Meeting, National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity

AGENCY:

National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI or Committee), Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION:

Announcement of an open meeting.

SUMMARY:

This notice sets forth the agenda, time, and instructions to access or participate in the August 6-8, 2024, hybrid meeting of NACIQI, and provides information to members of the public regarding the meeting, including requesting to make written or oral comments. Committee members will meet in-person while accrediting agency representatives and public attendees will participate virtually. The notice of this meeting is required under U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 10 (Federal Advisory Committees) and section 114(d)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended.

ADDRESSES:

Potomac Center Plaza, 10th Floor Auditorium, 550 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024 [Only NACIQI members and Department of Education staff will participate in the meeting at this address].

DATES:

The hybrid NACIQI meeting will be held on August 6-8, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

George Alan Smith, Executive Director/Designated Federal Official (DFO), NACIQI, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202, telephone: (202) 453-7757, or email: George.Alan.Smith@ed.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Statutory Authority and Function: NACIQI is established under Section 114 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1011c). NACIQI advises the Secretary of Education with respect to:

• The establishment and enforcement of the standards of accrediting agencies or associations under subpart 2, part H, Title IV of the HEA, as amended;
• The recognition of specific accrediting agencies or associations;
• The preparation and publication of the list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies and associations;
• The eligibility and certification process for institutions of higher education under Title IV of the HEA, together with recommendations for improvement in such process;
• The relationship between (1) accreditation of institutions of higher education and the certification and eligibility of such institutions, and (2) State licensing responsibilities with respect to such institutions; and
• Any other advisory function relating to accreditation and institutional eligibility that the Secretary of Education may prescribe by regulation.

Meeting Agenda

The purpose of the meeting is to conduct a review of the following applications for renewals of recognition.

Applications for Renewal of Recognition

1. WASC Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and pre-accreditation (“Candidate for Accreditation”) of community and other colleges which have as a primary mission the granting of associate degrees, but which may also award certificates and other credentials, not to exceed the bachelor degree level, where the provision of such credentials is within the institution's mission and, if applicable, is authorized by their governmental authorities, and the accreditation of such programs offered via distance education and correspondence education at these colleges. This recognition also extends to the Committee on Substantive Change of the Commission, for decisions on substantive changes, and the Appeals Panel. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities: Throughout the United States.

2. American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (“Provisional Accreditation”) in the United States of programs leading to professional degrees (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) in veterinary medicine. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities: Throughout the United States.

3. Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation throughout the United States of institutions of higher education that offer continuing education and vocational programs that confer certificates or occupational associate degrees, including those programs offered via distance education. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities: Throughout the United States.

4. Council on Education for Public Health. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation of schools of public health and public health programs outside schools of public health, at the baccalaureate and graduate degree levels, including those offered via distance education. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities: Throughout the United States.

5. National Association of Schools of Dance, Commission on Accreditation. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation throughout the United States of freestanding institutions that offer dance and dance-related programs (both degree and non-degree-granting), including those offered via distance education. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities: Throughout the United States.

6. National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation throughout the United States of freestanding institutions that offer music and music related programs (both degree and non-degree-granting) including those offered via distance. This recognition also extends to the Commission on Community College Accreditation. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities: Throughout the United States.

7. National Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on Accreditation. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation throughout the United States of freestanding institutions that offer theatre and theatre-related programs (both degree and non-degree-granting), including those offered via distance education. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities: Throughout the United States.

8. Puerto Rico State Agency for the Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational, Technical Institutions and Programs. Scope of Recognition: State agency for the approval of vocational education.

9. Maryland State Board of Nursing. Scope of Recognition: State agency for the approval of nursing education.

10. New York State Board of Regents (nursing education). Scope of Recognition: State approval agency for nursing education.

To ensure sufficient time for all agency reviews, including NACIQI questions and discussion, the Department requests that the agencies limit their opening statements to 10 minutes (total for one or more statements), and that the agencies avoid extended discussions about agency representatives and their backgrounds. Following the brief opening statement, the agency's presentation should focus on the regulatory criteria, and in particular, responses to areas where the staff has recommended a finding of noncompliance or substantial compliance, or where other concerns have been raised that the agency would like to address. However, the agency should expect that questions from NACIQI members may focus on other areas.

Administration Policy Update

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, Dr. Nasser Paydar, will provide an update on the Administration's postsecondary education policy priorities.

Accreditor Dashboards Updates

The Committee will refer to the Accreditor Dashboards for accrediting agencies up for review. These dashboards will include information about post-completion earnings and cumulative loan debt.

Policy Discussion

In addition to its review of accrediting agencies and State approval agencies for Secretarial recognition, there will be time for Committee discussions regarding any of the categories within NACIQI's statutory authority in its capacity as an advisory committee.

Instructions for Accessing the Meeting

Registration

Committee members will meet in-person while agency representatives and public attendees will participate virtually.

You may register for the meeting on your computer using the link below. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email containing personalized participation links for each day of the three-day meeting no later than 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on August 6, 2024.

Registration Link

https://cvent.me/N7blbg.

Public Comment

Submission of requests to make an oral comment regarding a specific accrediting agency under review, or to make an oral comment or written statement regarding other issues within the scope of NACIQI's authority:

Opportunity to submit a written statement regarding a specific accrediting agency under review was solicited by a previous Federal Register notice published on May 3, 2023 ( 88 FR 27876; Document Number 2023-09362). The period for submission of such statements is now closed. Additional written statements regarding a specific accrediting agency or state approval agency under review will not be accepted at this time. However, members of the public may submit written statements regarding other issues within the scope of NACIQI's authority for consideration by NACIQI in the manner described below.

Members of the public may make oral comments regarding a specific accrediting agency under review and/or other agenda topics. Oral comments may not exceed three minutes. Oral comments about an agency's recognition when a compliance report has been required by the Senior Department Official or the Secretary must relate to the criteria for recognition cited in the Senior Department Official's letter that requested the report, or in the Secretary's appeal decision, if any. Oral comments about an agency seeking expansion of scope must be directed to the agency's ability to serve as a recognized accrediting agency with respect to the kinds of institutions or programs requested to be added. Oral comments about the renewal of an agency's recognition must relate to its compliance with the criteria for the Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, which are available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.

Written statements and oral comments concerning NACIQI's work outside of a specific accrediting agency under review must be limited to matters within the scope of NACIQI's authority, as outlined under Section 114 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1011c), and written comments of any kind submitted after the deadline will not be considered by the Department or provided to NACIQI for purposes of the current cycle review.

Instructions on Requesting To Make Public Comment

To request to make oral comments of three minutes or less during the August 6-8, 2024, meeting, please follow either Method One or Method Two below. To submit a written statement to NACIQI concerning its work outside a specific accrediting agency under review, please follow Method One.

Method One: Submit a request by email to the ThirdPartyComments@ed.gov mailbox. Please do not send material directly to NACIQI members. Written statements to NACIQI concerning its work outside of a specific accrediting agency under review and requests to make oral comment must be received by July 30, 2024, and include the subject line “Oral Comment Request: (agency name),” “Oral Comment Request: (subject)” or “Written Statement: (subject).” The email must include the name(s), title, organization/affiliation, mailing address, email address, and telephone number, of the person(s) submitting a written statement or requesting to speak. All individuals submitting an advance request in accordance with this notice will be afforded an opportunity to speak. Written statements of any kind submitted after the deadline will not be considered by the Department or provided to NACIQI for purposes of the current cycle review.

Method Two (Only available to those seeking to make oral comments): Submit a request by email on August 6, 2024, between 7:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. Eastern Standard Time to the ThirdPartyComments@ed.gov mailbox. The email must include the subject on which the requestor wishes to comment, in addition to his or her name, title, organization/affiliation, mailing address, email address, and telephone number. If you intend to make your comments by dialing into the meeting rather than using a computer, please be sure to include that information in your email request. A total of up to fifteen minutes for each agenda item will be allotted for oral commenters who register on August 6, 2024, between 7:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Individuals will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. If selected, each commenter may not exceed three minutes.

Access to Records of the Meeting: The Department will post the official report of the meeting on the NACIQI website https://sites.ed.gov/naciqi/archive-of-meetings/ within 90 days after the meeting. In addition, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 1009(b), the public may request to inspect records of the meeting at 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC, by emailing aslrecordsmanager@ed.gov or by calling (202) 453-7415 to schedule an appointment. Senior Department Official's (as defined in 34 CFR 602.3) decisions, pursuant to 34 CFR 602.36, associated with all NACIQI meetings can be found at the following website: https://surveys.ope.ed.gov/erecognition/#/public-documents .

Reasonable Accommodations: The dial-in information and weblink access to the meeting are accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you will need an auxiliary aid or service to participate in the meeting ( e.g., interpreting service, assistive listening device, or materials in an alternate format), notify the contact person listed in this notice at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting date. Although we will attempt to meet a request received after that date, we may not be able to make available the requested auxiliary aid or service because of insufficient time to arrange it.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register . Free internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of the Department published in the Federal Register , in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site. You also may access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at: www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

Authority: Section 114 of the HEA of 1964, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1011c).