New Accreditation Proposed Rules Delayed Until 2025
Accreditation Negotiated Rulemaking
The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) conducted the Program Integrity and Institutional Quality negotiated rulemaking ending in March 2024. In a press release, USDE released proposed regulations on distance education programs, TRIO programs and Return to Title IV.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) will be published in the Federal Register, allowing stakeholders and the public an opportunity to provide comments on the NPRM. The comment period will be 30 days. The USDE goal is to publish the final rule by November 1, 2024, with implementation set for July 1, 2025.
The negotiators also considered regulations on accreditation, State authorization, and cash management. USDE now states that the NPRM on these issues will be released in 2025.
Because these rules will be delayed past November 1, 2024, these potential rules may not take effect until July 1, 2026. James Kvaal, U.S. Under Secretary of Education, wrote in a blog post, “Proposed regulations related to State authorization, including State authorization reciprocity agreements, cash management, and accreditation will be published by next year.” The accreditation and State authorization rules are of most concern to CHEA.
Whether the rules will be published or take effect may be determined by who wins the presidential election.
National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity
The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) will meet as a committee and education staff, in person, August 6 – 8, 2024, 9:00AM – 5:00PM EST. All other participants are invited to join the meeting virtually. Assistant Secretary of Postsecondary Education Dr. Nasser Paydar will provide a USDE policy update at the NACIQI meeting.
NACIQI is the advisory board to the Secretary of Education that provides recommendations on the recognition of accrediting organizations by USDE. In this meeting, NACIQI will consider the Renewal of Recognition for three state agencies and seven accrediting organizations.
Bill Requiring Accrediting Organizations to Review Campus Policies on Protests
A new bill was introduced in the House of Representatives called the No Tax Dollars for College Encampments Act. It would make federal accreditation for institutions contingent on having and abiding by rules to stop encampments, campus building takeovers, and other civil disturbances on campuses. The bill would require institutions to disclose their civil disturbance response plans, requiring coordination between campus and local law enforcement and linking federal funding to policy implementation. It would require compliance to be monitored by accrediting organizations.
Chair Foxx not seeking a waiver to remain Chair of the Education Committee
Chair Virginia Foxx has announced that she will not seek another waiver to remain Chair of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce. If the Republicans maintain the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Burgess Owens, Chair of the Higher Education Subcommittee and Congressman Tim Walberg, a member of the Committee, are running to be the next Chair of the Committee. If the Democrats take over the majority in the House, Ranking Member Bobby Scott would likely become the Chair of the Committee again.