[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 34, Volume 3]

[Revised as of July 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 34CFR602.23]



[Page 205]

 

                           TITLE 34--EDUCATION

 

 CHAPTER VI--OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 

PART 602_THE SECRETARY'S RECOGNITION OF ACCREDITING AGENCIES--Table of 

Contents

 

                 Subpart B_The Criteria for Recognition

 

Sec. 602.23  Operating procedures all agencies must have.



    (a) The agency must maintain and make available to the public, upon 

request, written materials describing--

    (1) Each type of accreditation and preaccreditation it grants;

    (2) The procedures that institutions or programs must follow in 

applying for accreditation or preaccreditation;

    (3) The standards and procedures it uses to determine whether to 

grant, reaffirm, reinstate, restrict, deny, revoke, terminate, or take 

any other action related to each type of accreditation and 

preaccreditation that the agency grants;

    (4) The institutions and programs that the agency currently 

accredits or preaccredits and, for each institution and program, the 

year the agency will next review or reconsider it for accreditation or 

preaccreditation; and

    (5) The names, academic and professional qualifications, and 

relevant employment and organizational affiliations of--

    (i) The members of the agency's policy and decision-making bodies; 

and

    (ii) The agency's principal administrative staff.

    (b) In providing public notice that an institution or program 

subject to its jurisdiction is being considered for accreditation or 

preaccreditation, the agency must provide an opportunity for third-party 

comment concerning the institution's or program's qualifications for 

accreditation or preaccreditation. At the agency's discretion, third-

party comment may be received either in writing or at a public hearing, 

or both.

    (c) The accrediting agency must--

    (1) Review in a timely, fair, and equitable manner any complaint it 

receives against an accredited institution or program that is related to 

the agency's standards or procedures;

    (2) Take follow-up action, as necessary, including enforcement 

action, if necessary, based on the results of its review; and

    (3) Review in a timely, fair, and equitable manner, and apply 

unbiased judgment to, any complaints against itself and take follow-up 

action, as appropriate, based on the results of its review.

    (d) If an institution or program elects to make a public disclosure 

of its accreditation or preaccreditation status, the agency must ensure 

that the institution or program discloses that status accurately, 

including the specific academic or instructional programs covered by 

that status and the name, address, and telephone number of the agency.

    (e) The accrediting agency must provide for the public correction of 

incorrect or misleading information an accredited or preaccredited 

institution or program releases about--

    (1) The accreditation or preaccreditation status of the institution 

or program;

    (2) The contents of reports of on-site reviews; and

    (3) The agency's accrediting or preaccrediting actions with respect 

to the institution or program.

    (f) The agency may establish any additional operating procedures it 

deems appropriate. At the agency's discretion, these may include 

unannounced inspections.



(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 

1845-0003)



(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)



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