Source: https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=1&ch=7&rl=6
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 16:52:56
Document Index: 668880926

Matched Legal Cases: ['§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7']

RULE §7.6 Recognition of Accrediting Agencies
(a) Eligibility Criteria--The Board may recognize accrediting agencies with a commitment to academic quality and student achievement that demonstrate, through an application process, compliance with the following criteria:
(ii) Accrediting agencies shall, for each field of study in which an accredited institution may offer degree programs, specify the levels of degrees that may be awarded. Levels must be differentiated at least to the following, as defined in §7.3 of this chapter (relating to Definitions): applied associate degree, academic associate degree, baccalaureate degree, master's degree, first professional degree and doctoral degree. Associate of occupational studies (AOS) degrees are only allowed under §7.5(u) of this chapter.
(iii) Only institutions that qualify as eligible for United States Department of Education Title IV programs as a result of accreditation by the applicant agency will be considered exempt under §7.7 of this chapter (relating to Institutions Accredited by Board-Recognized Accreditors).
(i) Accrediting agencies must identify all institutions accredited by the agency that either the majority of the accredited institutions have the legal authority to award postsecondary degrees or that it accredits at least fifty (50) institutions that have the legal authority to award postsecondary degrees.
(i) Each accrediting agency shall demonstrate, through its documented practices and/or its official policies, that it requires no fewer than three (3) members on a team when conducting initial and continuing accreditation visits, that none have a monetary or personal interest in the findings of the on-site review, that all have professional experience and knowledge that qualifies them to review the institution's compliance with the standards of the agency, and that the combined team experience and knowledge are sufficient to review all applicable standards of the agency.
(i) Accrediting agencies must have publicly disclosed standards that address at a minimum the following issues: student achievement in relation to the institution's mission; curricula; faculty; facilities, equipment and supplies; fiscal and administrative capacity; student support services; recruiting and admissions practices; academic calendars; catalogs; grading; measures of program length; objectives of the degrees or credentials offered; record of student complaints received by or available to the agency; management and financial control.
(ii) In the application process, the accrediting agency must indicate how its standards address each of the quality assessment categories outlined in clause (i) of this subparagraph which represent the underlying principles described in the institutional standards of §7.4 of this chapter (relating to Standards for Operations of Institutions). Comparison of its standards with the standards in §7.4 of this chapter is required as a means of indicating how its standards meet those principles.
(iii) Each accrediting agency shall provide its policy for periodic reviews of institutions under its accreditation. At a minimum, the accrediting agency must conduct on-site reviews at least every ten (10) years.
(vii) Accrediting agencies that use an advisory body, similar to the Certification Advisory Council described in §7.8 of this chapter (relating to Institutions Not Accredited by a Board-Recognized Accreditor), shall describe the advisory body's composition and authority. Accrediting agencies that do not use such a body shall describe the process used to ensure that the evidence obtained from reviews results in appropriate accreditation decisions.
(B) Provide the Board with written evidence of continuing recognition by the Secretary of Education of the United States Department of Education. Loss of recognition from the Secretary automatically results in loss of Board recognition at the same time. Written evidence may consist of a letter from the chief executive officer of the accrediting agency. Accrediting agencies shall submit the evidence upon notice of continued recognition or upon a change in recognition status, scope or level;
(G) Each time the accrediting agency applies for continued recognition by the Secretary of Education of the United States Department of Education, the accrediting agency must apply for continued recognition by the Coordinating Board. Applications forms will be provided by Board staff. Application for continued recognition must, at a minimum, contain all information required for initial eligibility and recognition by the Coordinating Board under this rule.
(1) Once recognized, an accrediting agency retains that recognition unless and until the Board withdraws the recognition. Failure to comply with any of the requirements in this chapter, including failure to comply with information requests during periodic reviews, will be grounds for the Board to consider withdrawing recognition.
(2) Each accrediting agency shall provide its policy for periodic reviews. Periodic review shall be conducted at the time an accrediting agency applies for continued recognition by the Secretary of the United States Department of Education. The Coordinating Board reserves the right to request and review current policies at other times for good cause, including, but not limited to, student complaints, accredited institution complaints, or concerns raised by the United States Department of Education or other state or federal agencies.
(3) The Board may use information provided by parties other than the accrediting agency to assess the accrediting agency's commitment to academic quality and student achievement. The Board will consider any such information in an open, public meeting during which the accrediting agency may challenge the information.
(4) The Board will make any decision to deny recognition of an accrediting agency or to withdraw recognition from an accrediting agency in a public meeting.
(5) An institution operating in Texas as an exempt institution pursuant to §7.7 of this chapter when its recognized accrediting agency loses or voluntarily relinquishes its recognition will have a provisional time period set by the Board, or Board staff as delegated, within which the institution may continue to operate pursuant to the requirements in §7.7(2) and (3).
(6) An accrediting agency or institution affected by any final decision under this subchapter may appeal that decision as provided in Chapter 1, Subchapter B of this title (relating to Dispute Resolution).
Source Note: The provisions of this §7.6 adopted to be effective December 6, 2009, 34 TexReg 8515; amended to be effective February 26, 2013, 38 TexReg 1152; amended to be effective November 23, 2016, 41 TexReg 9113