FR Doc E8-8188[Federal Register: April 16, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 74)]
[Notices]
[Page 20617-20619]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ap08-33]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity (NACIQI) Meeting
AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity, Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
What Is the Purpose of This Notice?
The purpose of this notice is to announce the public meeting of the
NACIQI and invite third-party oral presentations (3-5 minutes) before
the NACIQI. In all instances, your comments about agencies seeking
initial recognition, continued recognition, and/or an expansion of an
agency's scope of recognition must relate to the Criteria for
Recognition found at 20 U.S.C. 1099b and 34 CFR Part 602. In addition,
your comments for any agency whose interim report is scheduled for
review must relate to the issues raised and the Criteria for
Recognition cited in the Secretary's letter, dated April 30, 2007, that
requested the interim report. This notice also presents the proposed
agenda and informs the public of its opportunity to attend this
meeting. The notice of this meeting is required under Section 10(a)(2)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
When and Where Will the Meeting Take Place?
We will hold the public meeting on Monday, June 9, 2008, from 9
a.m. until approximately 5:30 p.m., and on Tuesday, June 10, 2008, from
9 a.m. until approximately 5:30 p.m. in the Metropolitan Center at The
Liaison Capitol Hill, 415 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20001.
You may call the hotel at (202) 638-1616 to inquire about rooms.
What Assistance Will Be Provided to Individuals With Disabilities?
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.
Who Is the Contact Person for the Meeting?
Please contact Ms. Melissa Lewis, NACIQI Executive Director, if you
have questions about the meeting. You may contact her at the U.S.
Department of Education, Room 7127, 1990 K St., NW., Washington, DC
20006, telephone: (202) 219-7009, fax: (202) 219-7008, e-mail:
Melissa.Lewis@ed.gov.
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.
What Is the Authority for the NACIQI?
The NACIQI is established under Section 114 of the Higher Education
Act (HEA) as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1011c.
What Are the Functions of the NACIQI?
The NACIQI advises the Secretary of Education about:
The establishment and enforcement of the Criteria for
Recognition of accrediting agencies or associations under Subpart 2 of
Part H of Title IV, 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, HEA.
The development of standards and criteria for specific
categories of vocational training institutions and institutions of
higher education for which there are no recognized accrediting
agencies, associations, or State agencies in order to establish the
interim eligibility of those institutions to participate in Federally
funded programs.
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 functions relating to accreditation and
institutional eligibility that the Secretary may prescribe.
What Items Will Be on the Agenda for Discussion at the Meeting?
Agenda topics will include the review of agencies that have
submitted petitions for renewal of recognition and/or an expansion of
an agency's scope of recognition, and the review of agencies that have
submitted an interim report.
What Agencies Will the NACIQI Review at the Meeting?
The following agencies will be reviewed during the June 9-10, 2008
meeting of the NACIQI:
[[Page 20618]]
Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies
Petitions for an Expansion of the Scope of Recognition
1. National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. (Current
scope of recognition: The accreditation in the United States of
programs in practical nursing, and diploma, associate, baccalaureate
and higher degree nurse education programs.) (Requested scope of
recognition: The accreditation in the United States of programs in
practical nursing, and diploma, associate, baccalaureate and higher
degree nurse education programs, including those offered via distance
education.)
Petitions for Renewal of Recognition
1. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal
Education and Admissions to the Bar. (Current and requested 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 Board of Funeral Service Education, Committee on
Accreditation. (Current and requested scope of recognition: The
accreditation of institutions and programs within the United States
awarding diplomas, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees in funeral
service or mortuary science, including accreditation of distance
learning courses and programs offered by these programs and
institutions.)
3. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on
Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.
(Current and requested scope of recognition: The accreditation and
preaccreditation (Accreditation Candidate) throughout the United States
of education programs in audiology and speech-language pathology
leading to the first professional or clinical degree at the master's or
doctoral level, and the accreditation of these programs offered via
distance education.)
4. Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. (Current and
requested scope of recognition: The accreditation and pre-accreditation
throughout the United States of graduate-level, four-year naturopathic
medical education programs leading to the Doctor of Naturopathic
Medicine (N.M.D.) or Doctor of Naturopathy (N.D.).)
5. Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education,
Commission on Accreditation. (Current and requested scope of
recognition: The accreditation of Montessori teacher education
institutions and programs throughout the United States.)
6. National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and
Sciences. (Current and requested scope of recognition: The
accreditation throughout the United States of postsecondary schools and
departments of cosmetology arts and sciences and massage therapy.)
Interim Reports
(An interim report is a follow-up report on an accrediting agency's
compliance with specific criteria for recognition.)
1. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal
Education and Admissions to the Bar.
2. Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Accreditation
Commission.
3. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on
Colleges.
4. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting
Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.
State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary
Vocational Education
Interim Reports
1. Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools.
2. Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Education.
State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education
Petitions for Renewal of Recognition
1. North Dakota Board of Nursing.
Who Can Make Third-Party Oral Presentations at This Meeting?
We invite you to make a third-party oral presentation before the
NACIQI concerning the recognition of any agency published in this
notice.
How Do I Request To Make an Oral Presentation?
You must submit a written request to make an oral presentation
concerning an agency listed in this notice to the contact person
identified earlier in this notice so that the request is received via
mail, fax, or e-mail no later than May 5, 2008.
Your request (no more than six pages maximum) must include:
1. The names, addresses, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail
addresses of all persons seeking an appearance,
2. The organization they represent, and
3. A brief summary of the principal points to be made during the
oral presentation.
If you wish, you may attach documents illustrating the main points
of your oral testimony. Please keep in mind, however, that any
attachments are included in the six-page limit.
Please do not send materials directly to NACIQI members. Only
materials submitted by the deadline to the contact person listed in
this notice and in accordance with these instructions become part of
the official record and are considered by the NACIQI in its
deliberations. Documents received after the April 28, 2008 deadline
will not be distributed to the NACIQI for its consideration.
Individuals making oral presentations may not distribute written
materials at the meeting.
If I Cannot Attend the Meeting, Can I Submit Written Comments Regarding
an Accrediting Agency in Lieu of Making an Oral Presentation?
This notice requests third-party oral testimony, not written
comment. A request for written comments on agencies that are being
reviewed during this meeting was published in the Federal Register on
March 3, 2008. The NACIQI will receive and consider only those written
comments that are submitted by April 2, 2008, and in accordance with
that Federal Register notice.
How Do I Request To Present Comments Regarding General Issues Rather
Than Specific Accrediting Agencies?
At the conclusion of the meeting, the NACIQI, at its discretion,
may invite attendees to address the NACIQI briefly on issues pertaining
to the functions of the NACIQI, which are listed earlier in this
notice. If you are interested in making such comments, you should
inform Ms. Lewis before or during the meeting.
How May I Obtain Access to the Records of the Meeting?
We will record the meeting and make a transcript available for
public inspection at the U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K St., NW.,
Washington, DC 20006, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays. It is preferred that an
appointment be made in advance of such inspection.
[[Page 20619]]
How May I Obtain Electronic Access to This Document?
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: 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 on GPO Access at:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html.
Authority: 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2.
Dated: April 9, 2008.
Diane Auer Jones,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. E8-8188 Filed 4-15-08; 8:45 am]
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