[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 246 (Thursday, December 23, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80801-80803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-32262]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


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

AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity, Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of the February 3-4, 2011, open meeting of the National 
Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), 
procedures for submitting third-party written comments, and procedures 
for making third-party oral comments at the meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and agenda of the upcoming 
open meeting of the NACIQI. It also informs members of the public how 
to submit third-party written comments and how to submit third-party 
oral comment requests. The notice of this meeting is required under 
section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and 
section 114(d)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended 
(HEA), and as

[[Page 80802]]

background, summarizes the functions of the NACIQI.
    Meeting Date and Place: The NACIQI meeting will be held on February 
3-4, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 5:30 p.m., at the Holiday 
Inn and Suites, Ballrooms A-C, 625 First Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. 
For further information about the meeting location or for hotel 
reservations, contact the hotel at 703-548-6300.
    Agenda: The agenda for the meeting will include presentations to 
inform the NACIQI generally regarding the accreditation of institutions 
of higher education, the certification and eligibility of such 
institutions for purposes of the Federal student aid programs 
authorized under Title IV of the HEA, the relationship between the two, 
and regarding State licensing responsibilities with respect to such 
institutions.
    As background, the current system of accreditation/recognition 
draws upon a variety of participants, definitions, and processes. Taken 
together, these elements reflect commonalities and divergences among 
the concepts of ``quality assurance,'' ``continuous improvement,'' and 
``compliance,'' as well as tension between gatekeeping for the 
institutional eligibility for student aid and accreditation as a 
broader quality assurance and quality improvement process. There are 
also disparities between compliance with regulation and accreditation 
via peer review, as well as varying roles and interests of Federal and 
State entities, professional/trade/membership organizations, and the 
public.
    The NACIQI will hear from a variety of speakers concerning the 
above topics, in order to consider the broad question of what is 
working (and not working) in the current system of recognition, 
accreditation, and student aid eligibility.
    All oral presentations and written materials submitted will inform 
the NACIQI as it develops a set of recommendations to the Secretary for 
the reauthorization of the HEA.
    NACIQI'S Statutory Authority and Functions: The NACIQI was 
established under Section 114 of the HEA. It advises the Secretary of 
Education about:
     The establishment and enforcement of the Criteria for 
Recognition of accrediting agencies or associations under Subpart 2, 
Part H, Title IV, of the HEA.
     The recognition of specific accrediting agencies or 
associations, or a specific State approval agency.
     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 relationship between: (1) Accreditation of 
institutions of higher education and the certification and eligibility 
of those institutions and (2) State licensing responsibilities with 
respect to those institutions.
     Any other advisory functions relating to accreditation and 
institutional eligibility that the Secretary may prescribe.
    Instructions for Submitting a Third-Party Written Comment for the 
February 2011 NACIQI Meeting: Submit your written comments by e-mail on 
or before January 16, 2011, to [email protected]. Enter the 
subject line as ``Written Comments to NACIQI Regarding Reauthorization 
of the HEA, concerning [insert specific topic or statutory citation 
here].'' Also, in the body of your written comments, please insert a 
subject heading above each subject area addressed.
    Instructions for Making a Third-Party Oral Comment at the February 
2011 NACIQI Meeting: There are two methods the public may use to make a 
third-party oral comment concerning the reauthorization of the HEA 
during the February 3-4, 2011, meeting.
    First Method: Submit a written request via e-mail in advance of the 
meeting to make a third-party oral presentation. A total of 30 minutes 
of the meeting will be allotted for commenters who have submitted an 
advance request. Depending on the number of requests received, 
commenters will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis and if 
selected, each commenter will be provided three to five minutes to 
speak. Each request must be received on or before January 16, 2011, and 
must be sent to [email protected] with the subject line listed 
as ``Request to Provide Oral Comments to NACIQI Regarding 
Reauthorization of the HEA concerning [insert specific topic or 
statutory citation here].'' Your request (no more than three pages) 
must include:
    1. The name, title, affiliation, mailing address, e-mail address, 
telephone and facsimile numbers, and Web site (if any) of the person/
group requesting to speak; and
    2. A brief summary of the principal points to be made during the 
oral presentation, as well as the statutory citation related to the 
points to be covered.
    Only individuals whose requests are made in accordance with these 
instructions will become eligible for an opportunity to speak under 
this method. Please do not send material directly to the NACIQI 
members.
    Second Method: Sign up on February 4, 2011, to make oral comments 
that day expressing your views regarding reauthorization. The sign-up 
form will request the name, title, affiliation, mailing address, e-mail 
address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and Web site (if any). A 
total of 30 minutes of the meeting will be allotted for commenters who 
sign up the day of the meeting.
    Individuals or groups that sign up on the day of the meeting will 
be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, based on when the 
completed sign-up sheet is received and time-stamped. If selected, each 
commenter will be provided from three to five minutes, depending on the 
number of requests received. If a person or group requests to make oral 
comments in advance, they may not also sign-up to make oral comments 
the day of the meeting. The Chair will confine oral commenters to the 
topic of reauthorization.
    Members of the public will be eligible to make third-party oral 
comments only in accordance with these instructions. Their comments 
will become part of the official record and will be considered by the 
NACIQI in its deliberations.
    Access to Records of the Meeting: The Department will post the 
official report of the meeting on the NACIQI Web site shortly after the 
meeting. Pursuant to the FACA, the public may also inspect the 
materials at 1990 K Street, NW., Washington, DC, by e-mailing 
[email protected] or by calling (202) 219-7067 to schedule an 
appointment.
    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), or 
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 1-866-
512-1800 or, in the Washington, DC area at (202)512-0000.
    Reasonable Accommodations: Individuals who will need accommodations 
for a disability in order to attend the February 3-4, 2011 meeting 
(i.e., interpreter services, assistive listening devices, and/or 
materials in alternative format) should contact Department staff by 
telephone at (202) 219-7067; or, e-mail at [email protected], no 
later than January 17, 2010. We will attempt

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to meet requests after this date, but cannot guarantee the availability 
of the requested accommodation. The meeting site is accessible.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melissa Lewis, Executive Director, 
NACIQI, U.S. Department of Education, Room 8060, 1990 K Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20006, telephone: (202) 219-7009; 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, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday 
through Friday.

    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.gpoaccess.gov/index.html.


Eduardo M. Ochoa,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2010-32262 Filed 12-22-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P