[Federal Register: September 24, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 185)] [Notices] [Page 49962-49963] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr24se97-32] [[Page 49962]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity; Meeting AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, Education. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the proposed agenda of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. Notice of this meeting is required under section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. This document is intended to notify the general public of its opportunity to attend this public meeting. DATES AND TIMES: November 19-21, 1997, 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. ADDRESSES: The Latham Hotel, 3000 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007. The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. An individual with a disability who will need an accommodation to participate in the meeting (e.g., interpreting service, assistive listening device, or materials in an alternate format) should notify the contact person listed in this notice at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting date. Although the Department will attempt to meet a request received after that date, the requested accommodations may not be available because of insufficient time to arrange it. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol F. Sperry, Executive Director, National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, U.S. Department of Education, 7th & D Street, SW, Room 3082, ROB 3, Washington, DC. 20202-7592, telephone: (202) 260-3636. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity is established under Section 1205 of the Higher Education Act (HEA) as amended by Public Law 102-325 (20 U.S.C. 1145). The Committee advises the Secretary of Education with respect to 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, and the eligibility and certification process for institutions of higher education under Title IV, HEA. The Committee also develops and recommends to the Secretary standards and criteria for specific categories of vocational training institutions and institutions of higher education for which there are not recognized accrediting agencies, associations, or State agencies, in order to establish eligibility for such institutions on an interim basis for participation in federally funded programs. Agenda The meeting on November 19-21, 1997 is open to the public. The following agencies will be reviewed during the November 1997 meeting of the Advisory Committee: Petitions for Renewal of Recognition--1. Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (Scope of recognition: the accreditation of basic (baccalaureate) and advanced (master's) level programs in engineering, associate and baccalaureate degree programs in engineering technology, and engineering-related programs at the baccalaureate and advanced degree level). 2. Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions of higher education that offer non-collegiate continuing vocational education programs and higher education programs of non-collegiate continuing vocational education). 3. American Optometric Association, Council on Optometric Education (Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Reasonable Assurance/Preliminary Approval'' {for professional degree programs} and ``Candidacy Pending'' {for optometric residency programs in facilities of Veterans' Administration}) of professional optometric degree programs, optometric residency programs, and optometric technician programs). 4. Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Accreditation Commission (Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy for Accredited Membership'') of basic, advanced, and supervisory clinical pastoral education programs). 5. Commission on Opticianry Accreditation (Scope of recognition: the accreditation of two-year programs for the ophthalmic dispenser and one-year programs for the ophthalmic laboratory technician). 6. National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation (Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree- granting programs in art, design, and art/design-related disciplines). 7. National Association of Schools of Dance, Commission on Accreditation (Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree- granting programs in dance and dance-related disciplines). 8. National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation, Commission on Non-Degree-Granting Accreditation and Commission on Community/Junior College Accreditation (Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree-granting programs in music and music-related disciplines, including community/junior colleges and independent degree-granting and non-degree-granting institutions). 9. National Association of Schools of Theater, Commission on Accreditation (Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and non-degree- granting programs in theater and theater-related disciplines). 10. New England Association of Schools and Colleges (Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of non-degree granting postsecondary vocational, technical and career institutions and degree-granting institutions of higher education awarding an associate degree in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont). 11. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of institutions of higher 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). 12. Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Colleges (Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of institutions of higher education in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, [[Page 49963]] Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington). 13. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of community and junior colleges in California, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands). Petitions for Renewal of Recognition and Expansion of Scope--1. merican Psychological Association, Committee on Accreditation (Current scope of recognition: the accreditation of doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, school, and combined professional-scientific psychology, and predoctoral internship training programs in professional psychology). (Requested expansion of scope: the accreditation of post-doctoral residency programs in professional psychology). 2. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (Current scope of recognition: the accreditation of Master's degree programs in speech- language pathology and audiology). (Requested expansion of scope: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy'') of graduate educational programs that provide for entry-level professional preparation with a major emphasis in audiology and/or speech-language pathology.) 3. Council on Occupational Education (Current scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of non-degree granting postsecondary occupational/ vocational institutions and those postsecondary occupational/vocational education institutions currently accredited by the Council that either have state authorization to grant the applied associate degree in specific vocational/occupational fields or that receive such authorization during the Council's current recognition period). (Requested expansion of scope: the accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of postsecondary, prebaccalaureate, degree-granting and non-degree-granting vocational education institutions nationwide.) Interim and Progress Reports (Interim and Progress reports are follow-up reports on an accrediting agency's compliance with specific criteria for recognition that was requested by the Secretary when the Secretary granted recognition to the agency)-- 1. American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. 2. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education. 3. National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council. 4. New York State Board of Regents. 5. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. 6. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities. Progress Report--1. National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education Interim Report--1. New York State Board of Regents, Vocational Education. State Agency Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education Interim Report--1. New York State Board of Regents, Nursing Education Unit. 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 College, Carlisle, PA (request to award a master's degree in Strategic Studies). A request for comments on agencies that are being reviewed during this meeting was published in the Federal Register on July 2, 1997. This notice invites third-party oral presentations before the Advisory Committee. It does not constitute another call for written comment. Requests for oral presentation before the Advisory Committee should be submitted in writing to Ms. Sperry at the address above by October 20, 1997. Requests should include the names of all persons seeking an appearance, the organization they represent, and a brief summary of the principal points to be made during the oral presentation. Presenters are requested not to distribute written materials at the meeting. Presenters who wish to provide the Advisory Committee with written copies of their proposed testimony or with documents directly, but briefly (no more than 6 pages maximum), illustrating the main points of their oral testimony may submit them to Ms. Sperry by October 20, 1997 (one original and 25 copies). Documents submitted after that date will not be distributed to the Committee. Presenters are reminded that this call for third-party oral testimony does not constitute a call for additional written comment. At the conclusion of the meeting, attendees may, at the discretion of the Committee chair, be invited to address the Committee briefly on issues pertaining to the functions of the Committee, as identified in the section above on Supplementary Information. Attendees interested in making such comments should inform Ms. Sperry before or during the meeting. A record will be made of the proceedings of the meeting and will be available for public inspection at the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 7th and D Streets, SW, room 3082, ROB 3, Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Authority: 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2. Dated: September 19, 1997. David A. Longanecker, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. [FR Doc. 97-25321 Filed 9-23-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-M