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New NACIQI Holds Its First Meeting

NAICU Washington Update

December 22, 2010

The reconstituted National Advisory Council on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) held its first meeting on December 1-2 to begin tackling a backlog of work that has been accumulating since Congress dismantled the body in 2008.  [See 6/29/09 Washington Update.]

Originally scheduled to meet for three days, the group completed its deliberations in two - in part, due to the decision of the American Academy of Liberal Education (AALE) to withdraw its petition for recognition.  Department staff had identified 45 areas in which they believed the agency was not in compliance with federal rules.

Although the primary responsibility of NACIQI is to advise the Secretary of Education regarding the federal recognition of accreditation agencies, it is also authorized to offer advice to the Secretary regarding broad accreditation issues.  At the request of Secretary Duncan, the group has established a subcommittee to develop recommendations for changes to the Higher Education Act, to be submitted to Congress for consideration in the next reauthorization.  

The subcommittee will begin its work with a two-day forum in February, with further discussions planned for June and early fall.  They anticipate presenting final recommendations for approval by the full NACIQI membership at its December 2011 meeting.

A two-page outline of topics to be addressed at the February forum includes a wide-ranging set of questions regarding the appropriate interaction between accreditation and the federal government, acceptable measures of quality, and additional measures that could be included in accreditation reviews.

Members of the subcommittee include:    

Susan D. Phillips, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, State University of New York at Albany (Chair)
Arthur E. Keiser, Chancellor, Keiser Collegiate System
William E. (Brit) Kirwan, Chancellor, University System of Maryland
Daniel J. Klaich, Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, Nevada System of Higher Education
Anne D. Neal, President, American Council of Trustees and Alumni
William Pepicello, Provost and President, University of Phoenix
Jamienne S. Studley, President and CEO, Public Advocates, Inc.
Cameron C. Staples, Member, Connecticut House of Representatives (ex officio)
Arthur J. Rothkopf, President Emeritus, Lafayette College (ex officio)

Contact

• Susan Hattan
  susan@naicu.edu