[Federal Register: December 29, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 248)] [Notices] [Page 67632-67634] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr29de97-56] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, State Agencies for Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education, and State Agencies for Approval of Nurse Education AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Request for comments on agencies applying to the Secretary for Initial or Renewed Recognition. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DATES: Commenters should submit their written comments by February 12, 1998 to the address below. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen W. Kershenstein, Director, Accreditation and Eligibility Determination Division, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3915 ROB-3, Washington, DC 20202-5244, telephone: (202) 708-7417. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Submission of Third-Party Comments The Secretary of Education recognizes, as reliable authorities as to the quality of education offered by institutions or programs within their scope, accrediting agencies and State approval agencies for public postsecondary vocational education and nurse education that meet certain criteria for recognition. The purpose of this notice is to invite interested third parties to present written comments on the agencies listed in this notice that have applied for initial or continued recognition. A subsequent Federal Register notice will announce the meeting and invite individuals and/or groups to submit requests for oral presentation before the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (the ``Advisory Committee'') on the agencies being reviewed. That notice, however, does not constitute another call for written comment. This notice is the only call for written comment. All comments received in response to this notice will be reviewed by Department staff as part of its evaluation of the agencies' compliance with the [[Page 67633]] Secretary's Criteria for Recognition. In order for Department staff to give full consideration to the comments received and to address them in the staff analyses that will be presented to the Advisory Committee at its June 1998 meeting, the comments must arrive at the address listed above not later than February 12, 1998. Comments received after the deadline will be reviewed by Department staff, which will take action, as appropriate, either before or after the meeting, should the comments suggest that an accrediting agency is not acting in accordance with the Secretary's Criteria for Recognition. All comments must relate to the Secretary's Criteria for the Recognition of Accrediting Agencies. Comments pertaining to agencies whose interim reports will be reviewed must be restricted to the concerns raised in the Secretary's letter for which the report is requested. The Advisory Committee advises the Secretary of Education on the recognition of accrediting agencies and State approval agencies. The Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet June 8-10, 1998 in Washington, D.C. All written comments in response to this notice that are received by the Department by the deadline will be considered by both the Advisory Committee and the Secretary. Comments received after the deadline, as indicated previously, will be reviewed by Department staff, which will take follow-up action, as appropriate, either before or after the meeting. Commenters whose comments are received after the deadline will be notified by staff of the disposition of those comments. The following agencies will be reviewed during the June 1998 meeting of the Advisory Committee: Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies Petitions for Initial Recognition-- 1. Council on Integrative Medical Education (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation of colleges and programs leading to the Doctor of Integrative Medicine (IMD) degree and Doctor of Physiatric Medicine (PMD)) 2. Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Schools (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of public vocational/technical schools offering non-degree postsecondary education in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington) Petitions for Renewal of Recognition-- 1. Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Accreditation Commission (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy for Accredited Membership'') of clinical pastoral education centers, as well as clinical pastoral education and supervisory clinical pastoral education programs. 2. Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Council on Accreditation and Recognition (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate status'') of educational programs for the allied health occupations of cytotechnologist, diagnostic medical sonographer, electroneurodiagnostic technologist, emergency medical technician- paramedic, perfusionist, physician assistant, and surgical technologist) 3. Commission on Opticinary Accreditation (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation of two-year programs for the ophthalmic dispenser and one-year programs for the opthalmic laboratory technician) 4. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Secondary Schools (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of public vocational/technical schools offering non-degrees, postsecondary education in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) 5. National Association of Nurse Practioners in Reproductive Health (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation of women's health nurse practitioner programs) 6. New York State Board of Regents (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation (registration) of collegiate degree-granting programs or curricula offered by institutions of higher education in the state of New York and of credit-bearing certificate and diploma programs offered by degree-granting institutions of higher education in the state of New York) 7. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Schools (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of schools offering non-degree, postsecondary education in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) 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 initial or renewed recognition to the agency)-- 1. Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges, Commission on Accrediting 2. American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs 3. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar 4. Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine 5. Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Accrediting Committee 6. American Dietetic Association, Commission on Accreditation/Approval for Dietetics Education 7. American Osteopathic Association, Bureau of Professional Education 8. American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 9. Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Commission 10. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology 11. National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science 12. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education 13. National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission 14. Transitional Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accrediting Commission State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education Petitions for Renewal of Recognition-- 1. Kansas Board of Education 2. New York State Board of Regents, Vocational Education Interim Report-- 1. Oklahoma State Board of Vocational and Technical Education State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education Petition for Renewal of Recognition-- 1. New York State Board of Regents, Nursing Education Unit [[Page 67634]] 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. U.S. Army War, Carlisle, PA (request to award the master's degree in Strategic Studies to students who complete its non-resident track) Public Inspection of Petitions and Third-Party Comments All petitions and interim reports, and those third-party comments received in advance of the meeting, will be available for public inspection and copying at the U.S. Department of Education, ROB-3, Room 3915, 7th and D Streets, SW., Washington, DC 20202-5244, telephone (202) 708-7417 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, until May 18, 1998. They will be available again after the June 8-10 Advisory Committee meeting. it is preferred that an appointment be made in advance of such inspection or copying. Dated: December 17, 1997. David A. Longanecker, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. [FR Doc. 97-33734 Filed 12-24-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-M