82_FR_10507 82 FR 10479 - Request for Comments on Review of Accrediting Agencies

82 FR 10479 - Request for Comments on Review of Accrediting Agencies

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 28 (February 13, 2017)

Page Range10479-10480
FR Document2017-02867

This notice provides information to members of the public on submitting written comments for accrediting agencies currently undergoing review for purposes of recognition by the U.S. Secretary of Education. This solicitation of third-party comments concerning the performance of accrediting agencies under review by the Secretary is required by the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 28 (Monday, February 13, 2017) 
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 28 (Monday, February 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10479-10480]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02867]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Request for Comments on Review of Accrediting Agencies

AGENCY: Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides information to members of the public on 
submitting written comments for accrediting agencies currently 
undergoing review for purposes of recognition by the U.S. Secretary of 
Education. This solicitation of third-party comments concerning the 
performance of accrediting agencies under review by the Secretary is 
required by the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Herman Bounds, Director, Accreditation 
Group, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 6C115, Washington, DC 20202, telephone: 
(202) 453-7615, or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Agencies under Review and Evaluation: Below is a list of agencies 
currently undergoing review and evaluation by the Accreditation Group, 
including their current and requested scopes of recognition:

Applications for Renewal of Recognition

    1. American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council 
for Occupational Therapy Education, Scope of Recognition: The 
accreditation of occupational therapy educational programs offering the 
professional master's degree, combined baccalaureate/master's degree, 
and occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) degree; the accreditation of 
occupational therapy assistant programs offering the associate degree 
or a certificate; and the accreditation of these programs offered via 
distance education.
    2. Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, Scope of 
Recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation, within the United 
States, of professional degree programs in pharmacy leading to the 
degree of Doctor of Pharmacy, including those programs offered via 
distance education.
    3. Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Scope of 
Recognition: The accreditation of both clinical pastoral education 
(CPE) centers and Supervisory CPE programs located within the United 
States and territories.
    4. Association for Biblical Higher Education, Scope of Recognition: 
The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for 
Accreditation''), at the undergraduate level, of institutions of 
biblical higher education in the United States offering both campus-
based and distance education instructional programs.
    5. American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation, 
Scope of Recognition: The accreditation of predoctoral dental education 
programs (leading to the D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree), advanced dental 
education programs, and allied dental education programs that are fully 
operational or have attained ``Initial Accreditation'' status, 
including programs offered via distance education.
    6. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Scope of 
Recognition: The accreditation of nursing education programs in the 
United States, at the baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degree 
levels, including programs offering distance education.
    7. Distance Education Accrediting Commission, Scope of Recognition: 
The accreditation of postsecondary institutions in the United States 
that

[[Page 10480]]

offer degree and/or non-degree programs primarily by the distance or 
correspondence education method up to and including the professional 
doctoral degree, including those institutions that are specifically 
certified by the agency as accredited for Title IV purposes.
    8. Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools, Scope of 
Recognition: The accreditation of institutions with postsecondary, non-
degree granting career and technology programs in Delaware, Maryland, 
New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to include the 
accreditation of postsecondary, non-degree granting institutions that 
offer all or part of their educational programs via distance education 
modalities.
    9. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on 
Colleges (SACSCOC), Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and 
preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of degree-granting 
institutions of higher education in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, 
Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, 
Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, including the accreditation of programs 
offered via distance and correspondence education within these 
institutions. This recognition extends to the SACSCOC Board of Trustees 
and the Appeals Committee of the College Delegate Assembly on cases of 
initial candidacy or initial accreditation and for continued 
accreditation or candidacy.

Application for an Expansion of Scope

    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Scope of Recognition: 
The accreditation of nursing education programs in the United States, 
at the baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degree levels, including 
programs offering distance education. Requested Scope: The 
accreditation of nursing education programs in the United States, at 
the baccalaureate, master's, doctoral, and certificate levels, 
including programs offering distance education.

Application for Granting of Academic (Master's and Doctoral) Degrees by 
Federal Agencies and Institutions

    1. Air University (Air Command and Staff College): Air University 
seeks to expand its educational offerings by offering a Master's degree 
in Airpower Strategy and Technology Integration.
    2. Army's Command and General Staff College: Notification of name 
change for two degree programs currently approved and offered by the 
College. The proposal would change the MMAS (Theater Operations) to 
Master of Arts in Military Operations and the MMAS (Strategic 
Operations) to Master of Arts in Strategic Studies.

Submission of Written Comments Regarding a Specific Accrediting Agency 
or State Approval Agency Under Review

    Written comments about the recognition of a specific accrediting or 
State agency must be received by March 12, 2017, in the 
[email protected] mailbox and include the subject line 
``Written Comments: (agency name).'' The email must include the 
name(s), title, organization/affiliation, mailing address, email 
address, and telephone number of the person(s) making the comment. 
Comments should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document or in a 
medium compatible with Microsoft Word (not a PDF file) that is attached 
to an electronic mail message (email) or provided in the body of an 
email message. Comments about an agency's recognition after review of a 
compliance report must relate to issues identified in the compliance 
report and 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. Comments about the renewal of an agency's 
recognition based on a review of the agency's petition must relate to 
its compliance with the Criteria for the Recognition of Accrediting 
Agencies, or the Criteria and Procedures for Recognition of State 
Agencies for Approval of Nurse Education as appropriate, which are 
available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.
    Only material submitted by the deadline to the email address listed 
in this notice, and in accordance with these instructions, become part 
of the official record concerning agencies scheduled for review and are 
considered by the Department and NACIQI in their deliberations.
    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.thefederalregister.org/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well 
as all other documents of this 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 may also 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: 20 U.S.C. 1011c.

Gail McLarnon,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Policy, and Innovation.
[FR Doc. 2017-02867 Filed 2-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 28 / Monday, February 13, 2017 / Notices 10479 • Participants in SPDG professional contacting the Management Support SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: development demonstrate improvement Services Team, U.S. Department of Agencies under Review and in implementation of SPDG-supported Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Evaluation: Below is a list of agencies practices over time. Room 5113, Potomac Center Plaza, currently undergoing review and • Projects use SPDG professional Washington, DC 20202–2500. evaluation by the Accreditation Group, development funds to provide activities Telephone: (202) 245–7363. If you use a including their current and requested designed to sustain the use of SPDG- TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at scopes of recognition: supported practices. 1–800–877–8339. Applications for Renewal of • Special education teachers who Electronic Access to This Document: Recognition meet the qualifications described in The official version of this document is section 612(a)(14)(C) of IDEA, as the document published in the Federal 1. American Occupational Therapy amended by the ESSA, that have Register. Free Internet access to the Association, Accreditation Council for participated in SPDG-supported special official edition of the Federal Register Occupational Therapy Education, Scope education teacher retention activities and the Code of Federal Regulations is of Recognition: The accreditation of remain as special education teachers available via the Federal Digital System occupational therapy educational two years after their initial participation at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you programs offering the professional in these activities. can view this document, as well as all master’s degree, combined Each grantee funded under this other documents of this Department baccalaureate/master’s degree, and competition must collect and annually published in the Federal Register, in occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) report data related to its performance on text or PDF. To use PDF you must have degree; the accreditation of occupational these measures in the project’s annual Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is therapy assistant programs offering the and final performance report to the available free at the site. associate degree or a certificate; and the Department in accordance with section You may also access documents of the accreditation of these programs offered 653(d) of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.590. Department published in the Federal via distance education. Applicants should discuss in the Register by using the article search 2. Accreditation Council for Pharmacy application narrative how they propose feature at: www.federalregister.gov. Education, Scope of Recognition: The to collect performance data for these Specifically, through the advanced accreditation and preaccreditation, measures. search feature at this site, you can limit within the United States, of professional 5. Continuation Awards: In making a your search to documents published by degree programs in pharmacy leading to continuation award under 34 CFR the Department. the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy, 75.253, the Secretary considers, among including those programs offered via Dated: February 8, 2017. other things: Whether a grantee has distance education. Ruth E. Ryder, 3. Association for Clinical Pastoral made substantial progress in achieving Delegated the duties of the Assistant Secretary Education, Inc., Scope of Recognition: the goals and objectives of the project; for Special Education and Rehabilitative The accreditation of both clinical whether the grantee has expended funds Services. in a manner that is consistent with its pastoral education (CPE) centers and [FR Doc. 2017–02895 Filed 2–10–17; 8:45 am] approved application and budget; and, Supervisory CPE programs located BILLING CODE 4000–01–P within the United States and territories. if the Secretary has established performance measurement 4. Association for Biblical Higher requirements, the performance targets in Education, Scope of Recognition: The DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION accreditation and preaccreditation the grantee’s approved application. In making a continuation award, the Request for Comments on Review of (‘‘Candidate for Accreditation’’), at the Secretary also considers whether the Accrediting Agencies undergraduate level, of institutions of grantee is operating in compliance with biblical higher education in the United the assurances in its approved AGENCY: Accreditation Group, Office of States offering both campus-based and application, including those applicable Postsecondary Education, U.S. distance education instructional to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit Department of Education. programs. discrimination in programs or activities ACTION: Notice. 5. American Dental Association, receiving Federal financial assistance Commission on Dental Accreditation, SUMMARY: This notice provides Scope of Recognition: The accreditation from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, information to members of the public on of predoctoral dental education 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). submitting written comments for programs (leading to the D.D.S. or VII. Agency Contact accrediting agencies currently D.M.D. degree), advanced dental For Further Information Contact: undergoing review for purposes of education programs, and allied dental Jennifer Coffey, U.S. Department of recognition by the U.S. Secretary of education programs that are fully Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Education. This solicitation of third- operational or have attained ‘‘Initial Room 5134, Potomac Center Plaza, party comments concerning the Accreditation’’ status, including Washington, DC 20202–5108. performance of accrediting agencies programs offered via distance education. Telephone: (202) 245–6673. under review by the Secretary is 6. Commission on Collegiate Nursing If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the required by the Higher Education Act Education, Scope of Recognition: The Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at (HEA) of 1965, as amended. accreditation of nursing education FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 1–800–877–8339. programs in the United States, at the Herman Bounds, Director, Accreditation baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral VIII. Other Information Group, Office of Postsecondary degree levels, including programs Accessible Format: Individuals with Education, U.S. Department of offering distance education. disabilities can obtain this document Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 7. Distance Education Accrediting and a copy of the application package in Room 6C115, Washington, DC 20202, Commission, Scope of Recognition: The an accessible format (e.g., braille, large telephone: (202) 453–7615, or email: accreditation of postsecondary print, audiotape, or compact disc) by herman.bounds@ed.gov. institutions in the United States that VerDate Sep<11>2014 13:41 Feb 10, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\13FEN1.SGM 13FEN1

10480 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 28 / Monday, February 13, 2017 / Notices offer degree and/or non-degree programs Operations) to Master of Arts in Military using the article search feature at: primarily by the distance or Operations and the MMAS (Strategic www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, correspondence education method up to Operations) to Master of Arts in through the advanced search feature at and including the professional doctoral Strategic Studies. this site, you can limit your search to degree, including those institutions that documents published by the Submission of Written Comments are specifically certified by the agency Department. Regarding a Specific Accrediting as accredited for Title IV purposes. Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1011c. 8. Middle States Commission on Agency or State Approval Agency Secondary Schools, Scope of Under Review Gail McLarnon, Recognition: The accreditation of Written comments about the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for institutions with postsecondary, non- recognition of a specific accrediting or Planning, Policy, and Innovation. degree granting career and technology State agency must be received by March [FR Doc. 2017–02867 Filed 2–10–17; 8:45 am] programs in Delaware, Maryland, New 12, 2017, in the ThirdPartyComments@ BILLING CODE P Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the ed.gov mailbox and include the subject Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the line ‘‘Written Comments: (agency District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin name).’’ The email must include the FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Islands, to include the accreditation of name(s), title, organization/affiliation, postsecondary, non-degree granting mailing address, email address, and Sunshine Act Meeting institutions that offer all or part of their telephone number of the person(s) educational programs via distance making the comment. Comments should AGENCY: Federal Election Commission. education modalities. be submitted as a Microsoft Word DATE AND TIME: Thursday, February 9, 9. Southern Association of Colleges document or in a medium compatible 2017 at 10:00 a.m. and Schools Commission on Colleges with Microsoft Word (not a PDF file) PLACE: 999 E Street NW., Washington, (SACSCOC), Scope of Recognition: The that is attached to an electronic mail DC (Ninth Floor). accreditation and preaccreditation message (email) or provided in the body STATUS: This meeting will be open to (‘‘Candidate for Accreditation’’) of of an email message. Comments about the public. degree-granting institutions of higher an agency’s recognition after review of FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE OF PREVIOUS education in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, a compliance report must relate to ANNOUNCEMENT: 82 FR 9381. Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North issues identified in the compliance report and the criteria for recognition CHANGE IN THE MEETING: The February Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, 9, 2017 meeting was cancelled. Texas, and Virginia, including the cited in the senior Department official’s letter that requested the report, or in the PERSON TO CONTACT FOR INFORMATION: accreditation of programs offered via distance and correspondence education Secretary’s appeal decision, if any. Judith Ingram, Press Officer, Telephone: within these institutions. This Comments about the renewal of an (202) 694–1220. recognition extends to the SACSCOC agency’s recognition based on a review Dayna C. Brown, Board of Trustees and the Appeals of the agency’s petition must relate to its Acting Secretary and Clerk of the Committee of the College Delegate compliance with the Criteria for the Commission. Assembly on cases of initial candidacy Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, or [FR Doc. 2017–02923 Filed 2–9–17; 11:15 am] or initial accreditation and for the Criteria and Procedures for BILLING CODE 6715–01–P continued accreditation or candidacy. Recognition of State Agencies for Approval of Nurse Education as Application for an Expansion of Scope appropriate, which are available at Commission on Collegiate Nursing http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/ FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Education, Scope of Recognition: The accred/index.html. Proposed Agency Information accreditation of nursing education Only material submitted by the Collection Activities; Comment programs in the United States, at the deadline to the email address listed in this notice, and in accordance with Request baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degree levels, including programs these instructions, become part of the AGENCY: Board of Governors of the offering distance education. Requested official record concerning agencies Federal Reserve System. Scope: The accreditation of nursing scheduled for review and are considered ACTION: Notice for comment regarding education programs in the United by the Department and NACIQI in their the Federal Reserve proposal to extend States, at the baccalaureate, master’s, deliberations. without revision, the clearance under doctoral, and certificate levels, Electronic Access to this Document: the Paperwork Reduction Act for the including programs offering distance The official version of this document is following information collection education. the document published in the Federal activity. Register. Free Internet access to the Application for Granting of Academic official edition of the Federal Register SUMMARY: The Board of Governors of the (Master’s and Doctoral) Degrees by and the Code of Federal Regulations is Federal Reserve System (Board or Federal Agencies and Institutions available via the Federal Digital System Federal Reserve) invites comment on a 1. Air University (Air Command and at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you proposal to extend, without revision, Staff College): Air University seeks to can view this document, as well as all the voluntary Generic Clearance for other documents of this Department Surveys of Consumer and Community jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES expand its educational offerings by offering a Master’s degree in Airpower published in the Federal Register, in Affairs Publications and Resources (FR Strategy and Technology Integration. text or Adobe Portable Document 1378; OMB No. 7100–0358); a proposal 2. Army’s Command and General Staff Format (PDF). To use PDF, you must to extend, without revision, the College: Notification of name change for have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is voluntary Generic Clearance for two degree programs currently approved available free at the site. You may also Consumer and Stakeholder Surveys (FR and offered by the College. The proposal access documents of the Department 3073; OMB No. 7100–0359), a proposal would change the MMAS (Theater published in the Federal Register by to extend for three years, without VerDate Sep<11>2014 13:41 Feb 10, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\13FEN1.SGM 13FEN1


Document Created: 2017-02-11 00:59:11
Document Modified: 2017-02-11 00:59:11
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
ContactHerman Bounds, Director, Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 6C115, Washington, DC 20202, telephone: (202) 453-7615, or email: [email protected]
FR Citation82 FR 10479 
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