National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity; Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and

Integrity; Meeting

AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and

Integrity, Department of 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: December 7-9, 1998, 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The Embassy Suites Hotel, 1250 22nd Street, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20037.

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 them.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bonnie LeBold, Executive Director, National Advisory Committee on

Institutional Quality and Integrity, U.S. Department of Education, 7th

& D Streets, S.W., 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 at 1-800+877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time,

Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Advisory Committee on

Institutional Quality and Integrity is established under Section 114 of

the Higher Education Act (HEA) as amended by Public Law 105-244 (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 no 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 December 7-9, 1998 is open to the public. The

following agencies will be reviewed during the December 1998 meeting of

the Advisory Committee.

Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies

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

[[Page 55852]]

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).

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

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 for 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 Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education

Petition for Renewal of Recognition

1. Iowa Board of Nursing

2. Maryland Board of Nursing

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. 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

Art and Science)

A request for comments on agencies that are being reviewed during

this meeting was published in the Federal Register on June 19, 1998.

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. LeBold at the address above by

November 6, 1998. 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 or to send them directly to members of the

Advisory Committee. Presenters who wish to provide the Advisory

Committee with brief document (no more than 6 page maximum)

illustrating the main points of their oral testimony may submit them to

Ms. LeBold by November 6, 1998 (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. LeBold 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 9:00 a.m. and 4:30

p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Authority: 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2.

David A. Longanecker,

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.

[FR Doc. 98-27916 Filed 10-16-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000-01-M