[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 121 (Monday, June 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33995-33997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-13758]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Meeting; 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 meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the agenda, time, and instructions to 
access or participate in the July 27-29, 2021 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. 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 27-29, 2021, 
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time each day.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Alan Smith, Executive Director/
Designated Federal Official, NACIQI, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW, Room 2C-159, 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 H, 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.
    You may register for the meeting on your computer with each day's 
designated entry link, after which you will receive a confirmation 
email containing personalized dial-in details, access code, and meeting 
web link. You must register for each day that you plan to attend.

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

    You must pre-register at https://ems8.intellor.com?do=register&t=1&p=838951 to receive a join link, 
dial-in number, access code, and unique Attendee ID for the event.

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

    You must pre-register at https://ems8.intellor.com?do=register&t=1&p=838952 to receive a join link, 
dial-in number, access code, and unique Attendee ID for the event.

Thursday, July 29, 2021

    You must pre-register at https://ems8.intellor.com?do=register&t=1&p=838953 to receive a join link, 
dial-in number, access code, and unique Attendee ID for the event.

Meeting Agenda

    Please note that the review of the Accreditation Council for 
Independent Colleges and School's (ACICS) petition for renewal of 
recognition has been removed from the July 2021 NACIQI meeting agenda.
    Agenda items for the July 27-29, 2021, meeting are listed below.

Application for Renewal of Recognition

    1. Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. 
Scope of recognition: The accreditation and pre-accreditation 
(``Candidacy'') throughout the United States of professional non-degree 
and graduate degree programs, including professional doctoral programs, 
in the field of acupuncture and/or Oriental medicine, as well as 
freestanding institutions and colleges of acupuncture and/or Oriental 
medicine that offer such programs.
    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 leading to a certificate,

[[Page 33996]]

diploma, and degrees at the level of the Associate of Applied Science, 
Associate of Occupational Science, Academic Associate, Baccalaureate 
and Master's; and the programmatic accreditation of medical assisting, 
medical laboratory technology, and surgical technology programs, 
through the Associate degree, including those offered via distance 
education. The scope extends to the Substantive Change Committee, 
jointly with the Commission, for decisions on substantive change.
    3. 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.
    4. Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. Scope of 
recognition: The accreditation of 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.
    5. Council on Occupational Education. Scope of recognition: The 
accreditation and pre-accreditation (``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.
    6. 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. The scope 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.
    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; and the pre-accreditation in the United 
States of doctoral internship programs in health service psychology; 
and postdoctoral residency programs in health service psychology.
    8. American Osteopathic Association, Commission on Osteopathic 
College Accreditation. Scope of recognition: The accreditation and pre-
accreditation (``Provisional Accreditation'') throughout the United 
States of freestanding institutions of osteopathic medicine and 
programs leading to the degree of Doctor of Osteopathy or Doctor of 
Osteopathic Medicine.
    9. Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, 
Accreditation Commission. Scope of recognition: The accreditation and 
pre-accreditation (``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.

Administration Policy Update

    Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office 
of Postsecondary Education, will discuss the Administration's higher 
education policy priorities.

Accreditor Dashboards

    Brian Fu, Program and Management Analyst, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation, and Policy Development (OPEPD), will provide a training on 
the use of the accreditor dashboards, with time for questions and 
discussion among NACIQI members.

NACIQI Policy Discussion

    In addition to its review of accrediting agencies and State 
approval agencies for Secretarial recognition, the meeting agenda will 
include additional time for Committee discussions regarding any of the 
categories within NACIQI's statutory authority in its capacity as an 
advisory committee.

Subcommittee on Student Success

    The subcommittee will provide a report on its work that focuses on 
34 CFR 602.16(a)(1)(i), accreditation and pre-accreditation standards.
    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 solicited by a previous 
Federal Register notice published on August 12, 2020 (85 FR 48679; 
Document Number 2020-17634). 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 when a compliance report has been required by the 
senior Department official or the Secretary must relate to 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 
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 27-29, 2021 meeting, please follow either Method 
One or Method Two below. To submit a written statement to NACIQI 
concerning its work outside a specific accrediting agency under review, 
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 to NACIQI concerning its work 
outside a specific accrediting agency under review and requests to make 
oral comment must be received by July 9, 2021 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, and telephone number, of the

[[Page 33997]]

person(s) submitting a written statement or requesting to speak. All 
individuals submitting an advance request in accordance with this 
notice will be afforded an opportunity to speak.
    Method Two (Only available to those seeking to make oral comments): 
Register on July 27, 2021, from 7:45 a.m.-8:45 a.m. Eastern Standard 
Time, to make an oral comment during NACIQI's deliberations, using the 
designated entry link for Tuesday, July 27, 2021 listed earlier in this 
notice. 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 fifteen minutes for each agenda item will be allotted 
for oral commenters who register on July 27, 2021 by 8:45 a.m. Eastern 
Standard Time. Individuals will be selected on a first-come, first-
served basis. If selected, each commenter will speak on the actual day 
and at the actual time the topic for which he or she wishes to comment 
is being discussed; and his or her comments 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. Senior Department official's 
(as defined in 34 CFR 602.3) decisions pursuant to 34 CFR 602.36 
associated with all NACIQI Meetings can be found at the following 
website: https://surveys.ope.ed.gov/erecognition/PublicDocuments.
    Reasonable Accommodations: The meeting dial-in information and 
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.)

Annmarie Weisman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation, Office 
of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2021-13758 Filed 6-25-21; 8:45 am]
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