MSCHE Staff Observe July NACIQI Meeting

Ms. Mary Beth Kait, Senior Director for Regulatory Affairs (left), and Dr. Amy Moseder, Senior Policy Analyst and Advisor, at the NACIQI meeting.

Ms. Mary Beth Kait, Senior Director for Regulatory Affairs (left), and Dr. Amy Moseder, Senior Policy Analyst and Advisor, at the NACIQI meeting.

Three staff members from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education attended the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI)meeting held in Alexandria, VA, from July 30–31, 2019. President-Elect Dr. Heather Perfetti; Ms. Mary Beth Kait, Senior Director for Regulatory Affairs; and Dr. Amy Moseder, Senior Policy Analyst and Advisor, heard remarks from officials at the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) while also observing the NACIQI regular meeting agenda that included actions for two regional accrediting agencies.

Diane Auer Jones, USDE Principal Deputy Under Secretary, presented a high-level overview of the regulatory changes that could result from the recent negotiated rulemaking process and discussed, briefly, some of the changes to the Accreditation Handbook.

Robert King, the recently confirmed USDE Assistant Secretary of Postsecondary Education, was introduced and also gave brief remarks.

As part of the meeting, two regional accreditors appeared before NACIQI: The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). ACCJC was recommended both for renewal of recognition for five years and an expansion in scope which would allow its community colleges to offer more than one baccalaureate degree. SACSCOC had a compliance report considered, which was accepted by the NACIQI. In addition, NACIQI’s sub-committee on substantive change presented an update, and the NACIQI voted to create a sub-committee on accreditor oversight of political influence and governance.

NACIQI provides recommendations regarding accrediting agencies that monitor the academic quality of postsecondary institutions and educational programs for federal purposes. Since it reconvened in 2010, NACIQI has been advising the U.S. Secretary of Education on matters concerning accreditation, the Secretary’s recognition process for accrediting agencies, and institutional eligibility for federal student aid, through the Committee’s public meetings.  For more information about NACIQI, visit https://sites.ed.gov/naciqi/.