U.S. Department of Education, Program Integrity and Institutional Quality Committee Negotiated 1 

Rulemaking Summary of Session One – January 8-11, 2024

U.S. Department of Education

Program Integrity and Institutional Quality

Negotiated Rulemaking

Meeting Summary

January 8-11, 2024

Welcome

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Facilitator (FMCS), Cynthia Jeffries, welcomed and thanked 

Committee members for agreeing to assist the Department’s negotiated rulemaking developing 

proposed regulations regarding Program Integrity and Institutional Quality. 

Gregory Martin introduced Under Secretary James Kvaal. Under Secretary Kvaal addressed the 

committee with opening remarks and thanked the Committee members for agreeing to assist the 

Department in developing the proposed regulations. 

Introductions

Gregory Martin was formally introduced as the Federal Negotiator who gave opening remarks to the NonFederal Negotiators. 

Gregory Martin provided the committee with an introduction of himself as well as David Musser who will 

be at the table with him. 

Department of Education General Council: 

Ms. Denise Morelli for issues other than accreditation. 

Ms. Donna Mangold for issues on accreditation.

From Federal Student Aid Office of Policy Implementation and Oversight: 

Mr. David Musser who will be at the table with Gregory Martin.

From the Office of Postsecondary Education’s Accreditation Group:

Mr. Herman Bounds who will be at the table for the accreditation issue.

Committee members introduced themselves by virtue of rollcall. 

Membership

The following individuals are the Members of the Program Integrity and Institutional Quality Committee 

Negotiated Rulemaking Committee: 
U.S. Department of Education, Program Integrity and Institutional Quality Committee Negotiated 2 

Rulemaking Summary of Session One – January 8-11, 2024

Community of Interest Primary Negotiator Alternate Negotiator

Business Officers from Institutions 

of Higher Education

Joe Weglarz, Marist College Dom Chase, Ivy Tech Community 

College of Indiana

Civil Rights Organizations and 

Consumer Advocates

Carolyn Fast, The Century 

Foundation

Magin Misael Sanchez, UnidosUS

Financial Aid Administrators JoEllen Price, San Jacinto College Zack Goodwin, University of Nevada, 

Las Vegas

Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities, Tribal Colleges and 

Universities and Minority-Serving 

Institutions (institutions of higher 

education eligible to receive 

Federal Assistance under title III, 

parts A and F, and title V of the 

HEA)

Dr. Charles B. W. Prince, Dillard 

University D’Angelo Sands, Texas A&M Corpus Chr

Institutional Accrediting Agencies 

Recognized by the Secretary

Jamienne S. Studley, WASC College 

and University Commission

Michale McComis, Accrediting 

Commission of Career Schools, and 

Colleges

Legal Assistance Organization Robyn Smith, Legal Aid Foundation 

of Los Angeles, and National 

Consumer Law Center

Sophie Laing, Pine Tree Legal 

Assistance

Private Nonprofit Institutions of 

Higher Education

Erika Linden, Des Moines University Scott Dolan, Excelsior University

Programmatic accrediting agencies 

recognized by the Secretary, to 

include State Agencies recognized for 

approval of nurse education

Dr. Laura Raser King, Council on 

Education for Public Health

Amy Ackerson, Missouri State Board 

of Nursing

Proprietary Institutions of Higher 

Education

Jillian Klein, Strategic Education, Inc. 

(SEI)

David Cohen, Five Towns College – 

APC Board of Directors
U.S. Department of Education, Program Integrity and Institutional Quality Committee Negotiated 3 

Rulemaking Summary of Session One – January 8-11, 2024

Public Four-Year Institutions of 

Higher Education

Jason Lorgan, University of 

California, Davis

Alyssa Dobson, Slippery Rock 

University 

Public Two-Year Institutions of 

Higher Education

Jo Alice Blondin, Clark State College Michael Cioce, Rowan College at 

Burlington County

State Attorneys General Diana Hooley, Massachusetts 

Attorneys General Office

Vacant

State Officials, including State higher 

education executive officers, State 

authorizing agencies, and State 

regulators of institutions of higher 

education.

John Ware, Ohio State Board of 

Career Colleges, and Schools

Robert Anderson, State Higher 

Education Executive Officers 

Association

Student or borrowers, including 

currently enrolled borrowers, or 

groups representing them

Jessica Morales, American University 

Washington School of Law

Emmett Blaney, Young Invincibles

U.S Military Service Members, 

Veterans, or groups representing 

them

Barmak Nassirian, Veterans 

Education Success

Ashlynne Haycock-Lohmann, Tragedy 

Assistance Program for Survivors

Federal Negotiator Gregory Martin

David Musser

Herman Bounds

Additional Membership Discussion and Action

Two additional proposals were made for committee membership as follows:

1. Proposal to split the current Consumer Advocates and Civil Rights combined group into two 

separate constituency groups. The motion failed in consensus check by full committee.

2. Proposal to add a constituency group for Distance Education. No consensus was taken as clear 

dissent was noted in the discussion. No objection to not proceeding with consensus was made 

by full committee as protocols require 100% agreement by the full committee to be approved.

Federal TRIO Program Subcommittee

FMCS announced there will be a subcommittee on Federal TRIO Programs. The role and responsibility as 

outlined in the protocols was reviewed. The members of the TRIO subcommittee were introduced as 

follows but were not present except for one committee member that serves on both the full committee 

and TRIO subcommittee: 
U.S. Department of Education, Program Integrity and Institutional Quality Committee Negotiated 4 

Rulemaking Summary of Session One – January 8-11, 2024

Community of Interest Member

Institutions of Higher Education D’Angelo Sands

Current of former participants in a 

Federal TRIO Program

Wade Williams

Secondary Schools, including local 

educational agencies with 

secondary schools

Geoff Ganer

Organizations, including 

community-based organizations 

with experience in serving 

disadvantaged

Emalyn Lapus

State officials, including State 

Higher Education Executive 

Officers, State Authorizing 

Agencies, and State Regulators of 

Institutions of Higher Education

Michael Meotti

Department of Education, Office of 

Policy, Planning, and Innovation 

within the Office of Postsecondary 

Education

Aaron Washington, Subcommittee 

leader

Department of Education, Higher 

Education Programs, office withing 

the Office of Postsecondary 

Education

Gaby Watts

Department of Education, Office of 

General Counsel

Hannah Hodel
U.S. Department of Education, Program Integrity and Institutional Quality Committee Negotiated 5 

Rulemaking Summary of Session One – January 8-11, 2024

FMCS Facilitation Team introduced 

Cynthia Jeffries, Team Lead

Brady Roberts

Krystil Smith

John Weathers

Kevin Wagner

Overview of the Negotiated Rulemaking Process

FMCS explained and reviewed the negotiated rulemaking process, the virtual meeting technology, the 

protocols, consensus, and how to submit questions and data requests via the FMCS team. 

Review and Adopt Protocols

The Committee approved the organizational protocols as proposed. 

Agenda

The committee reviewed and discussed issue papers and proposed regulatory text provided by the 

Department in advance of the Session on the following:

- Cash Management

- State Authorization

- Distance Education

- Withdraws and Return of Title IV Funds

- Accreditation

Public Comment

The Committee provided opportunity for public comment at the end of each day. Public comment was 

received on all four days of the session. 

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held via Zoom Gov February 5-8, 2024

Next Steps

FMCS will distribute a final summary and final agenda to the negotiators. Any information that 

members want to share with the Department, or the Committee as a whole, should be sent to the 

facilitators. Additionally, any questions members have may be directed to the facilitators.

Committee members will communicate with others within their communities of interest to inform and 

get feedback from them.
U.S. Department of Education, Program Integrity and Institutional Quality Committee Negotiated 6 

Rulemaking Summary of Session One – January 8-11, 2024

Addendum

U.S. Department of Education 

Federal TRIO Program Subcommittee

Meeting Summary of Session 1

January 12, 2024

Welcome

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Facilitator, Krystil Smith, welcomed and thanked the 

subcommittee members for agreeing to serve on the Federal Trio Program subcommittee.

Aaron Washington introduced Dr. Nasser Paydar, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.

Dr. Paydar providing opening remarks to the subcommittee.

Roll Call

FMCS conducted roll call of members. FMCS announced a new member, Michael Meotti to fill the 

vacancy on the subcommittee for State officials, including State Higher Education Executive Officers, 

State Authorizing Agencies, and State Regulators of Institutions of Higher Education. Mr. Meotti will be 

in attendance for the afternoon session today.

Community of Interest Member

Institutions of Higher Education D’Angelo Sands

Current of former participants in a 

Federal TRIO Program

Wade Williams

Secondary Schools, including local 

educational agencies with 

secondary schools

Geoff Ganer

Organizations, including 

community-based organizations 

with experience in serving 

disadvantaged

Emalyn Lapus
U.S. Department of Education, Program Integrity and Institutional Quality Committee Negotiated 7 

Rulemaking Summary of Session One – January 8-11, 2024

State officials, including State 

Higher Education Executive 

Officers, State Authorizing 

Agencies, and State Regulators of 

Institutions of Higher Education

Michael P. Meotti

Department of Education, Office of 

Policy, Planning, and Innovation 

within the Office of Postsecondary 

Education

Aaron Washington, Subcommittee

leader

Department of Education, Higher 

Education Programs, office within 

the Office of Postsecondary 

Education

Gaby Watts

Department of Education, Office of 

General Counsel

Hannah Hodel

Introductions

FMCS introduced Aaron Washington, Department of Education member as the team lead.

Aaron Washington led the subcommittee in introductions of themselves.

Overview of the subcommittee role

An overview of logistics/subcommittee role was given by Aaron Washington, Subcommittee Lead.

Agenda

• Talent Search program

• Upward Bound program

• Educational Opportunity Centers program

Aaron Washington led the subcommittee providing an overview of each of the TRIO programs in the 

agenda. He also did an overview of the issue paper as well as walking through the proposed amended 

regulatory text from the Department. Discussions took place on the proposed text.

In the afternoon, the subcommittee discussed a counter proposal from four of the members for 

consideration by the Department.
U.S. Department of Education, Program Integrity and Institutional Quality Committee Negotiated 8 

Rulemaking Summary of Session One – January 8-11, 2024

Next Steps

The next session is scheduled for February 9, 2024.

The Department will get back to the subcommittee on additional or changes on the next steps. 

FMCS will be in contact with the members to relay final next steps as well as the agenda. 

Adjournment

The subcommittee adjourned at 3:00pm ET.