[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 18 (Friday, January 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5320-5322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01632]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Open Meeting

AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity (NACIQI or Committee), Office of Postsecondary Education, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Announcement of an open meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the agenda, time, and instructions to 
access or participate in the February 28-March 2, 2023, hybrid meeting 
of NACIQI, and provides information to members of the public regarding 
the meeting, including requesting to make written or oral comments. 
Committee members will meet in-person while accrediting agency 
representatives and public attendees will participate virtually. 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.

ADDRESSES: Potomac Center Plaza, 10th Floor Auditorium, 550 12th Street 
SW, Washington, DC 20024 [Only NACIQI members and Department of 
Education staff will participate in the meeting at this address].

DATES: The hybrid NACIQI meeting will be held on February 28-March 2, 
2023. On February 28 and March 1, the meeting will be held from 9:00 
a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. On March 2, the meeting will 
be held from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Alan Smith, Executive Director 
and Designated Federal Official (DFO), 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: 
    Statutory Authority and Function: NACIQI is established under 
Section 114 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1011c). 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, together with 
recommendations for improvement in such process;

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     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; and
     Any other advisory function relating to accreditation and 
institutional eligibility that the Secretary of Education may prescribe 
by regulation.

Meeting Agenda

    The purpose of the meeting is to conduct a review of the following 
applications for renewal of recognition and compliance reports, in 
addition to discussing relevant policy issues and electing a new 
chairperson and a new vice-chairperson for the Committee:

Applications for Renewal of Recognition

    1. Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. Scope of 
recognition: Accreditation of nursing education programs and schools, 
both postsecondary and higher degree, which offer a certificate, 
diploma, or a recognized professional degree, including clinical 
doctorate, masters, baccalaureate, associate, diploma, and practical 
nursing programs in the United States and its territories, including 
those offered via distance education.
    2. Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education. Scope of 
recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation of basic 
certificate, basic graduate nurse-midwifery, direct entry midwifery, 
and pre-certification nurse-midwifery education programs, including 
those programs that offer distance education.
    3. American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on 
Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Scope of recognition: The 
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') in 
the United States of physical therapist education programs leading to 
the first professional degree at the master's or doctoral level and 
physical therapist assistant education programs at the associate degree 
level and for its accreditation of such programs offered via distance 
education.
    4. Higher Learning Commission. Scope of recognition: The 
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of 
degree-granting institutions of higher education in the United States, 
including the tribal institutions, and the accreditation of programs 
offered via distance education and correspondence education within 
these institutions. This recognition extends to the Institutional 
Actions Council jointly with the Board of Trustees of the Commission 
for decisions on cases for continued accreditation or reaffirmation, 
and continued candidacy, and to the Appeals Body jointly with the Board 
of Trustees of the Commission for decisions related to initial 
candidacy or accreditation or reaffirmation of accreditation.
    5. Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Scope of 
recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy 
status'') of institutions of higher education in Delaware, the District 
of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, 
and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and any other geographic areas in which 
the Commission elects to conduct accrediting activities within the 
United States including distance and correspondence education programs 
offered at those institutions.
    6. New England Commission of Higher Education. Scope of 
recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy 
status'') of institutions of higher education in Connecticut, Maine, 
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont that award 
bachelor's, master's, and/or doctoral degrees and associate degree-
granting institutions in those states that include degrees in liberal 
arts or general studies among their offerings, including the 
accreditation of programs offered via distance education within these 
institutions. Jointly with the Commission, this recognition extends to 
its Executive Committee and also to the Appeals Body for decisions 
related to the appeal of denial or withdrawal of candidacy; probation; 
and denial or withdrawal of accreditation.
    7. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and 
University Commission. Scope of recognition: The accreditation and 
preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of institutions of 
higher education in the United States that offer the baccalaureate 
degree or above, including distance education programs offered at those 
institutions.

Compliance Reports

    1. New York State Board of Regents, State Education Department, 
Office of the Professions (Nursing Education). The compliance report 
relates to findings of noncompliance with the Department's criteria for 
recognition of state agencies for approval of nurse education, set 
forth in a Federal Register notice published on January 16, 1969. 34 FR 
587, 644-645 (January 16, 1969). The Senior Department official's (SDO) 
decision letter, dated October 28, 2020, is available under NACIQI 
meeting date 07/29/2020 at https://surveys.ope.ed.gov/erecognition/#/public-documents.
    2. Maryland Board of Nursing. The compliance report relates to 
findings of noncompliance with the Department's criteria for 
recognition of state agencies for approval of nurse education, set 
forth in a Federal Register notice published on January 16, 1969. 34 FR 
587, 644-645 (January 16, 1969). The Acting Secretary's Order, dated 
January 19, 2021, is available under NACIQI meeting date 02/27/2020 at 
https://surveys.ope.ed.gov/erecognition/#/public-documents.

Committee Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson Elections

    The DFO will facilitate the election of a new chairperson and a new 
vice-chairperson for the Committee.

Administration Policy Update

    A representative from the Administration will share an update on 
the Administration's higher education policy priorities.

Policy Discussion

    The NACIQI Accreditation Dashboard Subcommittee will provide a 
progress report.

Instructions for Accessing the Meeting

Registration

    Committee members will meet in-person while agency representatives 
and public attendees will participate virtually. 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 three-day meeting.

Registration Address

    https://2023NACIQIWINTER.eventbrite.com.

Public Comment

    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 December 15, 2021 (86 FR 71251; Document 
Number 2021-27095). The period for submission of such statements is now 
closed. Additional written statements regarding a specific accrediting 
agency or state approval agency under review will not

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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.
    Members of the public may make oral comments regarding a specific 
accrediting agency under review and/or other agenda topics. 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 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 matters within the scope of NACIQI's authority as outlined under 
Section 114 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1011c).

Instructions on Requesting To Make Public Comment

    To request to make oral comments of three minutes or less during 
the February 28-March 2, 2023, 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 of a specific accrediting agency under review and requests to 
make oral comment must be received by February 21, 2023, 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 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): 
Submit a request by email on February 28, 2023, between 7:45 a.m.-8:45 
a.m. Eastern Standard Time to the [email protected] mailbox. 
The email must include the subject on which the requestor wishes to 
comment, in addition to his or her name, title, organization or 
affiliation, mailing address, email address, and telephone number. If 
you intend to make your comments by dialing into the meeting rather 
than using a computer, please be sure to include that information in 
your email request. A total of up to fifteen minutes for each agenda 
item will be allotted for oral commenters who register on February 28, 
2023, between 7:45 a.m. and 8:45 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 https://sites.ed.gov/naciqi/archive-of-meetings/ 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 sending an email message to [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/#/public-documents.
    Reasonable Accommodations: The dial-in information and weblink 
access to the meeting 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 the 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: Section 114 of the HEA of 1964, as amended (20 U.S.C. 
1011c).

Annmarie Weisman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation, Office 
of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2023-01632 Filed 1-26-23; 8:45 am]
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