[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14846-14849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06169]


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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 (NACIQI), Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department 
of Education.

ACTION: Announcement of an open meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the agenda for the June 22, 23, and 24, 
2016 meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional 
Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), outlines certain new meeting 
procedures, 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.

DATES: The NACIQI meeting will be held on June 22, 23, and 24, 2016, 
from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The exact location of the meeting will be published no later 
than May 23, 2016 in the Federal Register and on the Department's Web 
site at http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/naciqi.html#meetings by

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hong, Executive Director/
Designated Federal Official, NACIQI, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 6W250, Washington, DC 20202, telephone: (202) 
453-7805, or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    NACIQI's Statutory Authority and Function: The NACIQI is 
established under section 114 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as 
amended (HEA), 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 public postsecondary vocational 
education or nurse education 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.
    Meeting Agenda: Below is a list of agencies, including their 
current and requested scopes of recognition, scheduled for review 
during the June 2016 meeting:

Applications for Renewal of Recognition

1. Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

    Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Candidacy Status'') throughout the United States of first-
professional master's degree and professional master's level 
certificate and diploma programs in acupuncture and Oriental Medicine 
and professional post-graduate doctoral programs in acupuncture and in 
Oriental Medicine (DAOM), as well as freestanding institutions and 
colleges of acupuncture or Oriental Medicine that offer such programs.
    Title IV Note: Only freestanding institutions or colleges of 
acupuncture or Oriental medicine may use accreditation by this agency 
to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. Students 
enrolled in first professional and professional degree programs do not 
qualify as graduate or professional students for Title IV purposes 
unless they have completed the equivalent of at least three years of 
full-time study either prior to entrance into the program or as part of 
the program itself, and unless they meet the additional requirements of 
the definition of ``graduate or professional student'' at 34 CFR 668.2.

2. Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools

    Scope of Recognition: The accreditation of private, postsecondary 
institutions in the United States offering predominantly allied health 
education programs and the programmatic accreditation of medical 
assistant, medical laboratory technician, and surgical technology 
programs, leading to a certificate, diploma, Associate of Applied 
Science, Associate of Occupational Science, Academic Associate degree, 
or Baccalaureate degree, including those offered via distance 
education.
    Title IV Note: Only freestanding allied health education 
institutions and institutions that offer predominantly allied health 
programs may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility 
to participate in Title IV programs.

3. Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation of private, postsecondary, 
non-degree-granting institutions and degree-granting institutions in 
the United States, including those granting associate, baccalaureate 
and master's degrees, that are predominantly organized to educate 
students for occupational, trade and technical careers, and including 
institutions that offer programs via distance education.

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4. Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation of private, postsecondary 
institutions offering certificates or diplomas, and postsecondary 
institutions offering associate, bachelor's, or master's degrees in 
programs designed to educate students for professional, technical, or 
occupational careers, including those that offer those programs via 
distance education.

5. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education 
and Admissions to the Bar

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the United 
States of programs in legal education that lead to the first 
professional degree in law, including those offered via distance 
education, as well as freestanding law schools offering such programs. 
This recognition also extends to the Accreditation Committee of the 
Section of Legal Education (Accreditation Committee) for decisions 
involving continued accreditation (referred to by the agency as 
``approval'') of law schools.
    Title IV Note: Only freestanding law schools may use accreditation 
by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV 
programs.

6. American Osteopathic Association, Osteopathic College Accreditation

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Provisional Accreditation'') throughout the United States of 
freestanding institutions of osteopathic medicine and of osteopathic 
medical programs leading to the degree of Doctor of Osteopathy or 
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.
    Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of osteopathic 
medicine may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility 
to participate in Title IV programs.

7. American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation in the United States of 
doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, school and combined 
professional-scientific psychology; doctoral internship programs in 
health service psychology; and postdoctoral residency programs in 
health service psychology. The preaccreditation in the United States of 
doctoral internship programs in health services psychology; and 
postdoctoral residency programs in health service psychology.

8. Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation of theological schools and 
seminaries, as well as schools or programs that are parts of colleges 
or universities, in the United States, offering post-baccalaureate 
degrees in professional and academic theological education, including 
delivery via distance education.
    Title IV Note: Only freestanding institutions, colleges, or 
seminaries of theology may use accreditation by this agency to 
establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

9. Council on Occupational Education

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Candidacy Status'') throughout the United States of postsecondary 
occupational education institutions offering non-degree and applied 
associate degree programs in specific career and technical education 
fields, including institutions that offer programs via distance 
education.

10. Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, 
Accreditation Commission

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Candidate'' Status) of Christian postsecondary institutions in the 
United States that offer certificates, diplomas, and associate, 
baccalaureate, and graduate degrees, including institutions that offer 
distance education.

Compliance Reports

1. American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Provisional Accreditation'') in the United States of programs 
leading to professional degrees (D.V.M. or D.M.D.) in veterinary 
medicine.

2. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Candidacy Status'') of postsecondary degree-granting educational 
institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and 
Washington, and the accreditation of programs offered via distance 
education within these institutions. (Compliance report on 34 CFR 
602.24(a) and 602.24(b) for findings affirmed on appeal by the 
Secretary. Please see http://oha.ed.gov/secretarycases/2014-7-O-S.pdf 
for the Secretary's appeal decision.)

Review of Accrediting Agencies Under 34 CFR 602.33 for Failure To 
Submit a Renewal Application Under 34 CFR 602.31(a)

1. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the United 
States of professional education units providing baccalaureate and 
graduate degree programs for the preparation of teachers and other 
professional personnel for elementary and secondary schools, including 
programs offering distance education.

2. Teacher Education Accreditation Council, Accreditation Committee

    Scope of recognition: The accreditation and pre-accreditation 
throughout the United States of professional teacher education programs 
in institutions offering baccalaureate and graduate degrees for the 
preparation of K-12 teachers.

State Approval Agency for Public Postsecondary Vocational Education--
Application for Renewal of Recognition

    Puerto Rico State Agency for the Approval of Public Postsecondary 
Vocational, Technical Institutions and Programs.

NACIQI Policy Agenda

    NACIQI will continue discussion regarding its policy agenda, in 
light of the following meeting procedures.

Meeting Discussion

    In addition to following the HEA, FACA, implementing regulations, 
and the NACIQI charter, as well as its customary procedural protocols, 
NACIQI inquiries will include the questions and topics listed in the 
pilot plan it adopted at its December 2015 meeting. Documents entitled 
``June 2016 Pilot Plan'' and ``June 2016 Meeting Plan Draft,'' both 
linked on the NACIQI Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/naciqi.html under the heading ``June 2016 Meeting,'' outline this pilot 
and provide further explanation and context framing NACIQI's work. As 
noted in those documents, NACIQI's reviews of accrediting agencies will 
include consideration of data and information available on College 
Scorecard, https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/ and on the Department's 
accreditation Web site, http://www.ed.gov/accreditation?src=rn. 
Accrediting agencies that will be reviewed for renewal of recognition 
will not be on the consent agenda and are advised to come prepared to 
answer questions related to the following:


[[Page 14848]]


     Decision activities of and data gathered by the agency.
    [cir] NACIQI will inquire about the range of accreditation 
activities of the agency since its prior review for recognition, 
including discussion about the various favorable, monitoring, and 
adverse actions taken. Information about the primary standards cited 
for the monitoring and adverse actions that have been taken will be 
sought.
    [cir] NACIQI will also inquire about what data the agency 
routinely gathers about the activities of the institutions it 
accredits and about how that data is used in their evaluative 
processes.
     Standards and practices with regard to student 
achievement.
    [cir] How does your agency address ``success with respect to 
student achievement'' in the institutions it accredits?
    [cir] Why was this strategy chosen? How is this appropriate in 
your context?
    [cir] What are the student achievement challenges in the 
institutions accredited by your agency?
    [cir] What has changed/is likely to change in the standards 
about student achievement for the institutions accredited by your 
agency?
    [cir] In what ways have student achievement results been used 
for monitoring or adverse actions?
     Agency activities in improving program/institutional 
quality.
    [cir] How does this agency define ``at risk'' status?
    [cir] What tools does this agency use to evaluate ``at risk'' 
status?
    [cir] What tools does this agency have to help ``at risk'' 
institutions improve?
    [cir] What can the agency tell us about how well these tools for 
improvement have worked?

    To the extent NACIQI's questions go to improvement of institutions 
and programs that are not at risk of falling into noncompliance with 
agency requirements, the responses will be used to inform NACIQI's 
general policy recommendations to the Department rather than its 
recommendations regarding recognition of any individual agency.
    The discussions and issues described above regarding the pilot are 
in addition to, rather than substituting for, exploration by Committee 
members of any topic relevant to recognition.
    Submission of written comments regarding a specific accrediting 
agency or state approval agency under review: Written comments about 
the recognition of a specific accrediting or State agency must be 
received by April 8, 2016, in the [email protected] mailbox and 
include the subject line ``Written Comments: (agency name).'' The email 
must include the name(s), title, organization/affiliation, mailing 
address, email address, and telephone number of the person(s) 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 recognition after 
review of a compliance report must relate to issues identified in the 
compliance report and the criteria for recognition cited in the senior 
Department official's letter that requested the report, or in the 
Secretary's appeal decision, if any. Comments about the renewal of an 
agency's recognition based on a review of the agency's petition must 
relate to its compliance with the Criteria for the Recognition of 
Accrediting Agencies, or the Criteria and Procedures for Recognition of 
State Agencies for Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational 
Education, as appropriate, which are available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.
    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 NACIQI in their deliberations. Please 
do not send material directly to NACIQI members.
    Submission of requests to make an oral comment regarding a specific 
accrediting agency or state approval agency under review: There are two 
methods the public may use to make a third-party oral comment of three 
minutes concerning one of the agencies scheduled for review at the June 
22, 23, and 24, 2016 meeting.
    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 April 29, 2016, and 
include the subject line ``Oral Comment Request: (agency name).'' The 
email must include the name(s), title, organization/affiliation, 
mailing address, email address, telephone number, of the person(s) 
requesting to speak, and a brief summary (not to exceed one page) of 
the principal points to be made during the oral presentation. All 
individuals submitting an advance request in accordance with this 
notice will be afforded an opportunity to speak.
    Method Two: Register at the meeting location on June 22, 2016, from 
7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m. to make an oral comment during NACIQI's 
deliberations concerning a particular agency or institution scheduled 
for review. The requestor must provide his or her name, title, 
organization/affiliation, mailing address, email address, and telephone 
number. A total of up to fifteen minutes during each agency review will 
be allotted for oral commenters who register on June 22, 2016 by 8:30 
a.m. Individuals will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. 
If selected, each commenter may not exceed three minutes. 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 in attendance or making oral presentations may distribute 
written materials at the meeting.
    Comments about an agency's recognition after review of a compliance 
report must relate to issues identified in the compliance report and 
the criteria for recognition cited in the senior Department official's 
letter that requested the report, or in the Secretary's appeal 
decision, if any. Comments about the renewal of an agency's recognition 
based on a review of the agency's petition must relate to its 
compliance with the Criteria for the Recognition of Accrediting 
Agencies, or the Criteria and Procedures for Recognition of State 
Agencies for Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education, as 
appropriate, which are available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.
    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 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC, by emailing 
[email protected] or by calling (202) 453-6185 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.
    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

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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 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.

    Authority:  20 U.S.C. 1011c.

Lynn B. Mahaffie,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Policy and Innovation, 
delegated the duties of Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 
Education.
[FR Doc. 2016-06169 Filed 3-17-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P