[Federal Register: December 16, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 242)]
[Notices]
[Page 66026-66027]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, State Agencies for Approval
of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Request for comments on agencies applying to the Secretary for
Initial Recognition or Renewal of Recognition.
DATES: Commentors should submit their written comments by January 30,
1997 to the address below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karen W. Kershenstein, Director, Accreditation and Eligibility
Determination Division, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence
Avenue, S.W., Room 3915 ROB-3, Washington, DC 20202-5244, telephone:
(202) 708-7417. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-
8339 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
SUBMISSION OF THIRD-PARTY COMMENTS: The Secretary of Education
recognizes, as reliable authorities as to the quality of education
offered by institutions or programs within their scope, accrediting
agencies and State approval agencies for public postsecondary
vocational education and nurse education that meet certain criteria for
recognition. The purpose of this notice is to invite interested third
parties to present written comments on the agencies listed in this
notice that have applied for initial or continued recognition. All
comments received in response to this notice will be reviewed by
Department staff as part of its evaluation of the agencies' compliance
with the criteria for recognition. In order for Department staff to
give full consideration to the comments received, the comments must
arrive at the address listed above not later than January 30, 1997.
Comments must relate to the Secretary's Criteria for the Recognition of
Accrediting Agencies. Comments pertaining to agencies whose interim
reports will be reviewed must be restricted to the concerns raised in
the Secretary's letter for which the report is requested.
The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity (the ``Advisory Committee'') advises the Secretary of
Education on the recognition of accrediting agencies and State approval
agencies. The Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet June 16-18, 1997
in Washington, D.C. All written comments received by the Department in
response to this notice will be considered by both the Advisory
Committee and the Secretary. A subsequent Federal Register notice will
announce the meeting and invite individuals and/or groups to submit
requests for oral presentation before the Advisory Committee on the
agencies being reviewed. That notice, however, does not constitute
another call for written comment. This notice is the only call for
written comment.
The following agencies will be reviewed during the June 1997
meeting of the Advisory Committee:
Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies and Associations
Petition for Initial Recognition--
Planning Accreditation Board (requested scope of recognition: The
[[Page 66027]]
accredition of baccalaureate and masters degrees in planning)
Petitions for Renewal of Recognition--
1. American Academy for Liberal Education (requested scope of
recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation of institutions of
higher education and programs within institutions of higher education
that offer liberal arts degree(s) at the baccalaureate level or a
documented equivalency)
2. Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools,
Accreditation Commission (requested scope of recognition: The
accreditation and preaccreditation of advanced rabbinical and Talmudic
schools)
3. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education
and Admissions to the Bar (requested scope of recognition: The
accreditation of professional law schools)
4. American Board of Funeral Service Education, Committee on
Accreditation (requested scope of recognition: The accreditation of
institutions and programs awarding diplomas, associate degrees and
bachelor's degrees)
5. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (requested scope of
recognition: the accreditation of graduate degree programs)
6. American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education
(requested scope of recognition: The accreditation of colleges of
veterinary medicine offering programs leading to a professional degree)
7. The Council on Chiropractic Education, Commission on Accreditation
(requested scope of recognition: The accreditation of programs and
institutions leading to the D.C. degree)
8. Council on Education for Public Health (requested scope of
recognition; The accreditation and preaccreditation of graduate schools
of public health and graduate programs offered outside schools of
public health in community health education and in community health/
preventive medicine)
9. Commission on Opticianry Accreditation (requested scope of
recognition: The accreditation of two-year programs for the ophthalmic
dispenser and one-year programs for the ophthalmic laboratory
technician)
10. Liaison Committee on Medical Education of the Council on Medical
Education of the American Medical Association and the American Medical
Colleges (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation and
preaccreditation of programs leading to the M.D. degree)
11. Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education ( requested
scope of recognition: The accreditation of Montessori teacher education
programs and institutions)
Interim Report (An interim report is a follow-up report on an
accrediting agency's compliance with specific criteria for recognition
that was requested by the Secretary when the Secretary granted
recognition to the agency)--
1. Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools
2. Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology
3. Accrediting Commission on Education for Health services
Administration
4. Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
5. American College of Nurse-Midwives, Division of Accreditation
6. American Dental Association, Commission on Accreditation
7. Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada,
Commission on Accrediting
8. Council on Occupational Education
9. Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine
Technology
10. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
11. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on
Colleges
12. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission
for Schools
13. Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
14. Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs--
for the accreditation of the following health education programs:
a. Cytotechnology
b. Diagnostic Medical Sonography
c. Electroneurodiagnostic Technology
d. Emergency Medical Services
e. Perfusion
f. Physician Assistant Education
g. Respiratory Therapy
h. Surgical Technology
15. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on
Secondary Schools
State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary
Vocational Education
Interim Report--
1. Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
Public Inspection of Petitions and Third-Party Comments
All petitions and interim reports, and those third-party comments
received in advance of the meeting, will be available for public
inspection and copying at the U.S. Department of Education, ROB-3, Room
3915, 7th and D Streets, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-5244, telephone
(202) 708-7417 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, until June 6, 1997. They will be available again after
the June 16-18 Advisory Committee meeting. It is preferred that an
appointment be made in advance of such inspection or copying.
Dated: December 10, 1996.
Davis A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 96-31764 Filed 12-13-96; 8:45 am]
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