[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 246 (Thursday, December 23, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80801-80803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-32262]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity (NACIQI) Meeting
AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity, Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of the February 3-4, 2011, open meeting of the National
Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI),
procedures for submitting third-party written comments, and procedures
for making third-party oral comments at the meeting.
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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and agenda of the upcoming
open meeting of the NACIQI. It also informs members of the public how
to submit third-party written comments and how to submit third-party
oral comment requests. The notice of this meeting is required under
section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and
section 114(d)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended
(HEA), and as
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background, summarizes the functions of the NACIQI.
Meeting Date and Place: The NACIQI meeting will be held on February
3-4, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 5:30 p.m., at the Holiday
Inn and Suites, Ballrooms A-C, 625 First Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
For further information about the meeting location or for hotel
reservations, contact the hotel at 703-548-6300.
Agenda: The agenda for the meeting will include presentations to
inform the NACIQI generally regarding the accreditation of institutions
of higher education, the certification and eligibility of such
institutions for purposes of the Federal student aid programs
authorized under Title IV of the HEA, the relationship between the two,
and regarding State licensing responsibilities with respect to such
institutions.
As background, the current system of accreditation/recognition
draws upon a variety of participants, definitions, and processes. Taken
together, these elements reflect commonalities and divergences among
the concepts of ``quality assurance,'' ``continuous improvement,'' and
``compliance,'' as well as tension between gatekeeping for the
institutional eligibility for student aid and accreditation as a
broader quality assurance and quality improvement process. There are
also disparities between compliance with regulation and accreditation
via peer review, as well as varying roles and interests of Federal and
State entities, professional/trade/membership organizations, and the
public.
The NACIQI will hear from a variety of speakers concerning the
above topics, in order to consider the broad question of what is
working (and not working) in the current system of recognition,
accreditation, and student aid eligibility.
All oral presentations and written materials submitted will inform
the NACIQI as it develops a set of recommendations to the Secretary for
the reauthorization of the HEA.
NACIQI'S Statutory Authority and Functions: The NACIQI was
established under Section 114 of the HEA. It advises the Secretary of
Education about:
The establishment and enforcement of the Criteria for
Recognition of accrediting agencies or associations under Subpart 2,
Part H, Title IV, of the HEA.
The recognition of specific accrediting agencies or
associations, or a specific State approval agency.
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, HEA.
The relationship between: (1) Accreditation of
institutions of higher education and the certification and eligibility
of those institutions and (2) State licensing responsibilities with
respect to those institutions.
Any other advisory functions relating to accreditation and
institutional eligibility that the Secretary may prescribe.
Instructions for Submitting a Third-Party Written Comment for the
February 2011 NACIQI Meeting: Submit your written comments by e-mail on
or before January 16, 2011, to aslrecordsmanager@ed.gov. Enter the
subject line as ``Written Comments to NACIQI Regarding Reauthorization
of the HEA, concerning [insert specific topic or statutory citation
here].'' Also, in the body of your written comments, please insert a
subject heading above each subject area addressed.
Instructions for Making a Third-Party Oral Comment at the February
2011 NACIQI Meeting: There are two methods the public may use to make a
third-party oral comment concerning the reauthorization of the HEA
during the February 3-4, 2011, meeting.
First Method: Submit a written request via e-mail in advance of the
meeting to make a third-party oral presentation. A total of 30 minutes
of the meeting will be allotted for commenters who have submitted an
advance request. Depending on the number of requests received,
commenters will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis and if
selected, each commenter will be provided three to five minutes to
speak. Each request must be received on or before January 16, 2011, and
must be sent to aslrecordsmanager@ed.gov with the subject line listed
as ``Request to Provide Oral Comments to NACIQI Regarding
Reauthorization of the HEA concerning [insert specific topic or
statutory citation here].'' Your request (no more than three pages)
must include:
1. The name, title, affiliation, mailing address, e-mail address,
telephone and facsimile numbers, and Web site (if any) of the person/
group requesting to speak; and
2. A brief summary of the principal points to be made during the
oral presentation, as well as the statutory citation related to the
points to be covered.
Only individuals whose requests are made in accordance with these
instructions will become eligible for an opportunity to speak under
this method. Please do not send material directly to the NACIQI
members.
Second Method: Sign up on February 4, 2011, to make oral comments
that day expressing your views regarding reauthorization. The sign-up
form will request the name, title, affiliation, mailing address, e-mail
address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and Web site (if any). A
total of 30 minutes of the meeting will be allotted for commenters who
sign up the day of the meeting.
Individuals or groups that sign up on the day of the meeting will
be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, based on when the
completed sign-up sheet is received and time-stamped. If selected, each
commenter will be provided from three to five minutes, depending on the
number of requests received. If a person or group requests to make oral
comments in advance, they may not also sign-up to make oral comments
the day of the meeting. The Chair will confine oral commenters to the
topic of reauthorization.
Members of the public will be eligible to make third-party oral
comments only in accordance with these instructions. Their comments
will become part of the official record and will be considered by the
NACIQI in its deliberations.
Access to Records of the Meeting: The Department will post the
official report of the meeting on the NACIQI Web site shortly after the
meeting. Pursuant to the FACA, the public may also inspect the
materials at 1990 K Street, NW., Washington, DC, by e-mailing
aslrecordsmanager@ed.gov or by calling (202) 219-7067 to schedule an
appointment.
Electronic Access to this Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other Department of Education documents published in the
Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), or
on the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/legislation/fedregister. To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF,
call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-866-
512-1800 or, in the Washington, DC area at (202)512-0000.
Reasonable Accommodations: Individuals who will need accommodations
for a disability in order to attend the February 3-4, 2011 meeting
(i.e., interpreter services, assistive listening devices, and/or
materials in alternative format) should contact Department staff by
telephone at (202) 219-7067; or, e-mail at aslrecordsmanager@ed.gov, no
later than January 17, 2010. We will attempt
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to meet requests after this date, but cannot guarantee the availability
of the requested accommodation. The meeting site is accessible.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melissa Lewis, Executive Director,
NACIQI, U.S. Department of Education, Room 8060, 1990 K Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20006, telephone: (202) 219-7009; e-mail:
Melissa.Lewis@ed.gov. 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 Standard Time, Monday
through Friday.
Note: 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 on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html.
Eduardo M. Ochoa,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2010-32262 Filed 12-22-10; 8:45 am]
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