[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 248 (Monday, December 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67632-67634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33734]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, State Agencies for Approval 
of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education, and State Agencies for 
Approval of Nurse Education

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Request for comments on agencies applying to the Secretary for 
Initial or Renewed Recognition.

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DATES: Commenters should submit their written comments by February 12, 
1998 to the address below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen W. Kershenstein, Director, 
Accreditation and Eligibility Determination Division, U.S. Department 
of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3915 ROB-3, 
Washington, DC 20202-5244, telephone: (202) 708-7417. Individuals who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., 
Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Submission of Third-Party Comments

    The Secretary of Education recognizes, as reliable authorities as 
to the quality of education offered by institutions or programs within 
their scope, accrediting agencies and State approval agencies for 
public postsecondary vocational education and nurse education that meet 
certain criteria for recognition. The purpose of this notice is to 
invite interested third parties to present written comments on the 
agencies listed in this notice that have applied for initial or 
continued recognition. A subsequent Federal Register notice will 
announce the meeting and invite individuals and/or groups to submit 
requests for oral presentation before the National Advisory Committee 
on Institutional Quality and Integrity (the ``Advisory Committee'') on 
the agencies being reviewed. That notice, however, does not constitute 
another call for written comment. This notice is the only call for 
written comment.
    All comments received in response to this notice will be reviewed 
by Department staff as part of its evaluation of the agencies' 
compliance with the

[[Page 67633]]

Secretary's Criteria for Recognition. In order for Department staff to 
give full consideration to the comments received and to address them in 
the staff analyses that will be presented to the Advisory Committee at 
its June 1998 meeting, the comments must arrive at the address listed 
above not later than February 12, 1998. Comments received after the 
deadline will be reviewed by Department staff, which will take action, 
as appropriate, either before or after the meeting, should the comments 
suggest that an accrediting agency is not acting in accordance with the 
Secretary's Criteria for Recognition.
    All comments must relate to the Secretary's Criteria for the 
Recognition of Accrediting Agencies. Comments pertaining to agencies 
whose interim reports will be reviewed must be restricted to the 
concerns raised in the Secretary's letter for which the report is 
requested.
    The Advisory Committee advises the Secretary of Education on the 
recognition of accrediting agencies and State approval agencies. The 
Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet June 8-10, 1998 in Washington, 
D.C. All written comments in response to this notice that are received 
by the Department by the deadline will be considered by both the 
Advisory Committee and the Secretary. Comments received after the 
deadline, as indicated previously, will be reviewed by Department 
staff, which will take follow-up action, as appropriate, either before 
or after the meeting. Commenters whose comments are received after the 
deadline will be notified by staff of the disposition of those 
comments.
    The following agencies will be reviewed during the June 1998 
meeting of the Advisory Committee:

Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies

Petitions for Initial Recognition--

1. Council on Integrative Medical Education (requested scope of 
recognition: the accreditation of colleges and programs leading to the 
Doctor of Integrative Medicine (IMD) degree and Doctor of Physiatric 
Medicine (PMD))
2. Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Schools 
(requested scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Candidate for Accreditation'') of public vocational/technical 
schools offering non-degree postsecondary education in Alaska, Idaho, 
Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington)

Petitions for Renewal of Recognition--

1. Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Accreditation 
Commission (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation and 
preaccreditation (``Candidacy for Accredited Membership'') of clinical 
pastoral education centers, as well as clinical pastoral education and 
supervisory clinical pastoral education programs.
2. Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 
Council on Accreditation and Recognition (requested scope of 
recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate 
status'') of educational programs for the allied health occupations of 
cytotechnologist, diagnostic medical sonographer, 
electroneurodiagnostic technologist, emergency medical technician-
paramedic, perfusionist, physician assistant, and surgical 
technologist)
3. Commission on Opticinary Accreditation (requested scope of 
recognition: the accreditation of two-year programs for the ophthalmic 
dispenser and one-year programs for the opthalmic laboratory 
technician)
4. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on 
Secondary Schools (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation 
and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of public 
vocational/technical schools offering non-degrees, postsecondary 
education in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, 
New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands)
5. National Association of Nurse Practioners in Reproductive Health 
(requested scope of recognition: the accreditation of women's health 
nurse practitioner programs)
6. New York State Board of Regents (requested scope of recognition: the 
accreditation (registration) of collegiate degree-granting programs or 
curricula offered by institutions of higher education in the state of 
New York and of credit-bearing certificate and diploma programs offered 
by degree-granting institutions of higher education in the state of New 
York)
7. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on 
Schools (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation and 
preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of schools offering 
non-degree, postsecondary 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)

Interim Reports

    (An interim report is a follow-up report on an accrediting agency's 
compliance with specific criteria for recognition that was requested by 
the Secretary when the Secretary granted initial or renewed recognition 
to the agency)--

1. Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges, Commission on Accrediting
2. American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Council on Accreditation 
of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
3. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education 
and Admissions to the Bar
4. Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
5. Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass 
Communication, Accrediting Committee
6. American Dietetic Association, Commission on Accreditation/Approval 
for Dietetics Education
7. American Osteopathic Association, Bureau of Professional Education
8. American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation 
in Physical Therapy Education
9. Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Commission
10. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
11. National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science
12. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
13. National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission
14. Transitional Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, 
Accrediting Commission

State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary 
Vocational Education

Petitions for Renewal of Recognition--

1. Kansas Board of Education
2. New York State Board of Regents, Vocational Education

Interim Report--

1. Oklahoma State Board of Vocational and Technical Education

State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education

Petition for Renewal of Recognition--

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

[[Page 67634]]

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, Carlisle, PA (request to award the master's degree in 
Strategic Studies to students who complete its non-resident track)

Public Inspection of Petitions and Third-Party Comments

    All petitions and interim reports, and those third-party comments 
received in advance of the meeting, will be available for public 
inspection and copying at the U.S. Department of Education, ROB-3, Room 
3915, 7th and D Streets, SW., Washington, DC 20202-5244, telephone 
(202) 708-7417 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, until May 18, 1998. They will be available again after 
the June 8-10 Advisory Committee meeting. it is preferred that an 
appointment be made in advance of such inspection or copying.

    Dated: December 17, 1997.
David A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 97-33734 Filed 12-24-97; 8:45 am]
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