DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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 preaccreditation (“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 nondegree-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 nondegree-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 nondegree-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 Web site
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).

Antoinette Flores,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation,
Office of Postsecondary Education.

[FR Doc. 2024-14342 Filed: 7/1/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 7/2/2024]