Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 198 / Thursday, October 14, 2004 / Notices 60991

the general public of their opportunity 

to attend. This notice also describes the 

functions of the Council. Notice of the 

Council’s meetings is required under 

Section 10 (a)(2) of the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act and by the Council’s 

charter. 

Agenda: The purpose of the meeting 

will be to discuss the Federal 

Interagency Plan and the tasks outlined 

for implementation. Other topics will 

include Council subcommittee reports 

on Indian education research, No Child 

Left Behind (NCLB) updates, and 

planning for the consultation sessions as 

identified in Executive Order (E.O.) 

13336. 

Date and Time: October 26, 2004—9 

a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Location: Hyatt Regency Phoenix, 122 

North Second Street, Phoenix, AZ 

85004. Moran Room, 2nd Floor.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bernard Garcia, Group Leader, Office of 

Indian Education, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: 

202–260–1454. Fax: 202–260–7779.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Council advises the Secretary of 

Education concerning the funding and 

administration (including the 

development of regulations, and 

administrative policies and practices) of 

any program, including any program 

established under Title VII, Part A of the 

ESEA, with respect to which the 

Secretary has jurisdiction and that 

includes Indian children or adults as 

participants or that may benefit Indian 

children or adults. The Council submits 

to the Congress, not later than June 30 

of each year, a report on the activities 

of the Council, including any 

recommendations that the Council 

considers appropriate for the 

improvement of Federal education 

programs that include Indian children 

or adults as participations or that may 

benefit Indian children or adults, and 

recommendations concerning the 

funding of any such program. The 

Council also makes recommendations to 

the Secretary for filling the position of 

the Director of Indian Education 

whenever a vacancy occurs. 

The purpose of E.O. 13336, dated 

April 30, 2004, is to assist American 

Indian and Alaska Native students in 

meeting the challenging student 

academic standards of the No Child Left 

Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107–

110) in a manner that is consistent with 

tribal traditions, languages, and 

cultures. The E.O. establishes a Federal 

Interagency Working Group on 

American Indian and Alaska Native 

Education (Working Group) to oversee 

the implementation and the Working 

Group may consult with representatives 

of NACIE. 

The general public is welcome to 

attend the October 26, 2004 meeting. 

Individuals who need accommodations 

for a disability in order to attend the 

meeting (i.e., interpreting services, 

assistive listening devices, materials in 

alternative format) should notify 

Bernard Garcia at 202–260–1454 by 

October 15, 2004. We will attempt to 

meet requests after this date, but cannot 

guarantee availability of the requested 

accommodation. The meeting site is 

accessible to individuals with 

disabilities. 

A summary of the activities of the 

meeting and other related materials that 

are informative to the public will be 

available to the public within 14 days 

after the meeting. Records are kept of all 

Council proceedings and are available 

for public inspection at the Office of 

Indian Education, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

Room 5C141, Washington, DC 20202.

Dated: October 7, 2004. 

Rod Paige, 

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 04–22977 Filed 10–13–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–M

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 before the 

Committee. 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 

December 13, 2004 from 8:30 a.m. until 

approximately 5 p.m., on December 14, 

2004 from 8:30 a.m. until approximately 

5 p.m., and on December 15, 2004 from 

8:30 a.m. until approximately 1 p.m. in 

Salon I at the Ritz Carlton Hotel at 

Pentagon City, 1250 South Hayes Street, 

Arlington, Virginia 22202. You may call 

the hotel on (703) 415–5000 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. Bonnie LeBold, the 

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 7007, MS 7592, 1990 K 

St., NW., Washington, DC 20006, 

telephone: (202) 219–7009, fax: (202) 

219–7008, e-mail: 

Bonnie.LeBold@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 

60992 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 198 / Thursday, October 14, 2004 / Notices 

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, 

agencies that have submitted interim 

reports, an agency that has submitted a 

progress report and requested an 

expansion of scope of recognition, and 

a Federal agency seeking degreegranting authority.

What Agencies Will the Advisory 

Committee Review at the Meeting? 

Please note that the agencies listed 

below, which were originally scheduled 

for review during the National Advisory 

Committee’s June 2004 meeting, were 

deferred and will be reviewed at the 

December 2004 meeting. 

• Accrediting Bureau of Health 

Education Schools. 

• American Academy for Liberal 

Education. 

• American Speech-LanguageHearing Association, Council on 

Academic Accreditation in Audiology 

and Speech-Language Pathology. 

• National Association of Schools of 

Art and Design, Commission on 

Accreditation. 

• National Association of Schools of 

Dance, Commission on Accreditation. 

• National Association of Schools of 

Music, Commission on Accreditation, 

Commission on Non-Degree-Granting 

Accreditation, Commission on 

Community/Junior College 

Accreditation. 

• National Association of Schools of 

Theatre, Commission on Accreditation. 

• New England Association of 

Schools and Colleges, Commission on 

Institutions of Higher Education. 

• New England Association of 

Schools and Colleges, Commission on 

Technical and Career Institutions. 

• Puerto Rico State Agency for the 

Approval of Public Postsecondary 

Vocational, Technical Institutions and 

Programs. 

Any requests for third-party oral 

presentations regarding these agencies 

that were received by May 21, 2004, in 

accordance with the Federal Register

notice published on March 26, 2004, 

will become part of the official record. 

Those comments will be considered by 

the National Advisory Committee when 

it reviews the agencies at the December 

2004 meeting. 

The following agencies will be 

reviewed during the December 2004 

meeting of the Advisory Committee: 

Nationally Recognized Accrediting 

Agencies 

Petitions for Renewal of Recognition 

1. Accrediting Bureau of Health 

Education Schools (Current scope of 

recognition: the accreditation of private, 

postsecondary allied health education 

institutions and institutions that offer 

predominantly allied health programs, 

private medical assistant programs, and 

public and private medical laboratory 

technician programs leading to the 

Associate of Applied Science and the 

Associate of Occupational Science 

degrees.) (Requested scope of 

recognition: The accreditation of 

private, postsecondary institutions in 

the United States offering 

predominantly allied health education 

programs, and the programmatic 

accreditation of allied health programs, 

leading to a certificate, diploma, or the 

Associate of Applied Science and 

Associate of Occupational Science 

degrees, including those offered via 

distance education.) 

2. Accrediting Commission of Career 

Schools and Colleges of Technology 

(Current scope of recognition: The 

accreditation of private, postsecondary, 

non-degree-granting institutions and 

degree-granting institutions, including 

those granting associate and 

baccalaureate degrees, that are 

predominantly organized to educate 

students for occupational, trade and 

technical careers, and including 

institutions that offer programs via 

distance education.) (Requested scope of 

recognition: the accreditation of private, 

postsecondary, non-degree-granting 

institutions and degree-granting 

institutions in the United States, 

including those granting associate and 

baccalaureate degrees, that are 

predominantly organized to educate 

students for occupational, trade and 

technical careers, and including 

institutions that offer programs via 

distance education.)

3. American Psychological 

Association, Committee on 

Accreditation (Current scope of 

recognition: The accreditation of 

doctoral programs in clinical, 

counseling, school and combined 

professional-scientific psychology; 

predoctoral internship programs in 

professional psychology; and 

postdoctoral residency programs in 

professional psychology.) (Requested 

scope of recognition: The accreditation 

in the United States of doctoral 

programs in clinical, counseling, school 

and combined professional-scientific 

psychology; predoctoral internship 

programs in professional psychology; 

and postdoctoral residency programs in 

professional psychology.) 

4. National Accrediting Commission 

of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences 

(Current scope of recognition: The 

accreditation of postsecondary schools 

and departments of cosmetology arts 

and sciences and massage therapy.) 

(Requested scope of recognition: The 

accreditation of postsecondary schools 

and departments of cosmetology arts 

and sciences and massage therapy in the 

United States.) 

5. Transnational Association of 

Christian Colleges and Schools, 

Accreditation Commission (Current 

scope of recognition: the accreditation 

and preaccreditation (‘‘Candidate’’

status) of postsecondary institutions that 

offer certificates, diplomas, and 

associate, baccalaureate, and graduate 

degrees, including institutions that offer 

distance education.) (Requested scope of 

recognition: The accreditation and 

preaccreditation (‘‘Candidate’’ status) of 

postsecondary institutions in the United 

States that offer certificates, diplomas, 

and associate, baccalaureate, and 

graduate degrees, including institutions 

that offer distance education.) 

6. Western Association of Schools and 

Colleges, Accrediting Commission for 

Schools (Current and requested scope of 

recognition: the accreditation and 

preaccreditation (‘‘Candidate for 

Accreditation’’) of adult and 

postsecondary schools that offer 

programs below the degree level 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.) 

Petition for an Expansion of Scope and 

a Progress Report 

(A petition for an expansion of scope 

and a progress report on the agency’s 

experience with its new method and 

system to assess its institutions’ success 

with respect to student achievement.) 

1. Distance Education and Training 

Council, Accrediting Commission 

(Current scope of recognition: The 

accreditation of postsecondary 

institutions in the United States offering 

programs primarily by the distance 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 198 / Thursday, October 14, 2004 / Notices 60993

education method up through the first 

professional degree level. Title IV Note: 

Accreditation by this agency does not 

enable the entities it accredits to 

establish eligibility to participate in 

Title IV programs.) (Requested scope of 

recognition: The accreditation of 

postsecondary institutions in the United 

States that offer degree programs 

primarily by the distance education 

method up through the first professional 

degree level, and are specifically 

certified by the agency as accredited for 

Title IV purposes; and the accreditation 

of postsecondary institutions in the 

United States not participating in Title 

IV that offer programs primarily by the 

distance education method up through 

the first professional degree level. Title 

IV Note: Accreditation by this agency 

does not enable the entities it accredits 

to establish eligibility to participate in 

Title IV programs, other than to permit 

degree-granting schools certified by 

DETC as accredited for Title IV 

purposes to establish eligibility to 

participate in the Distance Education 

Demonstration Program.)

Interim Reports 

(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 

renewed recognition to the agency.) 

1. American Academy for Liberal 

Education. 

2. American Speech-LanguageHearing Association, Council on 

Academic Accreditation in Audiology 

and Speech-Language Pathology. 

3. Commission on English Language 

Program Accreditation. 

4. Montessori Accreditation Council 

for Teacher Education, Commission on 

Accreditation. 

5. National Association of Schools of 

Art and Design, Commission on 

Accreditation. 

6. National Association of Schools of 

Dance, Commission on Accreditation. 

7. National Association of Schools of 

Music, Commission on Accreditation, 

Commission on Non-Degree-Granting 

Accreditation, Commission on 

Community/Junior College 

Accreditation. 

8. National Association of Schools of 

Theatre, Commission on Accreditation. 

9. New England Association of 

Schools and Colleges, Commission on 

Institutions of Higher Education. 

10. New England Association of 

Schools and Colleges, Commission on 

Technical and Career Institutions. 

11. Teacher Education Accreditation 

Council, Accreditation Committee. 

State Agencies Recognized for the 

Approval of Public Postsecondary 

Vocational Education 

Petitions for Renewal of Recognition 

1. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher 

Education. 

2. Puerto Rico State Agency for the 

Approval of Public Postsecondary 

Vocational, Technical Institutions and 

Programs. 

Interim Report 

1. Missouri State Board of Education. 

Federal Agency Seeking DegreeGranting Authority 

In accordance with the Federal policy 

governing the granting of academic 

degrees by Federal agencies (approved 

by a letter from the Director, Bureau of 

the Budget, to the Secretary, Health, 

Education, and Welfare, dated 

December 23, 1954), the Secretary is 

required to establish a review committee 

to advise the Secretary concerning any 

legislation that may be proposed that 

would authorize the granting of degrees 

by a Federal agency. The review 

committee forwards its recommendation 

concerning a Federal agency’s proposed 

degree-granting authority to the 

Secretary, who then forwards the 

committee’s recommendation and the 

Secretary’s recommendation to the 

Office of Management and Budget for 

review and transmittal to the Congress. 

The Secretary uses the Advisory 

Committee as the review committee 

required for this purpose. Accordingly, 

the Advisory Committee will review the 

following institution at this meeting: 

Proposed Master’s Degree-Granting 

Authority 

1. National Defense University, Joint 

Forces Staff College, Joint Advanced 

Warfighting School, Norfolk, VA 

(request to award a Master’s in Science 

(M.S.) degree in Joint Campaign 

Planning and Strategy). 

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 so that the request is 

received via mail, fax, or e-mail no later 

than November 22, 2004. 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 22, 2004 deadline will 

not be distributed to the 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 February 5, 2004, 

July 16, 2004 and August 11, 2004. An 

additional notice requesting written 

comments is being published in today’s 

Federal Register. The Advisory 

Committee will receive and consider 

only written comments submitted by the 

deadlines specified in the abovereferenced Federal Register notices. 

How Do I Request To Present Comments 

Regarding General Issues Rather Than 

Specific Accrediting Agencies? 

At the conclusion of the meeting, the 

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. LeBold 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 

60994 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 198 / Thursday, October 14, 2004 / Notices 

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 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/

nara/index.html.

Authority: 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2.

Dated: October 7, 2004. 

Sally L. Stroup, 

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 

Education.

[FR Doc. 04–23017 Filed 10–13–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, 

State Agencies for the Approval of 

Public Postsecondary Vocational 

Education, and State Agencies for the 

Approval of Nurse Education

AGENCY: National Advisory Committee 

on Institutional Quality and Integrity, 

Department of Education (The Advisory 

Committee). 

What Is the Purpose of This Notice? 

On August 11, 2004, we published a 

notice in the Federal Register to invite 

written comments on the petition for 

expansion of scope submitted by the 

Distance Education and Training 

Council (DETC) that will be reviewed at 

the Advisory Committee meeting to be 

held on December 13–15, 2004. This 

notice amends the requested scope of 

recognition to clarify the relationship 

between an institution’s recognition by 

DETC and the institution’s Title IV 

eligibility. This notice invites written 

comments on the amended scope of 

recognition requested by DETC. 

Petition for an Expansion of Scope 

1. Distance Education and Training 

Council, Accrediting Commission 

(Current scope of recognition: The 

accreditation of postsecondary 

institutions in the United States offering 

programs primarily by the distance 

education method up through the first 

professional degree level. Title IV Note: 

Accreditation by this agency does not 

enable the entities it accredits to 

establish eligibility to participate in 

Title IV programs.) (Requested scope of 

recognition: The accreditation of 

postsecondary institutions in the United 

States that offer degree programs 

primarily by the distance education 

method up through the first professional 

degree level, and are specifically 

certified by the agency as accredited for 

Title IV purposes; and the accreditation 

of postsecondary institutions in the 

United States not participating in Title 

IV that offer programs primarily by the 

distance education method up through 

the first professional degree level. Title 

IV Note: Accreditation by this agency 

does not enable the entities it accredits 

to establish eligibility to participate in 

Title IV programs, other than to permit 

degree-granting schools certified by 

DETC as accredited for Title IV 

purposes to establish eligibility to 

participate in the Distance Education 

Demonstration Program.) 

Where Should I Submit My Comments? 

Please submit your written comments 

by November 15, 2004 to Carol Griffiths, 

Accrediting Agency Evaluation, 

Accreditation and State Liaison. You 

may contact her at the U.S. Department 

of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 7th 

Floor, Room 7105, Washington, DC 

20006–8509, telephone: (202) 219–7011. 

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 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. One of the 

purposes of the Advisory Committee is 

to advise the Secretary of Education on 

the recognition of accrediting agencies 

and State approval agencies. 

Will This Be My Only Opportunity To 

Submit Written Comments? 

Yes, this notice announces the only 

opportunity you will have to submit 

written comments. However, another 

Federal Register notice will announce 

the meeting and invite individuals and/

or groups to submit requests to make 

oral presentations before the Advisory 

Committee on the agencies that the 

Committee will review. That notice, 

however, does not offer an opportunity 

to submit written comment. 

What Happens to the Comments That I 

Submit? 

We will review your comments, in 

response to this notice, as part of our 

evaluation of the Distance Education 

and Training Council’s compliance with 

the Secretary’s Criteria for Recognition 

of Accrediting Agencies. The Criteria 

are regulations found in 34 CFR Part 602 

(for accrediting agencies). 

We will also respond to your 

comments, as appropriate, in the staff 

analysis we present to the Advisory 

Committee at its December 2004 

meeting. Therefore, in order for us to 

give full consideration to your 

comments, it is important that we 

receive them by November 15, 2004. In 

all instances, your comments regarding 

the Distance Education and Training 

Council must relate to the Criteria for 

Recognition. 

What Happens To Comments Received 

After the Deadline?

We will review any comments 

received after the deadline. If such 

comments, upon investigation, reveal 

that the accrediting agency is not acting 

in accordance with the Criteria for 

Recognition, we will take action either 

before or after the meeting, as 

appropriate. 

Where Can I Inspect Petitions and 

Third-Party Comments Before and After 

the Meeting? 

Subject to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 

522, petitions, interim reports, and 

those third-party comments received in 

advance of the meeting, will, upon 

written request, be made available, by 

appointment, for inspection and 

copying at the U.S. Department of 

Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 7th 

Floor, Room 7105, Washington, DC 

20006–8509, telephone (202) 219–7011 

until November 17, 2004. They will be 

available again after the December 13–

15 Advisory Committee meeting. 

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