[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 189 (Thursday, September 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52777-52778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25480]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity (National Advisory Committee); Meeting

agency: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity, Department of Education.

action: Notice of meeting.

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What Is the Purpose of This Notice?

    The purpose of this notice is to announce the public meeting of the 
National Advisory Committee and invite third-party oral presentations 
before the Committee. This notice also presents the proposed agenda and 
informs the public of its opportunity to attend this meeting. The 
notice of this meeting is required under section 10(a)(2) of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act.

When and Where Will the Meeting Take Place?

    We will hold the public meeting on December 6-8, 1999 from 8:30 
a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at the Ritz Carlton Hotel at Pentagon City Mall, 
1250 South Hayes Street, Arlington, Virginia 22202. You may call the 
Hotel on (703) 415-5000 to inquire about rooms.

What Access Does the Hotel Provide for Individuals With Disabilities?

    The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If 
you will need an auxiliary aid or service to participate in the meeting 
(e.g., interpreting service, assistive listening device, or materials 
in an alternate format), notify the contact person listed in this 
notice at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting date. Although 
we will attempt to meet a request received after that date, we may not 
be able to make available the requested auxiliary aid or service 
because of insufficient time to arrange it.

Who Is the Contact Person for the Meeting?

    Please contact Ms. Bonnie LeBold, who is the Executive Director of 
the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, 
if you have questions about the meeting. You may contact her at the US 
Department of Education, ROB-3, Room 3082, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, 
Washington, DC 20202-7592, telephone: (202) 260-3636, fax: (202) 260-
5049. 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.

What Is the Authority for the National Advisory Committee?

    The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity is established under Section 114 of the Higher Education Act 
(HEA) as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1011.

What Are the Functions of the National Advisory Committee?

    The Committee advises the Secretary of Education about:
     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.
     The eligibility and certification process for institutions 
of higher education under Title IV, HEA.
     The development of 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 the 
interim eligibility of those institutions to participate in Federally 
funded programs.

What Agencies Will the Advisory Committee Review at the Meeting?

    The Advisory Meeting will review the following agencies during its 
December 6-8, 1999 meeting.

Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies

Petition for Initial Recognition

    1. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (Requested scope of 
recognition: Baccalaureate Degree Programs in Nursing Education and 
Graduate Degree Programs in Nursing Education)

Petitions for Renewal of Recognition

1. Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology 
(Requested scope of recognition: the accreditation of private, 
postsecondary, non-degree-granting institutions and degree-granting 
institutions, including those granting associate and baccalaureate 
degrees, that are predominantly organized to educate students for 
occupational, trade and technical careers).
2. American Psychological Association, Committee on Accreditation 
(Requested scope of recognition: the accreditation of doctoral programs 
in clinical, counseling, school and combined professional-scientific 
psychology, predoctoral internship programs in professional psychology, 
and postdoctoral residency programs in professional psychology)
3. Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (Requested scope of 
recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (Candidate for 
Accreditation) of institutions and graduate programs in Naturopathy 
that lead to the degree of Doctor of Naturopathy (N.D.) or Doctor of 
Naturopathic Medicine (N.M.D.))
4. National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences 
(Scope of recognition: the accreditation of postsecondary schools and 
departments of cosmetology arts and sciences)
5. Translational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, 
Accrediting Commission (Requested scope of recognition: the 
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of 
postsecondary institutions that offer certificates, diplomas, and 
associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees)

Interim Reports

(An interim report is a follow-up report on an accrediting agency's 
compliance

[[Page 52778]]

with specific criteria for recognition that was requested by the 
Secretary when the Secretary granted renewed recognition to the 
agency.)

1. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education 
and Admissions to the Bar
2. Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Accreditation 
Commission
3. Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass 
Communications
4. American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation
5. American Physical Therapy Association, Committee on Accreditation
6. Commission on Opticianry Accreditation
7. National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Reproductive Health, 
Council on Accreditation
8. North Carolina Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on 
Schools

State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary 
Vocational Education

Interim Report

1. Kansas State Department of Education

Interim Report

1. Kansas State Department of Education

State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education

Interim Report

1. New York State Board of Regents, Nursing Education

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 Associate Degree-Granting Authority

1. Defense Language Institute (Accredited by the Western Association of 
Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior 
Colleges)

Who Can Make Third-Party Oral Presentations at This Meeting?

    We invite you to make a third-party oral presentation before the 
National Advisory Committee concerning the recognition of any agency 
published in this notice.

How Do I Request To Make an Oral Presentation?

    You must submit a written request to make an oral presentation 
concerning an agency listed in this notice to the contact person by 
November 1, 1999. Your request 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.

This notice is not a call for third-party written comments. However, if 
you wish to provide the Advisoy Committee with a brief document (no 
more than 6 pages maximum) illustrating the main points of your oral 
testimony, please enclose one original and 25 copies of the document 
with your written request to make an oral presentation. Please do not 
distribute written materials at the meeting or send materials directly 
to Committee members.
    Materials submitted by the deadline and in accordance with these 
instructions become part of the official record and are considered by 
the Committee in its deliberations. Department staff will not 
distribute documents submitted after the November 1, 1999, deadline to 
the Advisory Committee.

If I Cannot Attend the Meeting, Can I Submit Written Comments Regarding 
an Accrediting Agency in Lieu of Making an Oral Presentation?

    This notice requests third-party oral testimony, not written 
comment. A request for writen comments on agencies that are being 
reviewed during this meeting was published in the Federal Register on 
June 9, 1999. The Advisory Committee will receive and consider only 
written comments submitted by the deadlines specified in that Federal 
Register notice.

How Do I Request To Present Comments Regarding General Issues Rather 
Than Specific Accrediting Agencies?

    At the conclusion of the meeting, the Committee, at its discretion, 
may invite attendees to address the Committee briefly on issues 
pertaining to the functions of the Committee, which are listed earlier 
in this notice. If you are interested in making such comments, you 
should inform Ms. LeBold before or during the meeting.

How May I Obtain Access to the Records of the Meeting?

    We will record the meeting and make a transcript available for 
public inspection at the US Department of Education, ROB-3, Room 3012, 
7th and D Streets, SW, Washington, DC, telephone (202) 260-3636, 
between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. It is preferred that an appointment be made in 
advance of such inspection.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2.
Greg Woods,
Chief Operating Officer, Student Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 99-25480 Filed 9-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M