[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 123 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38132-38133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13723]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity

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 instructions for 
participation in the July 29 & 30, 2020 virtual 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 or submit written 
statements. 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 virtual NACIQI meeting will be held on July 29 & 30, 2020, 
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Alan Smith, Executive Director/
Designated Federal Official, NACIQI, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW, Room 271-03, Washington, DC 20202, telephone: (202) 
453-7757, or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    NACIQI's Statutory Authority and Function: NACIQI is established 
under section 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

    Meeting Day Web Links: Each meeting will be held virtually and will 
begin at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. When speaking, U.S. 
Department of Education staff, agency representatives, and NACIQI 
members may be visible to the public. Public commenters will appear by 
audio only. You may register for the meeting on your computer with each 
day's designated entry link, which are listed below, after which you 
will receive an email containing personalized dial in details, access 
code, and conference weblink.

Entry Link for Wednesday, July 29, 2020

    https://ems8.intellor.com?do=register&t=1&p=827612.

Entry Link for Thursday, July 30, 2020

    https://ems8.intellor.com?do=register&t=1&p=827610.
    Agenda items for the July 29 & 30, 2020 virtual meeting are listed 
below. Please note that the Accrediting Council for Independent 
Colleges and Schools' Compliance Report has been rescheduled for the 
February 2021 meeting.
Application for Renewal of Recognition (State Agency for the Approval 
of Vocational Education)
    1. Puerto Rico State Agency for the Approval of Public 
Postsecondary Vocational, Technical Institutions and Programs.
Applications for Renewal of Recognition (State Agency for the Approval 
of Nurse Education)
    1. New York State Board of Regents, State Education Department, 
Office of the Professions (Nursing Education).
    2. Missouri State Board of Nursing.
Application for Reorganization and Curriculum Change by Federal 
Agencies and Institutions
    1. National Intelligence University: Undergoing Substantive Change 
(Reorganization/Command Change from Department of Defense to Director 
of National Intelligence).
    2. U.S. Army Command and General Staff College: Undergoing 
Substantive Change (Curriculum Change).
    Review of Agency Recognition During the Period of Recognition, in 
accordance with the procedures set forth in 34 CFR 602.33.
    1. Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
    The review by the Department's Office of Postsecondary Education 
has

[[Page 38133]]

identified noncompliance with the criteria in 34 CFR 602.18(c), 
602.25(a), 602.25(d), 602.25(e), and 602.25(f). Please note: Given the 
time constraints of this review and multiple time extensions provided 
to the agency for response to Department inquiries, the Department 
determined that it was not practicable to invite the public to submit 
written comments in advance of the NACIQI meeting. The public is 
invited to provide oral comments at the meeting, and instructions for 
registration for oral comments are set forth at the end of this notice.

NACIQI Subcommittee on Governance

    The subcommittee will provide an update on its research of 
accreditor and state/gubernatorial relations.

Presentation on Student Success

    A NACIQI member will lead a discussion on student success focusing 
on accreditation and preaccreditation standards, as discussed under 34 
CFR 602.16(a)(1)(i).
    Submission of requests to make an oral comment regarding a specific 
accrediting 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 statement regarding a 
specific accrediting agency under review was requested by a previous 
Federal Register notice published on March 4, 2020 (85 FR 12778; 
Document Number 2020-04410). The period for submission of such 
statements is now closed. Additional written comments regarding a 
specific agency or state approval agency under review will not be 
accepted at this time. However, members of the public may submit 
written statements regarding other issues within the scope of NACIQI's 
authority for consideration by NACIQI in the manner described below. 
Oral comments may not exceed three minutes.
    Oral 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. Oral comments 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. Oral comments about the 
renewal of an agency's recognition based on a review of the agency's 
petition and oral comments about the review of an agency during its 
period of recognition pursuant to Sec.  602.33 must relate to its 
compliance with the Criteria for the Recognition of Accrediting 
Agencies, which are available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. 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.
    To request to make a third-party oral comment of three minutes or 
less during the July 29 & 30, 2020 meeting, please follow either Method 
One or Method Two noted below. To submit a written statement to NACIQI 
concerning its work outside of a specific accrediting agency under 
review, please follow Method One.
    Method One: Submit written statements and/or a request for oral 
comment by email to the [email protected] mailbox. Please do 
not send material directly to NACIQI members. Written statements 
relating to NACIQI's work outside of a specific agency under review and 
requests to make oral comment must be received by July 15, 2020 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, if applicable. All individuals 
submitting an advance request in accordance with this notice will be 
afforded an opportunity to speak during the virtual meeting.
    Method Two: (Only available to those seeking to submit oral 
comments). Register on July 29, 2020, from 7:45 a.m.-8:45 a.m., to make 
an oral comment during NACIQI's deliberations, using the designated 
entry link for Wednesday, July 29, 2020 https://ems8.intellor.com?do=register&t=1&p=827612. The requestor must provide 
the subject 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 15 minutes for each 
agenda item will be allotted for oral commenters who register on July 
29, 2020 by 8:45 a.m. Individuals will be selected on a first-come, 
first-served basis. If selected, each comment 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. In addition, pursuant to the FACA, the public may 
request to inspect records of the meeting at 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC, by emailing [email protected] or by calling 
(202) 453-7415 to schedule an appointment.
    Reasonable Accommodations: The meeting weblinks, personalized dial 
in details, access code, and conference weblink are 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 also may 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.

Robert L. King,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2020-13723 Filed 6-24-20; 8:45 am]
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