining to the functions of the Committee, as identified in 
the section above on Supplementary Information. Attendees interested in 
making such comments should inform Ms. Sperry before or during the 
meeting.
    A record will be made of the proceedings of the meeting and will be 
available for public inspection at the Office of Postsecondary 
Education, U.S. Department of Education, 7th and D Streets, SW, room 
3082, ROB 3, Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2.

    Dated: September 19, 1997.
David A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 97-25321 Filed 9-23-97; 8:45 am]
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