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 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 degree-granting 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-Language-Hearing 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 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-Language-Hearing 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 Degree-Granting 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 above-referenced 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 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.