[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16992-16994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9074]


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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, Department of 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: June 8-10, 1998, 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The Latham Hotel, 3000 M Street, NW., Washington, DC 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, assistance 
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 them.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Bonnie LeBold, Executive Director, National Advisory Committee on 
Institutional Quality and Integrity, U.S. Department of Education, 7th 
and D Streets, 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 at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 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 of 1965 (HEA), as amended by Pub. L. 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

[[Page 16993]]

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 no 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 June 8-10, 1998 is open to the public. The 
following agencies will be reviewed during the June 1998 meeting of the 
Advisory Committee:

Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies

Petition 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).

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, 
Board of Directors (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation 
and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of educational 
programs for the allied health occupations of cytotechnologist and 
electroneurodiagnostic technologist).
    3. Commission on Opticianry Accreditation (requested scope of 
recognition: the accreditation of two-year programs for the ophthalmic 
dispenser and one-year programs for the ophthalmic 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-degree, postsecondary 
education in the Middle States region (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, Council on Accreditation (requested scope of recognition: the 
accreditation of women's health nurse practitioner programs).
    6. 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, and the Navajo Nation).
    7. 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).

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 
Accreditation
    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
    6. The 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 Sciences
    12. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
    13. National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
    14. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on 
Colleges
    15. Transnational 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 Regents for Higher 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

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 the 
master's degree in Strategic Studies to students who complete its non-
resident track).
    A request for comments on agencies that are being reviewed during 
this meeting was published in Federal Register on December 29, 1997, 
and on February 10, 1998.
    This notice invites third-party oral presentations before the 
Advisory Committee. It does not constitute

[[Page 16994]]

another call for written comment. Requests for oral presentation before 
the Advisory Committee should be submitted in writing to Ms. LeBold at 
the address above by May 8, 1998. 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 or send them directly to members of the 
Advisory Committee. Presenters who wish to provide the Advisory 
Committee with brief documents (no more than 6 pages maximum) 
illustrating the main points of their oral testimony may submit them to 
Ms. LeBold by May 8, 1998 (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. LeBold 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 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

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

    Dated: April 2, 1998.
David A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 98-9074 Filed 4-6-98; 8:45 am]
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