[Federal Register: June 19, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 118)] [Notices] [Page 33637-33638] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr19jn98-55] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 August 3, 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, SW., 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 1-800-877-8399 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 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 December 1998 meeting, the comments must arrive at the address listed above not later than August 3, 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 related to the Secretary's Criteria for the Recognition of Accrediting Agencies. Comments pertaining to the 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 December 7-9, 1998 in Washington, DC. 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 December 1998 meeting of the Advisory Committee: Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies Petition for Initial Recognition 1. Northwestern Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Schools (requested scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of schools offering non-degree, postsecondary education in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington) 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, private medical assistant programs, public and private medical laboratory technician programs, and allied health programs leading to the Associate of Applied Science and the Associate of Occupational Science degree. Requested expansion of scope: The accreditation of institutions offering predominantly allied health education programs. ``Predominantly'' is defined by the agency as follows: At least 70 percent of the number of active programs offered are in the allied health area, and the number of students enrolled in those programs exceeds 50 percent of the institution's full-time equivalent (FTE) students, or at least 70 percent of the FTE students enrolled at the institution are in allied health programs) 2. National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (requested scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Preaccreditation'') of baccalaureate programs in environmental health science and protection) 3. National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (requested scope of recognition: The accreditation of programs in practical nursing, and diploma, associate, baccalaureate and higher degree nurse education programs) 4. 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) [[Page 33638]] 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 Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology 2. American Academy for Liberal Education 3. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar 4. American Board of Funeral Service Education, Committee on Accreditation 5. American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation 6. American Psychological Association, Committee on Accreditation 7. American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education 8. Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools, Accreditation Commission 9. The Council on Chiropractic Education, Commission on Accreditation 10. Council on Education or Public Health 11. Liaison Committee on Medical Education 12. Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, Commission on Accreditation 13. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Schools State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education Petitions for Renewal of Recognition 1. Oklahoma State Board of Vocational and Technical Education 2. Utah State Board for Vocational Education State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education Petition for Renewal of Recognition 1. Iowa Board of Nursing 2. Maryland Board of Nursing Federal Agencies 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 maybe 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 his purpose. Accordingly, the Advisory Committee will review the following institution at this meeting: Proposed Master's Degree-Granting Authority 1. Air University Montgomery, AL; Air War College (request to award the master's degree in Strategic Studies) and Air Command and Staff College (request to award the master's degree in Operational Military Arts and Science) 2. Department of Defense Polygraph Institute, Anniston AL (request to award the master's of science in Forensic Psychophysiology) 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 copy 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 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, until November 15, 1998. They will be available again after the December 7-9 Advisory Committee meeting. It is preferred that an appointment be made in advance of such inspection or copying. Dated: June 16, 1998. David A. Longanecker, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. [FR Doc. 98-16395 Filed 6-18-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-M