[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 68 (Monday, April 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15133-15136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07212]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality 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 
May 22-24, 2018 meeting of the National Advisory Committee on 
Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), and provides information 
to members of the public regarding the meeting, including requesting to 
make oral comments. The notice of this meeting is required under Sec.  
10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and Sec.  
114(d)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended.

DATES: The NACIQI meeting will be held on May 22, 23, and 24, 2018, 
each day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Double Tree by Hilton Washington DC Crystal City, Washington 
Ballroom, 300 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA 22202

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hong, Executive Director/
Designated Federal Official, NACIQI, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW, Room 271-03, Washington, DC 20202, telephone: (202) 
453-7805, or email: [email protected].

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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 May 2018 meeting are below.

Applications for Renewal of Recognition

    1. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for 
Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. Scope of Recognition: The 
accreditation and pre-accreditation, within the United States, of 
Didactic and Coordinated Programs in Dietetics at both the 
undergraduate and graduate level, postbaccalaureate Dietetic 
Internships, and Dietetic Technician Programs at the associate degree 
level, and for its accreditation of such programs offered via distance 
education.
    2. Accreditation Council on Optometric Education. Scope of
    Recognition: The accreditation in the United States of professional 
optometric degree programs, optometric technician (associate degree) 
programs, and optometric residency programs, and for the pre-
accreditation category of Preliminary Approval for professional 
optometric degree programs.
    3. Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools, 
Accreditation Commission. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and 
preaccreditation (``Correspondent'' and``Candidate'') within the United 
States of advanced rabbinical and Talmudic schools.
    4. Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational 
Programs. Scope of Recognition: 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, and its 
territories, including programs offering distance education.
    5. Liaison Committee on Medical Education. Scope of Recognition: 
The accreditation of medical education programs within the United 
States leading to the M.D. degree.
    6. National Association of Schools of Art and Design. Scope of 
Recognition: For the accreditation throughout the United States of 
freestanding institutions and units offering art/design and art/design-
related programs (both degree- and non-degree-granting), including 
those offered via distance education.
    7. 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

    1. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal 
Education and Admissions to the Bar. Findings identified in the October 
28, 2016 letter from the senior Department official following the June 
23, 2016 NACIQI meeting available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm. That letter identifies the following Criterion 
as areas of noncompliance: 34 CFR 602.15(a)(1), 602.15(a)(2), 
602.15(a)(3), 602.16(a)(1)(viii), and 602.17(b). Scope of Recognition: 
The accreditation throughout the United States of programs in legal 
education that lead to the first professional degree in law 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.
    2. American Osteopathic Association, Commission on Osteopathic 
College Accreditation. Findings identified in the October 28, 2016 
letter from the senior Department official following the June 23, 2016 
NACIQI meeting available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm. That letter identifies the following Criterion 
as areas of noncompliance: 34 CFR 602.11, 602.13, 602.15(a)(3), 
602.16(a)(1)(i), 602.16(a)(1)(ii), 602.16(a)(1)(iii), 602.16(a)(1)(iv), 
602.16(a)(1)(v), 602.16(a)(1)(vi), 602.16(a)(1)(vii), 
602.16(a)(1)(viii), 602.16(a)(1)(ix), 602.16(a)(1)(x), 602.16(a)(2), 
602.17(a), 602.19(b), 602.20(a), and 602.26(b).
    3. American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation. 
Findings identified in the September 22, 2016 letter from the senior 
Department official following the June 23, 2016 NACIQI meeting 
available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm. That 
letter identifies the following Criterion as areas of noncompliance: 34 
CFR 602.19(a), and 602.20(b). 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 service 
psychology; and postdoctoral residency programs in health service 
psychology.
    4. Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, 
Accreditation Commission. Findings identified in the October 28, 2016 
letter from the senior Department official following the June 23, 2016 
NACIQI meeting available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm. That letter identifies the following Criterion 
as areas of noncompliance: 34 CFR 602.15(a)(2), and 602.19(b). 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.

Application for an Expansion of Scope

    Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools, 
Accreditation Commission. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and 
preaccreditation (``Correspondent'' and ``Candidate'') within the 
United States of advanced rabbinical and Talmudic schools. Requested 
Scope: The accreditation of advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic 
institutions in the United States which grant postsecondary degrees 
such as Associate, Baccalaureate, Masters, Doctorate, First Rabbinic 
and First Talmudic degrees.

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

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

Reducing Regulatory Burden in Accreditation

    Update from the U.S. Department of Education on efforts to reduce 
regulatory burden and improve efficiencies in the accreditation 
program.

Oversight of For-Profit Institutions' Conversions to Non-Profit 
Entities

    NACIQI received a letter from U.S. Senators Warren, Brown, Murray, 
Durbin, and Blumenthal, regarding their concerns of for-profit 
institutions converting to, or attempting to convert to, non-profit 
entities in order to avoid regulatory scrutiny. This letter is 
available at: https://sites.ed.gov/naciqi/files/2018/03/2018.01.11-Letter-to-NACIQI-re-sectorial-conversions.pdf. NACIQI will discuss this 
letter and the issues it raises at the meeting.

Presentation on Outcome Measures (OM) Component of the U.S. Department 
of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 
for Inclusion in the Accreditor Dashboards

Presentation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior 
Colleges and University Commission (WSCUC)

    WSCUC will present on its Graduation Rate Dashboard tool (GRD), and 
how the agency uses outcome measures, such as the GRD, as part of its 
accreditation process. This presentation is responsive to NACIQI's line 
of inquiry into how accrediting agencies use data to inform the 
accreditation process.

Subcommittee on Data

    The subcommittee on data will report out on its activities since 
the last NACIQI meeting.

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, 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, https://sites.ed.gov/naciqi/files/2017/09/Institutional-Performance-by-Accreditor-June-2017-Corrected.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 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 Regarding a Specific 
Accrediting Agency or State Approval Agency Under Review, or To Make an 
Oral Comment or Written Statement Regarding Other Issues Within the 
Scope of NACIQI's Authority

    Opportunity to submit a written comment regarding a specific 
accrediting agency or state approval agency under review was solicited 
by a previous Federal Register notice published on January 24, 2018 
(Vol. 83, No. 16). The comment period for submission of such comments 
closed on February 16, 2018. A second notice was published on February 
22, 2018 (Vol. 83, No. 36) extending the written comment period until 
March 1, 2018 for the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and 
Schools and the American Bar Association, Council of the Section of 
Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. Subsequently, a corrected 
notice was published on February 28, 2018 (Vol. 83, No. 40) clarifying 
the scope of written comments that could be submitted regarding the 
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools and the 
American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and 
Admissions to the Bar. Because all deadlines have passed, no further 
written comments regarding a specific agency or state approval agency 
under review will be accepted at this time. Members of the public may 
submit written statements regarding other issues within the scope of 
NACIQI's authority for consideration by the Committee in the manner 
described below. No individual in attendance or making oral 
presentations may distribute written materials at the meeting. Oral 
comments may not exceed three minutes.
    Written statements and oral comments concerning NACIQI's work 
outside of a specific accrediting agency under review must be limited 
to the scope of NACIQI's authority as outlined under section 114 of the 
HEA.
    There are two methods the public may use to request to make a 
third-party oral comment of three minutes or less at the May 22-24, 
2018 meeting. To submit a written statement to NACIQI concerning its 
work outside a specific accrediting agency under review, please follow 
Method One.

[[Page 15136]]

    Method One: Submit a written request by email to the 
[email protected] mailbox. Please do not send material directly 
to NACIQI members. Written statements to NACIQI concerning its work 
outside a specific accrediting agency under review, and requests to 
make oral comments, must be received by May 9, 2018, and include the 
subject line ``Oral Comment Request: (agency name),'' ``Oral Comment 
Request: (subject)'' or ``Written Statement: (subject).'' 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. 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 May 22, 2018, from 
7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m., to make an oral comment during NACIQI's 
deliberations. The requestor must provide the subject or agency name on 
which he or she wishes to comment, in addition to his or her name, 
title, organization/affiliation, mailing address, email address, and 
telephone number. A total of up to fifteen minutes for each agenda item 
will be allotted for oral commenters who register on May 22, 2018 by 
8:30 a.m. Individuals will be selected on a first-come, first-served 
basis. If selected, each commenter's remarks may not exceed three 
minutes.
    Access to Records of the Meeting: The Department will post the 
official report of the meeting on the NACIQI website 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) 453-7615 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.

Lynn B. Mahaffie,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Policy and Innovation.
[FR Doc. 2018-07212 Filed 4-6-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P