[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]
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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.
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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]
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