[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2975-2977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00306]


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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, time, and location for the 
February 22-24, 2017 meeting of the National Advisory Committee on 
Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), and provides information 
to members of the public on requesting to make oral comments and 
submitting written statements at the meeting. The notice of this 
meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and 
the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended.

DATES: The NACIQI meeting will be held on February 22, 23, and 24, 
2017, each day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Hilton Alexandria Old Town Hotel, 1767 King Street, 
Alexandria, VA 22314.

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: NACIQI is established 
under Sec.  114 of the HEA. NACIQI advises the Secretary of Education 
with respect to:
     The establishment and enforcement of the standards of 
accrediting agencies or associations under subpart 2, part G, Title IV 
of the HEA, as amended.
     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 of the HEA and part C, subchapter I, 
chapter 34, Title 42, 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 of Education may prescribe 
by regulation.
    Meeting Agenda: Agenda items for the February 2017 are below.

Agencies Applying for Renewal of Recognition

1. American Podiatric Medical Association

    Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``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. Commission on English Language Program Accreditation

    Scope of Recognition: The accreditation of postsecondary, non-
degree-granting English language programs and institutions in the 
United States.

3. The Council on Chiropractic Education

    Scope of Recognition: The accreditation of programs leading to the 
Doctor of Chiropractic degree and single-purpose institutions offering 
the Doctor of Chiropractic program.

4. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology

    Scope of Recognition: 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.

Agency Seeking Review of Compliance Report

    Western Association for Schools and Colleges, Accrediting 
Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Compliance report 
includes the following: (1) Findings identified in the April 5, 2016 
letter from the senior Department official following the December 2015 
NACIQI meeting available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm, (2) Findings identified in the January 4, 2016 
Secretary's appeal decision available at: http://oha.ed.gov/secretarycases/2014-10-O.pdf, (3) The limitation on ACCJC's authority 
to approve single baccalaureate programs within the scope of 
accreditation of previously accredited institutions, as outlined in the 
April 5, 2016 letter from the senior Department official, (4) Review 
under 34 CFR 602.33 of complaints filed against the agency and analyzed 
by the staff.
    Requested Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and 
preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of community and 
other colleges with a primarily pre-baccalaureate mission 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 certificates, associate degrees, and the 
first baccalaureate degree by means of a substantive change review 
offered by institutions that are already accredited by the agency, and 
such programs offered via distance education and correspondence 
education at these colleges. This recognition also extends to the 
Committee on Substantive Change of the Commission, for decisions on 
substantive changes, and the Appeals Panel.

Agency Applying for an Expansion of Scope

Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools

    Current 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. This scope extends to the Substantive Change Committee, 
jointly with the Commission, for decisions on substantive changes.
    Requested 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

[[Page 2976]]

a certificate, diploma, Associate of Applied Science, Associate of 
Occupational Science, Academic Associate degree, Baccalaureate degree, 
and Master's degree, including those offered via distance education. 
The scope extends to the Substantive Change Committee, jointly with the 
Commission, for decisions on substantive change.

Application for Renewal of Recognition--State Agency for the Approval 
of Nurse Education

    Missouri State Board of Nursing.

Election of a New Chairperson and Vice Chairperson

    NACIQI will elect a new Chairperson and Vice Chairperson to serve 
three-year terms on the Committee.

Panel on Outcome Measures

    Representatives from accrediting agencies and associations will be 
invited to discuss current initiatives regarding the consideration and 
review of outcome measures in the accreditation process.

National Coordinating Center Accreditation Workgroup

    The National Coordinating Center for comprehensive transition and 
postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities is 
established under Sec.  777 of the HEA. Section 777(b)(5)(J) of the HEA 
requires the convening of a workgroup to develop and recommend model 
criteria, standards, and components of comprehensive transition 
programs for students with intellectual disabilities, and further 
requires a NACIQI member to serve on the workgroup. Section 777(b)(6) 
of the HEA requires a report to the Secretary, the authorizing 
committees, and NACIQI, on the recommendations of the workgroup not 
later than five years after the date of the establishment of the 
coordinating center which was in 2010. Members of the workgroup will 
provide a summary of their report to NACIQI and a new NACIQI 
representative to the workgroup will be selected.

NACIQI Policy Agenda

    NACIQI will continue discussion regarding its policy agenda, and 
revisit how it will proceed in its review of accrediting agencies at 
future meetings, to include the Committee's use of a consent agenda for 
agencies undergoing review.

Meeting Discussion

    In addition to following the HEA, the 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. A document entitled ``June 2016 Pilot Plan'' and available at: 
http://sites.ed.gov/naciqi/files/naciqi-dir/2016-spring/pilot-project-march-2016.pdf, outlines this pilot and provides further explanation 
and context framing NACIQI's work. As noted in this document, NACIQI's 
reviews of accrediting agencies will include consideration of data and 
information available on the accreditation data dashboards, http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditor-dashboards.pdf. 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:
     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?''
    [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 requests to make an oral comment or to provide a 
written statement regarding a specific accrediting agency or state 
approval agency under review: Oral comments and written statements 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. Oral comments may not exceed three minutes.
    Comments and statements 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 and statements about an 
agency seeking expansion of scope must be directed to the agency's 
ability to serve as a recognized accrediting agency with respect to the 
kinds of institutions or programs requested to be added. Comments and 
statements 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 Nurse 
Education, as appropriate, which are available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.
    There are two methods the public may use to request to make a 
third-party oral comment of three minutes concerning one of the 
agencies scheduled for review at the February 22-24, 2017 meeting. To 
submit a written statement to NACIQI, please follow Method One.
    Method One: Submit a request by email to the 
[email protected] mailbox. Please do not send material directly 
to NACIQI members. Written statements and requests to make oral comment 
must be received by February 15, 2017, and include the subject line 
``Oral Comment Request:

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(agency name),'' or ``Written Statement: (agency name).'' The email 
must include the name(s), title, organization/affiliation, mailing 
address, email address, telephone number, of the person(s) submitting a 
written statement or requesting to speak, and a brief summary (not to 
exceed one page) of the principal points to be made during the oral 
presentation, if applicable. 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 February 22, 2017, 
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 February 22, 2017 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.
    Access to Records of the Meeting: The Department will post the 
official report of the meeting on the NACIQI Web site within 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) 453-7110 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 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.

Gail McLarnon,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Policy, and Innovation.
[FR Doc. 2017-00306 Filed 1-9-17; 8:45 am]
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