[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57675-57677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25289]


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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.

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 8, 2003 from 12:30 p.m. 
until approximately 5:30 p.m., and on December 9, 2003 from 8:30 a.m. 
until approximately 12:30 p.m. in the Ballroom at the Hilton Garden 
Inn, 815 14th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005. You may call the hotel 
on (202) 783-7800 to inquire about rooms.

What Assistance Will Be Provided to 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, 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 U.S. 
Department of Education, room 7007, MS 7592, 1990 K St., NW., 
Washington, DC 20006,

[[Page 57676]]

telephone: (202) 219-7009, fax: (202) 219-7008, e-mail: 
[email protected]. Individuals who use a telecommunications device 
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-
800-877-8339.

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. 1011c.

What Are the Functions of the National Advisory Committee?

    The Committee advises the Secretary of Education about:
    [sbull] The establishment and enforcement of the criteria for 
recognition of accrediting agencies or associations under subpart 2 of 
part H of Title IV, HEA.
    [sbull] The recognition of specific accrediting agencies or 
associations.
    [sbull] The preparation and publication of the list of nationally 
recognized accrediting agencies and associations.
    [sbull] The eligibility and certification process for institutions 
of higher education under Title IV, HEA.
    [sbull] The development of 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 the 
interim eligibility of those institutions to participate in Federally 
funded programs.
    [sbull] The relationship between: (1) Accreditation of institutions 
of higher education and the certification and eligibility of such 
institutions, and (2) State licensing responsibilities with respect to 
such institutions.
    [sbull] Any other advisory functions relating to accreditation and 
institutional eligibility that the Secretary may prescribe.

What Items Will Be on the Agenda for Discussion at the Meeting?

    Agenda topics will include the review of agencies that have 
submitted petitions for renewal of recognition, submitted progress 
reports, or submitted interim reports. In addition, the National 
Advisory Committee will discuss the current status of proposals 
pertaining to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, as 
amended.
    Please note that the agency listed below, which was originally 
scheduled for review during the National Advisory Committee's December 
2003 meeting, will be postponed for review until the June 2004 meeting.
    [sbull] Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools
    Any third-party written comments regarding this agency that were 
received by September 18, 2003, in accordance with the Federal Register 
notice published on August 4, 2003, will become part of the official 
record. Those comments will be considered by the National Advisory 
Committee when it reviews the agency's petition for renewal of 
recognition at the June 2004 meeting. Another opportunity to provide 
written comments on the agency prior to that meeting will be announced 
in a Federal Register notice requesting written comments.

What Agencies Will the Advisory Committee Review at the Meeting?

    The Advisory Committee will review the following agencies during 
its December 8-9, 2003 meeting.

Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies

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 renewed recognition to the 
agency.)

    1. Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services 
Administration.
    2. American Board of Funeral Service Education.
    3. Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools.
    4. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Progress Reports
    1. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on 
Colleges (This is a report on the agency's implementation of its new 
standards).
    2. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting 
Commission for Schools (This is a report on the agency's action plan 
for coming into compliance with criteria for recognition).

State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary 
Vocational Education

Petition for Renewal of Recognition
    1. Missouri State Board of Education (Current scope of recognition: 
The approval of public, postsecondary vocational education in the State 
of Missouri).
    At its June 2003 meeting, the Advisory Committee had recommended 
that review of this agency's petition for continued recognition be 
deferred until the Committee's December 2003 meeting, and the Secretary 
had concurred with that recommendation.
Interim Report
    1. New York Board of Regents (Public Postsecondary Vocational 
Education Unit).

State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education

Interim Report
    1. North Dakota Board of Nursing.

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 so 
that the request is received via mail, fax, or e-mail no later than 
November 18, 2003. Your request (no more than 6 pages maximum) must 
include:
    1. The names, addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers of all 
persons seeking an appearance,
    2. The organization they represent, and
    3. A brief summary of the principal points to be made during the 
oral presentation.
    If you wish, you may attach documents illustrating the main points 
of your oral testimony. Please keep in mind, however, that any 
attachments are included in the 6-page limit. Please do not send 
materials directly to Committee members. Only materials submitted by 
the deadline to the contact person listed in this notice and in 
accordance with these instructions become part of the official record 
and are considered by the Committee in its deliberations. Documents 
received after the November 18, 2003 deadline will not be distributed 
to the Advisory Committee for their consideration. Individuals making 
oral presentations may not distribute written materials at the meeting.

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 written comments on agencies that are being 
reviewed during

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this meeting was published in the Federal Register on August 4, 2003. 
The Advisory Committee will receive and consider only written comments 
submitted by the deadline 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 U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K St., NW., 
Washington, DC 20006 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.

How May I Obtain Electronic Access to This Document?

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: 
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister. To use PDF you must have 
Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have 
questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office 
(GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at 
(202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.


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

    Dated: October 1, 2003.
Wilbert Bryant,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 03-25289 Filed 10-3-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P