[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 190 (Monday, October 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57570-57573]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19695]


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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 
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 Wednesday, December 7, 2005, 
from 9:30 a.m. until approximately 5:15 p.m.;

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on Thursday, December 8, 2005, from 8:30 a.m. until approximately 5:15 
p.m., and on Friday, December 9, 2005, from 8:30 a.m. until 
approximately 12:30 p.m. in the Commonwealth Room at the DoubleTree 
Hotel--Crystal City, 300 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. You may 
call the hotel on (703) 416-4100 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. Francesca Paris-Albertson, in the office of 
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 7107, 1990 K St., 
NW., Washington, DC 20006, telephone: (202) 502-7671, fax: (202) 219-
7008, e-mail: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bdfbcfdcd3ded8cededc93eddccfd4ce90fcd1dfd8cfc9ced2d3fdd8d993dad2cb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1a5c687b74797f69797b344a7b687369375b76787f686e6975745a7f7e347d756c">[email protected]</span></a>.
    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:
    <bullet> The establishment and enforcement of the Criteria for 
Recognition of accrediting agencies or associations under subpart 2 of 
part H of Title IV, HEA.
    <bullet> The recognition of specific accrediting agencies or 
associations.
    <bullet> The preparation and publication of the list of nationally 
recognized accrediting agencies and associations.
    <bullet> The eligibility and certification process for institutions 
of higher education under Title IV, HEA.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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 or a progress report.

What Agencies Will the National Advisory Committee Review at the 
Meeting?

    The following agencies will be reviewed during the December 7-9, 
2005 meeting of the National Advisory Committee:

Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies

Petition for an Expansion of the Scope of Recognition

    1. 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 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.) (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, baccalaureate, and 
master's degrees, that are predominantly organized to educate students 
for occupational, trade and technical careers, and including 
institutions that offer programs via distance education.)

Petitions for Renewal of Recognition

    1. Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine 
(Current scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the United 
States of first-professional master's degree and professional master's 
level certificate and diploma programs in acupuncture and Oriental 
medicine, as well as freestanding institutions and colleges of 
acupuncture or Oriental medicine that offer such programs.) (Requested 
scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation throughout 
the United States of first-professional Master's degree and 
professional Master's level certificate and diploma programs in 
acupuncture and Oriental medicine, as well as freestanding institutions 
and colleges of acupuncture or Oriental medicine that offer such 
programs.)
    2. American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Commission 
on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (Current and 
requested scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Candidacy'') throughout the United States of clinical training 
programs in marriage and family therapy at the master's, doctoral, and 
postgraduate levels.)
    3. 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.)
    4. American Osteopathic Association, Commission on Osteopathic 
College Accreditation (Current and requested scope of recognition: The 
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Provisional Accreditation'') 
throughout the United States of freestanding, public and private non-
profit institutions of osteopathic medicine and programs leading to the 
degree of Doctor of Osteopathy or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.)
    5. American Podiatric Medical Association, Council on Podiatric 
Medical Education (Current and requested scope of recognition: The 
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate Status'') throughout 
the United States of freestanding colleges of podiatric medicine and 
programs of podiatric medicine, including first professional programs 
leading to the degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.)

[[Page 57572]]

    6. Council on Occupational Education (Current scope of recognition: 
The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy status'') 
throughout the United States of non-degree granting postsecondary 
occupational/vocational institutions and those postsecondary 
occupational/vocational education institutions that have state 
authorization to grant the applied associate degree in specific 
vocational/occupational fields.) (Requested scope of recognition: The 
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy status'') throughout 
the United States of postsecondary occupational education institutions 
offering non-degree and applied associate degree programs in specific 
career and technical education fields, including institutions that 
offer programs via distance education.)


    Note: This requested scope of recognition differs from the 
requested scope of recognition in the July 25, 2005 Federal Register 
that invited written comments. The agency requested the revised 
language to clarify the scope and replace the terms ``vocational/
occupational'' with ``career and technical.''


    7. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (Current 
and requested scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the 
United States of professional education units providing baccalaureate 
and graduate degree programs for the preparation of teachers and other 
professional personnel for elementary and secondary schools.)
    8. New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on 
Technical and Career Institutions (Current and requested scope of 
recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate 
status'') of secondary institutions with vocational-technical programs 
at the 13th and 14th grade level, postsecondary institutions, and 
institutions of higher education that provide primarily vocational/
technical education at the certificate, associate, and baccalaureate 
degree levels in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, 
Rhode Island, and Vermont. This recognition extends to the Board of 
Trustees of the Association jointly with the Commission for decisions 
involving preaccreditation, initial accreditation, and adverse 
actions.)
    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 renewed 
recognition to the agency.)
    1. Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools.
    2. National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on 
Accreditation.
    3. National Association of Schools of Dance, Commission on 
Accreditation.
    4. National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on 
Accreditation, Commission on Non-Degree-Granting Accreditation, 
Commission on Community/Junior College Accreditation.
    5. National Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on 
Accreditation.
    6. North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School 
Improvement, Board of Trustees.
    7. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher 
Learning Commission.
    8. New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on 
Institutions of Higher Education.
    9. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting 
Commission for Schools.
    Progress Report (A report describing the agency's implementation of 
its process for measuring success with respect to student achievement 
in the institutions that it accredits.)
    1. American Academy for Liberal Education.

State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary 
Vocational Education

Interim Reports

    1. Pennsylvania State Board for Vocational Education, Bureau of 
Career and Technical Education.
    2. Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education.

State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education

Interim Report

    1. Montana State 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 
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 16, 2005. 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 16, 2005 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 
July 25, 2005. 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. Paris-Albertson 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.

[[Page 57573]]

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/index.html.


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

    Dated: September 27, 2005.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 05-19695 Filed 9-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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