20 USC 1011 - National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity

View all text of Part B [§ 1011 - § 1011m]

§ 1011c. National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity

(a) Establishment

(b) Membership

(1) In generalThe Committee shall have 18 members, of which—

(A) six members shall be appointed by the Secretary;

(B) six members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, three of whom shall be appointed on the recommendation of the majority leader of the House of Representatives, and three of whom shall be appointed on the recommendation of the minority leader of the House of Representatives; and

(C) six members shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, three of whom shall be appointed on the recommendation of the majority leader of the Senate, and three of whom shall be appointed on the recommendation of the minority leader of the Senate.

(2) QualificationsIndividuals shall be appointed as members of the Committee—

(A) on the basis of the individuals’ experience, integrity, impartiality, and good judgment;

(B) from among individuals who are representatives of, or knowledgeable concerning, education and training beyond secondary education, representing all sectors and types of institutions of higher education (as defined in section 1002 of this title); and

(C) on the basis of the individuals’ technical qualifications, professional standing, and demonstrated knowledge in the fields of accreditation and administration in higher education.

(3) Terms of members

(4) Vacancy

(5) Initial termsThe terms of office for the initial members of the Committee shall be—

(A) three years for members appointed under paragraph (1)(A);

(B) four years for members appointed under paragraph (1)(B); and

(6) Chairperson

(1) advise the Secretary with respect to establishment and enforcement of the standards of accrediting agencies or associations under subpart 2 of part H of subchapter IV;

(2) advise the Secretary with respect to the recognition of a specific accrediting agency or association;

(3) advise the Secretary with respect to the preparation and publication of the list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies and associations;

(4) advise the Secretary with respect to the eligibility and certification process for institutions of higher education under subchapter IV, together with recommendations for improvements in such process;

(5) advise the Secretary with respect to the relationship between—

(A) accreditation of institutions of higher education and the certification and eligibility of such institutions; and

(B) State licensing responsibilities with respect to such institutions; and

(6) carry out such other advisory functions relating to accreditation and institutional eligibility as the Secretary may prescribe by regulation.

(d) Meeting procedures

(1) Schedule

(A) Biannual meetings

(B) Publication of date

(2) Agenda

(A) Establishment

(B) Opportunity for public comment

(3) Secretary’s designee

(4) Chapter 10 of title 5

(e) Report and notice

(1) NoticeThe Secretary shall annually publish in the Federal Register—

(A) a list containing, for each member of the Committee—

(i) the member’s name;

(ii) the date of the expiration of the member’s term of office; and

(iii) the name of the individual described in subsection (b)(1) who appointed the member; and

(B) a solicitation of nominations for each expiring term of office on the Committee of a member appointed by the Secretary.

(2) ReportNot later than the last day of each fiscal year, the Committee shall make available an annual report to the Secretary, the authorizing committees, and the public. The annual report shall contain—

(A) a detailed summary of the agenda and activities of, and the findings and recommendations made by, the Committee during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which the report is made;

(B) a list of the date and location of each meeting during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which the report is made;

(D) a list of the functions of the Committee, including any additional functions established by the Secretary through regulation.

(f) Termination

(Pub. L. 89–329, title I, § 114, as added Pub. L. 105–244, title I, § 101(a), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1592; amended Pub. L. 110–315, title I, § 106(a), Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3090; Pub. L. 113–174, § 1, Sept. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 1900; Pub. L. 114–113, div. H, title III, § 309, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2638; Pub. L. 115–31, div. H, title III, § 308, May 5, 2017, 131 Stat. 552; Pub. L. 115–141, div. H, title III, § 308, Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 750; Pub. L. 115–245, div. B, title III, § 306, Sept. 28, 2018, 132 Stat. 3105; Pub. L. 116–94, div. A, title III, § 305, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2595; Pub. L. 116–260, div. H, title III, § 305, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1608; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(146), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4322.)