[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3785-3787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01332]


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DEPARMENT OF EDUCATION


National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity; Open Meeting

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 February 23-24, 2022 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 of 1965, as amended (HEA).

DATES: The virtual NACIQI meeting will be held on February 23-24, 2022, 
from 10:00 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. 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.
     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 using the link 
below. After you register you will receive a confirmation email 
containing personalized participation links for each day of the two-day 
meeting. Dial-in numbers may be requested on each day of the meeting 
between 8:45 a.m.-9:45 a.m. Eastern Standard Time by emailing 
[email protected].
    Registration Link: https://naciqiwintermeeting.eventbrite.com.
    Meeting Agenda: Agenda items for the February 23-24, 2022 meeting 
are listed below.

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Application for Renewal of Recognition

    1. American Podiatric Medical Association, Council on Podiatric 
Medical Education. 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. 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.
    3. 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 
including those programs offered via distance education.
    4. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. 
Scope of recognition: The accreditation of educational programs in 
radiography, magnetic resonance, radiation therapy, and medical 
dosimetry, including those offered via distance education, at the 
certificate, associate, and baccalaureate levels.
    5. North Dakota Board of Nursing. Scope of recognition: Recognized 
for the Approval of Nurse Education in the State of North Dakota.

Administration Policy Update

    Undersecretary James Kvaal will discuss the Administration's higher 
education policy priorities.

Accreditation Dashboard

    NACIQI members will discuss the use of the Department of 
Education's accreditation dashboard.

NACIQI Policy Discussion

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

Public Comments

    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 January 22, 2021 (86 FR 6638). 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 February 23-24, 2022 meeting, please follow either 
Method One or Method Two below. To submit a written statement 
concerning the work of NACIQI 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 concerning the work of NACIQI 
outside a specific accrediting agency under review and requests to make 
oral comment must be received by February 11, 2022 and include in 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 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 February 23, 2022, from 8:45 a.m.-9:45 a.m. Eastern 
Standard Time, to make an oral comment during NACIQI's deliberations by 
sending an email to the [email protected] mailbox. The 
requestor must provide the subject on which he or she wishes to 
comment, in addition to his/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 February 23, 2022 by 9:45 a.m. Eastern 
Standard Time. 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 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 weblink 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. We will attempt to meet a request 
received after that date, but 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.govinfo.gov. 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

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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. 2022-01332 Filed 1-24-22; 8:45 am]
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