United States Department of Education

Office of Postsecondary Education
Accreditation and State Liaison

January 18, 2007

Dear Colleague:

In keeping with Goal Five of the President's Management Agenda -- expanded e-government -- the Accreditation and State Liaison (ASL) staff undertook to leverage information technology to more efficiently perform our business functions and to improve service for our customers and partners. With the help of a consulting team, ASL applied business process mapping and analysis to the existing Secretarial recognition process. This analysis resulted in recommendations for the sweeping transformation of the process from a paper-driven process to an electronic submission and review process utilizing the Internet.

The e-petition submission process was implemented in early 2005. Accrediting agencies submitting petitions and reports for review by the Secretary's National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) are to submit them into the U. S. Department of Education's On-Line Secretarial Recognition Submission System. This electronic Internet-based system can be accessed at http://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/.

The Web site greatly reduces the effort required to submit and process documents. Some of the features are:

• Easily upload petition narratives and supporting documents directly to the Web site,
• Indicate which of the Secretary's Criteria for Recognition each document addresses,
• Enter a brief response to each criterion,
• Review documents before opting to submit them,
• Update ASL's records with the current agency contact, telephone and email information, and
• Submit additional documents, upon request.

Accrediting agencies seeking initial recognition by the Secretary should review the information regarding its initial review at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/
accreditation_pg12.html#Part602-Secretary'sRecognition and contact the Accreditation and State Liaison Unit at 202/219-2011 with any questions and for additional information.

Carol Griffiths, Chief
Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit,
Accreditation and State Liaison