[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 160 (Monday, August 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50401-50404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20171]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity (NACIQI)
AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of
Education.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary
Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 8072, Washington, DC 20006.
ACTION: Announcement of an open meeting of the National Advisory
[[Page 50402]]
Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) and
information pertaining to members of the public submitting third-party
written and oral comments.
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NACIQI'S Statutory Authority and Function: The NACIQI is
established under Section 114 of the HEA of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C.
1011c. The NACIQI 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, as amended.
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, of the HEA, together with
recommendations for improvement in such process.
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.
Any other advisory function relating to accreditation and
institutional eligibility that the Secretary may prescribe.
SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the agenda for the December 12-13, 2013
meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity (NACIQI); and provides information to members of the public
on submitting written comments and on requesting to make oral comments
at the meeting. 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 (HEA) of 1965, as amended.
Meeting Date and Place: The NACIQI meeting will be held on December
12-13, 2013, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at a location to be determined in
the Washington DC area. The exact location will be published in the
Federal Register and on the Department's Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/naciqi.html#meetings by November 6,
2013.
Meeting Agenda: Below is a list of agencies, including their
current and requested scopes of recognition, scheduled for review
during the December 12-13, 2013 meeting:
Petition for Initial Recognition
Accrediting Agency
1. Association of Institutions for Jewish Studies (AIJS) (Requested
Scope: The accreditation of postsecondary institutions of Jewish
Studies within the United States offering educational programs leading
to a certificate, associate, or baccalaureate degree.)
Petitions for Continued Recognition
Accrediting Agencies
1. Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational
Programs(COANAEP) (Current and Requested Scope: The accreditation of
institutions and programs of nurse anesthesia at the post master's
certificate, master's, or doctoral degree levels in the United States,
including programs offering distance education.)
2. Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) (Current and
Requested Scope: The accreditation within the United States of schools
of public health and public health programs outside schools of public
health, at the baccalaureate and graduate degree levels, including
those offered via distance education.)
3. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
(Current and Requested Scope: The accreditation and preaccreditation
(``Candidacy Status'') of postsecondary degree-granting educational
institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and
Washington, including the accreditation of programs offered via
distance education within these institutions.)
4. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting
Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (WASC-ACCJC) (Current
Scope: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for
Accreditation'') of two-year, associate degree-granting institutions
located in California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam
and American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of
Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, including the accreditation of such
programs offered via distance education at these colleges.) (Requested
Scope: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for
Accreditation'') of community and other two-year colleges located in
California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and American
Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, which offer the associate degree and may offer
certificates and limited bachelor's degrees, and the accreditation of
such programs offered via distance education and correspondence
education at these colleges.)
State Approval Agency for Nurse Education
1. North Dakota Board of Nursing (NDBN)
Petitions for Recognition Based on a Compliance Report
Accrediting Agencies
1. American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) (Current Scope:
The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Provisional Accreditation'')
throughout the United States of freestanding colleges of podiatric
medicine and programs of podiatric medicine, including first
professional program leading to the degree of Doctor of Podiatric
Medicine.) (Requested Scope: The accreditation and preaccreditation
(``Candidate Status'' and ``Provisional Accreditation'') throughout the
United States of freestanding colleges of podiatric medicine and
programs of podiatric medicine, including first professional programs
leading to the degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.)
2. Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPEI)
(Current and Requested Scope: The accreditation of both clinical
pastoral education (CPE) centers and supervisory CPE programs located
within the United States and territories.)
3. Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA)
(Current and Requested Scope: The accreditation of postsecondary, non-
degree-granting English language programs and institutions in the
United States.)
4. Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) (Current and Requested
Scope: The accreditation of programs leading to the Doctor of
Chiropractic degree and single-purpose institutions offering the Doctor
of Chiropractic program.)
5. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
(JRCERT) (Current and Requested Scope: The accreditation of education
programs in radiography, magnetic resonance, radiation therapy, and
medical dosimetry, including those offered via distance education, at
the certificate, associate, and baccalaureate levels.)
6. Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE)
(Current and Requested Scope: The accreditation of Montessori teacher
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education institutions and programs throughout the United States,
including those offered via distance education.)
State Approval Agency for Nurse Education
1. New York State Board of Regents, State Education Department,
Office of the Professions (Nursing Education) (NYBRN)
State Approval Agencies for Vocational Education
1. New York State Board of Regents, State Education Department,
Office of the Professions (Public Postsecondary Vocational Education,
Practical Nursing)
2. Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education (OBCTE)
3. Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Education, Bureau of
Career and Technical Education (PSVBE/BCTE)
Submission of Written Comments: Written comments must be received
by September 6, 2013, in the [email protected] mailbox and
include the subject line ``Written Comments: re (agency name).'' The
email must include the name, title, affiliation, mailing address, email
address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and Web site (if any) of the
person/group making the comment. Comments should be submitted as a
Microsoft Word document or in a medium compatible with Microsoft Word
(not a PDF file) that is attached to an electronic mail message (email)
or provided in the body of an email message. Comments about an agency's
compliance report must relate to the issues raised and the criteria for
recognition cited in the Secretary's letter that requested the report.
Comments about the renewal of an agency's recognition must relate to
its compliance with the Criteria for the Recognition of Accrediting
Agencies, the Criteria and Procedures for Recognition of State Agencies
for Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education, or the
Criteria and Procedures for Recognition of State Agencies for Approval
of Nurse Education, as appropriate, which are available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. Third parties having
concerns about agencies regarding matters outside the scope of the
petition should report those concerns to the Department. Only material
submitted by the deadline to the email address listed in this notice,
and in accordance with these instructions, become part of the official
record concerning agencies scheduled for review and are considered by
the Department and the NACIQI in their deliberations. Please do not
send material directly to the NACIQI members.
Submission of Requests to Make an Oral Comment: There are two
methods the public may use to make a third-party oral comment of three
to five minutes concerning one of the agencies scheduled for review at
the December 12-13, 2013 meeting. Oral comments about agencies seeking
renewal of recognition must relate to the Criteria for Recognition of
Accrediting Agencies, the Criteria and Procedures for Recognition of
State Agencies for Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational
Education, or the Criteria and Procedures for Recognition of State
Agencies for Approval of Nurse Education, as appropriate, which are
available at: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.
Method One: Submit a request by email to the
[email protected] mailbox. Please do not send material
directly to NACIQI members. Requests must be received by September 6,
2013, and include the subject line ``Oral Comment Request: re (agency
name).'' The email must include the name, title, affiliation, mailing
address, email address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and Web site
(if any) of the person/group requesting to speak. All individuals or
groups submitting an advance request in accordance with this notice
will be afforded an opportunity to speak. Comments may not exceed three
minutes, except at the discretion of the NACIQI Chair exercised on a
case-by-case basis during the meeting. Each request must concern the
recognition of a single agency or institution tentatively scheduled in
this notice for review, be no more than one page (maximum), and must
include:
1. The name, title, affiliation, mailing address, email 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.
Method Two: Register at the meeting location on December 12, 2013,
to make an oral comment during the NACIQI's deliberations concerning a
particular agency or institution scheduled for review. The requestor
must provide his or her name, title, affiliation, mailing address,
email address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and Web site (if any).
A total of up to fifteen minutes during each agency review will be
allotted for oral commenters who register on December 12, 2013.
Individuals or groups will be selected on a first-come, first-served
basis. If selected, each commenter may not exceed three minutes,
depending on the number of individuals or groups who signed up on
December 12, 2013, to make oral comments, except at the discretion of
the NACIQI Chair exercised on a case-by-case basis.
If a person or group requests, in advance, to make comments they
cannot also register for an oral presentation opportunity on December
12, 2013. The oral comments made will become part of the official
record and will be considered by the Department and NACIQI in their
deliberations. No individual or group in attendance or making oral
presentations may distribute written materials at the meeting.
Access to Records of the Meeting: The Department will post the
official report of the meeting on the NACIQI Web site 90 days after the
meeting. Pursuant to the FACA, the public may also inspect the
materials at 1990 K Street NW., Washington, DC, by emailing
[email protected] or by calling (202) 219-7067 to schedule an
appointment.
Reasonable Accommodations: 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Griffiths, Executive Director,
NACIQI, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 8073,
Washington, DC 20006-8129, telephone: (202) 219-7035, fax: (202) 219-
7005, or email [email protected].
Electronic Access to this Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF,
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal
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Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated
authority to Lynn B. Mahaffie, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Policy, Planning, and Innovation, to perform the functions and duties
of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
Lynn B. Mahaffie,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning, and Innovation,
delegated the authority to perform the functions and duties of the
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2013-20171 Filed 8-16-13; 8:45 am]
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