82 FR 34511 - Office of Postsecondary Education; Call for Written Third-Party Comments
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 141 (July 25, 2017)
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 141 (July 25, 2017)
| Page Range | 34511-34513 | |
| FR Document | 2017-15561 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 25, 2017)] [Notices] [Pages 34511-34513] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-15561] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Postsecondary Education; Call for Written Third-Party Comments AGENCY: Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education. ACTION: Call for written third-party comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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: herman.bounds@ed.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NACIQI's Statutory Authority and Function: The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) is established under Section 114 of the Higher Education Act [[Page 34512]] of 1965, as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1011c. The NACIQI 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, as amended. The recognition of specific accrediting agencies or associations or a specific State public postsecondary vocational education or nurse education 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 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. Any other advisory function relating to accreditation and institutional eligibility that the Secretary may prescribe. This solicitation of third-party comments concerning the performance of accrediting agencies under review by the Secretary is required by Sec. 496(n)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended. These accrediting agencies will be on the agenda for the December 2017 NACIQI meeting. The meeting date has not been determined, but will be announced in a separate Federal Register notice. 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. Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc., Scope of Recognition: Accreditation of nursing education programs and schools, both postsecondary and higher degree, which offer a certificate, diploma, or a recognized professional degree including clinical doctorate, masters, baccalaureate, associate, diploma, and practical nursing programs in the United States and its territories, including those offered via distance education. 2. Accrediting Commission for Midwifery Education, Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and pre-accreditation of basic certificate, basic graduate nurse-midwifery, direct entry midwifery, and pre-certification nurse-midwifery education programs, including those programs that offer distance education in the United States. 3. American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') in the United States of physical therapist education programs leading to the first professional degree at the master's or doctoral level and physical therapist assistant education programs at the associate degree level and for its accreditation of such programs offered via distance education. 4. Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy status'') of institutions of higher education in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including distance and correspondence education programs offered at those institutions. 5. Higher Learning Commission, Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of degree-granting institutions of higher education in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, including the tribal institutions and the accreditation of programs offered via distance education and correspondence education within these institutions. This recognition extends to the Institutional Actions Council jointly with the Board of Trustees of the Commission for decisions on cases for continued accreditation or reaffirmation, and continued candidacy, and to the Appeals Body jointly with the Board of Trustees of the Commission for decisions related to initial candidacy or accreditation or reaffirmation of accreditation. 6. New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and pre-accreditation (``Candidacy status'') of institutions of higher education in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont that award bachelor's, master's, and/or doctoral degrees and associate degree-granting institutions in those states that include degrees in liberal arts or general studies among their offerings, including the accreditation of programs offered via distance education within these institutions. 7. New York State Board of Regents, and the Commissioner of Education, Scope of Recognition: The accreditation of those degree- granting institutions of higher education in New York that designate the agency as their sole or primary nationally recognized accrediting agency for purposes of establishing eligibility to participate in HEA programs including accreditation of programs offered via distance education within these institutions. 8. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior Colleges and University Commission, Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of senior colleges and universities in California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, including distance education programs offered at those institutions. Compliance Report: 1. American Board of Funeral Service Education, Committee on Accreditation, Compliance report includes the following: (1) Findings identified in the March 10, 2016 letter from the senior Department official following the December 2015 NACIQI meeting available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm, and (2) Review under 34 CFR 602.15(a)(6), 602.20(b), and 602.24(f)(2). Scope of recognition: The accreditation of institutions and programs within the United States awarding diplomas, associate degrees and bachelor's degrees in funeral service or mortuary science, including the accreditation of distance learning courses and programs offered by these programs and institutions. 2. Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, Compliance report includes the following: 1) Findings identified in the March 10, 2016 letter from the senior Department official following the December 2015 NACIQI meeting available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm, and (2) Review under 34 CFR 602.17(f), 602.19(b), and 602.20(b). Scope of recognition: The accreditation of Montessori teacher education institutions and programs throughout the United States, including those offered via distance education. 3. Midwifery Education Accreditation Council, Compliance report includes the following: (1) Findings identified in the March 10, 2016 letter from the senior Department official following the [[Page 34513]] December 2015 NACIQI meeting available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm, and (2) Review under 34 CFR 602.19(b), 602.20(a), and 602.20(b). Scope of recognition: The accreditation and pre-accreditation throughout the United States of direct-entry midwifery educational institutions and programs conferring degrees and certificates, including the accreditation of such programs offered via distance education. Applications for Renewal of Recognition--State Agency for Nurse Education North Dakota Board of Nursing. Compliance Report--State Agency for Nurse Education New York State Board of Regents, State Education Department, Office of the Professions, Nursing Education, Compliance report includes the following: (1) Findings identified in the March 10, 2016 letter from the senior Department official following the December 2015 NACIQI meeting available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm, and (2) Review under 34 CFR 3d. Compliance Report--State Agency for the Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education, Compliance report includes the following: (1) Findings identified in the March 10, 2016 letter from the senior Department official following the December 2015 NACIQI meeting available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm, and (2) Review under 34 CFR 603.24(a)(1)(ii), 603.24(a)(3)(ii)(A), 603.24(b)(1)(iii), 603.24(b)(1)(iv), 603.24(b)(1)(v), 603.24(b)(1)(vi), 603.24(b)(1)(vii), 603.24(b)(2)(i), 603.24(b)(2)(ii), 603.24(b)(2)(iii), 603.24(d)(1), 603.24(d)(2). Scope of Recognition: The approval of public postsecondary vocational education offered at institutions in the State of Oklahoma that are not under the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education, including the approval of public postsecondary vocational education offered via distance education. 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 August 13, 2017, in the ThirdPartyComments@ed.gov 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. Lynn B. Mahaffie, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Policy, and Innovation. [FR Doc. 2017-15561 Filed 7-24-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 141 / Tuesday, July 25, 2017 / Notices 34511
Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Applicants incur postage costs when The filing fees for several items in this
Respondent Cost Burden: submitting information to the USPTO by collection are charged per class of goods
$42,650,873.51. mail through the United States Postal and/or services; therefore, the filing fees
There are no capital start-up, Service. The USPTO estimates that the will vary for each respondent depending
majority of the paper forms are on the number of classes. The total
maintenance, or recordkeeping costs
submitted to the USPTO via first-class filing fees of $42,650,825.00 shown here
associated with this information
mail at a rate of 49 cents per ounce. are based on the minimum fee of one
collection. However, this collection Therefore, the USPTO estimates that
does have annual (non-hour) cost class for those items for which a fee is
with a total of 99 paper submissions, the required.
burden in the form of postage costs and postage costs in this collection will be
filing fees. $48.51.
Total non-hour
Estimated Filing fee
IC No. Item cost Burden
annual responses ($) ($)
(a) (b) (a) × (b) = (c)
1 ....................... Trademark/Service Mark Allegation of Use (Statement of Use/ 27 $200 $5,400.00
Amendment to Allege Use) (Paper).
1 ....................... Trademark/Service Mark Allegation of Use (Statement of Use/ 109,086 100 10,908,600.00
Amendment to Allege Use) (TEAS).
2 ....................... Request for Extension of Time to File a Statement of Use 59 225 13,275.00
(Paper).
2 ....................... Request for Extension of Time to File a Statement of Use 234,906 125 29,363,250.00
(TEAS).
3 ....................... Petition to Revive Abandoned Application—Failure to Respond 5 200 1,000.00
Timely to Office Action (Paper).
3 ....................... Petition to Revive Abandoned Application—Failure to Respond 19,545 100 1,954,500.00
Timely to Office Action (TEAS).
4 ....................... Petition to Revive Abandoned Application—Failure to File Timely 1 200 200.00
Statement of Use or Extension Request (Paper).
4 ....................... Petition to Revive Abandoned Application—Failure to File Timely 203 100 20,300.00
Statement of Use or Extension Request (TEAS).
7 ....................... Request to Divide Application (Paper) .......................................... 1 200 200.00
7 ....................... Request to Divide Application (TEAS Global) ............................... 3,057 100 305,700.00
10 ..................... Petition to the Director Under Trademark Rule 2.146 (Paper) ..... 1 200 200.00
10 ..................... Petition to the Director Under Trademark Rule 2.146 (TEAS 750 100 75,000.00
Global).
11 ..................... Petition to Revive with Request to Delete Section 1(b) Basis or 1 200 200.00
to Delete ITU Goods/Services After NOA (Paper).
11 ..................... Petition to Revive with Request to Delete Section 1(b) Basis or 30 100 3,000.00
to Delete ITU Goods/Services After NOA (TEAS Global).
Totals ........ ........................................................................................................ 374,891 ........................ 42,650,825.00
Therefore, the USPTO estimates that (c) ways to enhance the quality, Call for written third-party
ACTION:
the total annual (non-hour) cost burden utility, and clarity of the information to comments.
for this collection, in the form of postage be collected; and
costs and filing fees is $42,650,873.51 (d) ways to minimize the burden of SUMMARY: This notice provides
per year. the collection of information on information to members of the public on
respondents, e.g., the use of automated submitting written comments for
IV. Request for Comments collection techniques or other forms of accrediting agencies currently
information technology. undergoing review for purposes of
Comments submitted in response to recognition by the U.S. Secretary of
this notice will be summarized or Marcie Lovett, Education.
included in the request for OMB Records and Information Governance
approval of this information collection; Division Director, OCTO, United States Patent FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
they also will become a matter of public and Trademark Office. Herman Bounds, Director, Accreditation
record. [FR Doc. 2017–15500 Filed 7–24–17; 8:45 am] Group, Office of Postsecondary
BILLING CODE 3510–16–P Education, U.S. Department of
Comments are invited on: Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
(a) Whether the proposed collection of Room 6C115, Washington, DC 20202,
information is necessary for the proper telephone: (202) 453–7615, or email:
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
performance of the functions of the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION herman.bounds@ed.gov.
agency, including whether the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
information shall have practical utility; Office of Postsecondary Education;
Call for Written Third-Party Comments NACIQI’s Statutory Authority and
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s Function: The National Advisory
estimate of the burden (including hours AGENCY: Accreditation Group, Office of Committee on Institutional Quality and
and cost) of the proposed collection of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Integrity (NACIQI) is established under
information; Department of Education. Section 114 of the Higher Education Act
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![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 141 / Tuesday, July 25, 2017 / Notices 34513
December 2015 NACIQI meeting ThirdPartyComments@ed.gov mailbox Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1011c.
available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/ and include the subject line ‘‘Written Lynn B. Mahaffie,
aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm, and (2) Comments: (agency name).’’ The email Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning,
Review under 34 CFR 602.19(b), must include the name(s), title, Policy, and Innovation.
602.20(a), and 602.20(b). organization/affiliation, mailing [FR Doc. 2017–15561 Filed 7–24–17; 8:45 am]
Scope of recognition: The address, email address, and telephone BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
accreditation and pre-accreditation number of the person(s) making the
throughout the United States of direct- comment. Comments should be
entry midwifery educational institutions submitted as a Microsoft Word
and programs conferring degrees and document or in a medium compatible DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
certificates, including the accreditation
with Microsoft Word (not a PDF file) Office of Energy Efficiency and
of such programs offered via distance
that is attached to an electronic mail Renewable Energy
education.
message (email) or provided in the body
Applications for Renewal of of an email message. Comments about [EERE–2017–BT–DET–0046]
Recognition—State Agency for Nurse an agency’s recognition after review of
Education a compliance report must relate to Preliminary Analysis Regarding
issues identified in the compliance Energy Efficiency Improvements in
North Dakota Board of Nursing.
report and the criteria for recognition ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1–
Compliance Report—State Agency for 2016: Energy Standard for Buildings,
cited in the senior Department official’s
Nurse Education Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
letter that requested the report, or in the
New York State Board of Regents, Secretary’s appeal decision, if any. AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and
State Education Department, Office of Comments about the renewal of an Renewable Energy, Department of
the Professions, Nursing Education, agency’s recognition based on a review Energy.
Compliance report includes the of the agency’s petition must relate to its ACTION: Notice of availability.
following: (1) Findings identified in the compliance with the Criteria for the
March 10, 2016 letter from the senior Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, or SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of
Department official following the Energy (DOE) is announcing the
the Criteria and Procedures for
December 2015 NACIQI meeting availability of a Preliminary Energy
Recognition of State Agencies for
available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/ Savings Analysis of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES
Approval of Nurse Education as
aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm, and (2) Standard 90.1–2016 (Preliminary
Review under 34 CFR 3d. appropriate, which are available at
http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/ Analysis). DOE welcomes written
Compliance Report—State Agency for accred/index.html. comments from interested parties on
the Approval of Public Postsecondary any subject within the scope of this
Only material submitted by the Preliminary Analysis.
Vocational Education
deadline to the email address listed in DATES: DOE will accept written
Oklahoma Board of Career and this notice, and in accordance with
Technology Education, Compliance comments and information on the
these instructions, become part of the Preliminary Analysis no later than
report includes the following: (1) official record concerning agencies
Findings identified in the March 10, September 8, 2017.
scheduled for review and are considered ADDRESSES: A copy of the Preliminary
2016 letter from the senior Department by the Department and NACIQI in their
official following the December 2015 Analysis is available at https://
deliberations. energy.gov/eere/buildings/downloads/
NACIQI meeting available at: https://
opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaff Electronic Access to this Document: preliminary-energy-savings-analysis-
reports.cfm, and (2) Review under 34 The official version of this document is ansiashraeies-standard-901–2016.
CFR 603.24(a)(1)(ii), 603.24(a)(3)(ii)(A), the document published in the Federal Any comments submitted must
603.24(b)(1)(iii), 603.24(b)(1)(iv), Register. Free Internet access to the provide docket number EERE–2017–
603.24(b)(1)(v), 603.24(b)(1)(vi), official edition of the Federal Register BT–DET–0046. Comments may be
603.24(b)(1)(vii), 603.24(b)(2)(i), and the Code of Federal Regulations is submitted using any of the following
603.24(b)(2)(ii), 603.24(b)(2)(iii), available via the Federal Digital System methods:
603.24(d)(1), 603.24(d)(2). at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you 1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://
Scope of Recognition: The approval of can view this document, as well as all www.regulations.gov. Follow the
public postsecondary vocational other documents of this Department instructions for submitting comments.
education offered at institutions in the published in the Federal Register, in 2. Email:
State of Oklahoma that are not under the text or Adobe Portable Document 2016ASHRAEstandard2017DET0046@
jurisdiction of the Oklahoma State ee.doe.gov. Include the docket number
Format (PDF). To use PDF, you must
Regents of Higher Education, including in the subject line of the message.
have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
the approval of public postsecondary 3. Postal Mail: Building Energy Codes
available free at the site. You may also
vocational education offered via Program, U.S. Department of Energy,
access documents of the Department Building Technologies Office, EE–5B,
distance education.
published in the Federal Register by 1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Submission of Written Comments using the article search feature at: Washington, DC 20585–0121. If
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
Regarding a Specific Accrediting www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, possible, please submit all items on a
Agency or State Approval Agency through the advanced search feature at CD, in which case it is not necessary to
Under Review this site, you can limit your search to include printed copies.
Written comments about the documents published by the 4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Building
recognition of a specific accrediting or Department. Energy Codes Program, U.S. Department
State agency must be received by of Energy, Building Technologies Office,
August 13, 2017, in the 950 L’Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 600,
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Document Created: 2018-10-24 11:20:13
Document Modified: 2018-10-24 11:20:13
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Call for written third-party comments. | |
| 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] | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 34511 |
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