FR Doc E7-19874
[Federal Register: October 10, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 195)]
[Notices]
[Page 57545-57548]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10oc07-42]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity (National Advisory Committee); Meeting
AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity, Department of Education.
What Is the Purpose of This Notice?
The purpose of this notice is to announce the public meeting of the
National Advisory Committee and invite third-party oral presentations
(3-5 minutes) before the Committee. 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. 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
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 Tuesday, December 18, 2007, from
8:30 a.m. until approximately 5:30 p.m. and on Wednesday, December 19,
2007, from 8:30 a.m. until approximately 12 p.m. in the Mt. Vernon
Rooms A and B at The Madison, 1177 Fifteenth Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20005. You may call the hotel at (202) 862-1600 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, Executive Director of the
National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, 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 National Advisory Committee?
The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity is established under Section 114 of the Higher Education Act
(HEA) as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1011c.
What Are the Functions of the National Advisory Committee?
The Committee 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 National Advisory Committee Review at the
Meeting?
The following agencies will be reviewed during the December 18-19,
2007 meeting of the National Advisory Committee:
Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies
Petition for Renewal of Recognition That Includes a Contraction of the
Scope of Recognition
1. American Optometric Association, Accreditation Council on
Optometric Education (Current scope of recognition: The accreditation
in the United States of professional optometric degree programs,
optometric technician (associate degree) programs, and optometric
residency programs and for the preaccreditation categories of
Preliminary Approval and Reasonable Assurance for professional
optometric degree programs and Candidacy Pending for optometric
residency programs in Veterans' Administration facilities.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation in the United
States of professional optometric degree programs, optometric
technician (associate degree) programs, and optometric residency
programs and for the preaccreditation categories of Preliminary
Approval for professional optometric degree programs and Candidacy
Pending for optometric residency programs in Department of Veterans'
Affairs facilities.)
Petitions for Renewal of Recognition That Includes an Expansion of the
Scope of Recognition
1. National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on
Accreditation (Current scope of recognition: The accreditation
throughout the United States of institutions and units within
institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree-granting programs
in art and design and art and design-related disciplines.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the
United States of free-standing institutions and
[[Page 57546]]
units offering art/design and art/design-related programs (both degree-
and non-degree-granting), including those offered via distance
education.)
2. National Association of Schools of Dance, Commission on
Accreditation (Current scope of recognition: The accreditation
throughout the United States of institutions, and units within
institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree-granting programs
in dance and dance-related disciplines.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the
United States of free-standing institutions and units offering dance
and dance-related programs (both degree- and non-degree-granting),
including those offered via distance education.)
3. National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on
Accreditation, Commission on Community/Junior College Accreditation
(Current scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the United
States of institutions and units within institutions offering degree-
granting programs in music and music-related disciplines, including
community/junior colleges and independent degree-granting and non-
degree-granting institutions.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the
United States of free-standing institutions and units offering music
and music-related programs (both degree- and non-degree-granting),
including those offered via distance education.)
4. National Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on
Accreditation (Current scope of recognition: The accreditation
throughout the United States of institutions, and units within
institutions, offering degree-granting and non-degree-granting programs
in theatre and theatre-related disciplines.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the
United States of free-standing institutions and units offering theatre
and theatre-related programs (both degree- and non-degree-granting),
including those offered via distance education.)
5. New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on
Institutions of Higher Education (Current 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. This
recognition extends to the Board of Trustees of the Association jointly
with the Commission for decisions involving preaccreditation, initial
accreditation, and adverse actions.)
(Requested 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 associate's, bachelor's, master's, and/
or doctoral degrees, including the accreditation of programs offered
via distance education within these institutions. This recognition
extends to the Board of Trustees of the Association jointly with the
Commission for decisions involving preaccreditation, initial
accreditation, and adverse actions.)
6. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher
Learning Commission (Current scope of recognition: The accreditation
and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of degree-
granting institutions of higher education in Arizona, Arkansas,
Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South
Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, including schools of the
Navajo Nation and the accreditation of programs offered via distance
education within these institutions. This recognition extends to the
Institutional Actions Committee jointly with the Board of Trustees of
the Commission for decisions on cases for continued accreditation or
reaffirmation, and continued candidacy. This recognition also extends
to the Review Committee of the Accreditation Review Council jointly
with the Board of Trustees of the Commission for decisions on cases for
continued accreditation or candidacy and for initial candidacy or
initial accreditation when there is a consensus decision by the Review
Committee.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation and
preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of degree-granting
institutions of higher education in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West
Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, including the tribal institutions and
the accreditation of programs offered via distance education within
these institutions. This recognition extends to the Institutional
Actions Committee jointly with the Board of Trustees of the Commission
for decisions on cases for continued accreditation or reaffirmation,
and continued candidacy. This recognition also extends to the Review
Committee of the Accreditation Review Council jointly with the Board of
Trustees of the Commission for decisions on cases for continued
accreditation or candidacy and for initial candidacy or initial
accreditation when there is a consensus decision by the Review
Committee.)
Petitions for Renewal of Recognition
1. Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training
(Current scope of recognition: The accreditation of institutions of
higher education throughout the United States that offer continuing
education programs and those that offer occupational associate degree
programs and those that offer such programs via distance education.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the
United States of institutions of higher education that offer continuing
education coursework and vocational programs that confer certificates
or occupational associate degree, including those programs offered via
distance education.)
2. American Academy for Liberal Education (Current and requested
scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation
(``Candidacy for Accreditation'') of institutions of higher education
and programs within institutions of higher education throughout the
United States that offer liberal arts degree(s) at the baccalaureate
level or a documented equivalency.)
3. Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (Current and requested
scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation throughout
the United States of direct-entry midwifery educational institutions
and programs conferring degrees and certificates, including the
accreditation of such programs offered via distance education.)
4. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (Current scope
of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy
status'') of postsecondary educational institutions in Alaska, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington and the accreditation of
such programs offered via distance education within these
institutions.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation and
preaccreditation (``Candidacy status'') of postsecondary degree-
granting educational institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada,
Oregon, Utah, and Washington and the accreditation of such programs
offered
[[Page 57547]]
via distance education within these institutions.)
5. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting
Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (Current scope of
recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for
Accreditation'') of community and junior colleges located in
California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and American
Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, and the accreditation of such programs offered via
distance education at these colleges.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation and
preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of two-year,
Associate degree granting institutions located in California, Hawaii,
the United States territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Republic
of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and
the accreditation of such programs offered via distance education at
these colleges.)
Interim Reports (An interim report is a follow-up report on an
accrediting agency's compliance with specific criteria for
recognition.)
1. Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.
2. Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
3. American College of Nurse-Midwives, Division of Accreditation.
4. The Council on Chiropractic Education, Commission on
Accreditation.
5. National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and
Sciences.
6. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on
Colleges.
Expansion of Scope
1. The Association for Biblical Higher Education, Commission on
Accreditation (Current scope of recognition: The accreditation and
preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of Bible colleges
and institutes in the United States offering undergraduate programs.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation and
preaccreditation of institutions of biblical higher education in the
United States offering undergraduate programs through both campus-based
instruction and distance education.)
2. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
(Current scope of recognition: The accreditation of educational
programs in radiography, including magnetic resonance, radiation
therapy, and medical dosimetry, at the certificate, associate, and
baccalaureate levels.)
(Requested scope of recognition: The accreditation of educational
programs in radiography, magnetic resonance, radiation therapy, and
medical dosimetry, including those offered through distance education,
at the certificate, associate, and baccalaureate levels.)
State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary
Vocational Education
Petition for Renewal of Recognition
1. Puerto Rico State Agency for the Approval of Public
Postsecondary Vocational, Technical Institutions and Programs
The agency listed below, which was originally scheduled for review
during the National Advisory Committee's December 2007 meeting, will be
postponed to a future meeting.
Proposed Master's Degree-Granting Authority
1. United States Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Maryland
(request to award a Master's of Science in Flight Test Engineering
Degree.)
Who Can Make Third-Party Oral Presentations at This Meeting?
We invite you to make a third-party oral presentation before the
National Advisory Committee 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 November 19, 2007. Your request (no
more than 6 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 6-page limit. Please do not send
materials directly to Committee 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 Committee in its deliberations. Documents
received after the November 19, 2007 deadline will not be distributed
to the National Advisory Committee for their 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. Requests for written comments on agencies that are being
reviewed during this meeting were published in the Federal Register on
August 1 and September 11, 2007. The National Advisory Committee will
receive and consider only written comments submitted by the deadline
specified in the above-referenced 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 National Advisory Committee,
at its discretion, may invite attendees to address the Committee
briefly on issues pertaining to the functions of the Committee, 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.
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
[[Page 57548]]
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: October 2, 2007.
Diane Auer Jones,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. E7-19874 Filed 10-9-07; 8:45 am]
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