supplement formal instruction at the principal project site in such country.

(c) A. U.S. institution may enter into arrangements with foreign institutions for the use of such institutions' instructional facilities and for other forms of assistance.

(d) Seminars of less than 6 weeks' duration will seldom be approved.

(22 U.S.C. 2452(b) (6); 45 CFR 148.31, 148.34) $7.2 Curriculum development teams.

Teams composed of several faculty members (who may be accompanied by selected graduate students) may spend a period of time, normally 2 to 12 months, in a foreign country or region to acquire resource materials for curriculum development in the foreign language and area studies programs of their U.S. institution. Such materials may include artifacts, books, documents, educational films, museum reproductions, recordings, and other instructional materials. Proposals should indicate plans for the systematic utilization and dissemination of the materials in the United States.

(22 U.S.C. 2452(b) (6); 45 CFR 148.31, 148.34) $7.3 Group research or study.

(a) Group research or study may be undertaken in a foreign country or region for a period, normally 2 to 12 months, by scholars and advanced graduate students selected by a U.S. institution. The U.S. institution should make arrangements for guidance, training, and maintenance abroad as well as for any clearances or affiliations necessary for conducting such research or study in the host country.

(b) Proposals to carry out research should provide evidence that participants possess the requisite language proficiency to conduct the research and that the disciplinary competence of the participants is correlated with their research topics.

(c) Participants in projects of a semester or more should have completed a minimum of one full semester of intensive language training and at least one course in area studies relevant to the project.

(22 U.S.C. 2452(b) (6); 45 CFR 148.31, 148.33, 148.36)

$7.4 Summer intensive language programs.

(a) Summer programs in non-Western languages may normally be assisted for a period of 8 to 12 weeks.

(b) Languages taught in such programs must be indigenous to the host country. While cultural orientation programs may be utilized as part of the language training, such activities should be clearly subordinated

to intensive instruction in the

language.

(c) Programs administered by university consortiums which serve students recruited on a nation-wide basis will receive preference. (d) Students participating in such programs should be prepared to enter language courses at the advanced level.

(e) Maximum use should be made of the host country's instructional personnel. Participation of U.S. academic personnel should be limited essentially to administrative and professional planning functions such as those inherent in the role of a program director.

(22 U.S.C. 2452 (b) (6); 45 CFR 148.31, 148.34) § 7.5 Academic year intensive language programs.

(a) Academic year intensive language programs may be assisted, normally for 9 to 12 months, in such critical non-Western languages as Chinese and Japanese.

(b) Programs administered by university consortiums which serve students recruited nation-wide will receive preference.

(c) At least 90 percent of the instructional time in such a program should be spent in language training.

(d) Program participants should have a minimum language proficiency equivalent to that normally achieved after 2 years' language study at the college level.

(22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6); 45 CFR 148.31, 148.33, 148.34)

§ 7.6 Summer seminars related to domestic ethnic heritage programs.

(a) Summer seminars and workshops abroad related to domestic ethnic heritage programs which focus on the overseas origins of ethnic groups in the United States may be assisted, normally for periods of 8 to 12 weeks.

(b) Participants should be primarily elementary and secondary school teachers and curriculum supervisors engaged in conducting or planning ethnic studies programs.

(c) Participants from school systems containing a large concentration of students from the ethnic groups whose geographical origins are to be studied are encouraged to apply.

(d) Projects submitted by school systems should be planned cooperatively with U.S. colleges or universities having programs of established excellence in international and/ or intercultural studies.

(22 U.S.C. 2452(b) (6); 45 CFR 148.31, 148.33, 148.34) Part 8-Applications

§ 8.1 Application procedures.

Project proposals should be prepared according to materiais available from the Division of International Education, Office of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202. (22 U.S.C. 2452(b) (6); 45 CFR 148.32) Part 9-Insurance

§ 9.1 Health and accident insurance.

Each institution should ensure that its Group Projects Abroad participants will be covered by health and accident insurance while they are taking part in their project.

They may enroll under a U.S. Governmentcontracted group insurance policy. (22 U.S.C. 2452 (b) (6); 45 CFR 148.36) Chapter IV-Foreign Curriculum Consultants

Part 10-Types of Activities

$ 10.1 Duties of a consultant.

(a) A Foreign Curriculum Consultant may provide an institution with a wide variety of services. These may include:

(1) review of textbooks and other educational materials;

(2) evaluation of library holdings and recommendations for new acquisitions;

(3) preparation of new instructional materials for use in the classroom;

(4) development of new units of study; (5) conduct of demonstration classes and workshops for teachers;

(6) speaking at community functions; and

(7) teaching (normally not to exceed one regular classroom course per semester).

(b) The particular needs of each applicant determine the types of activities to be performed by the consultant. These needs should be stated explicitly and fully in the application.

(22 U.S.C. 2452 (b)(6); 45 CFR 148.42)

148.41,

(8) examples of correction of misconceptions among students with regard to the consultant's own country or region;

(9) evidence of strengthened language capability or classroom instruction;

(10) examples of new teaching materials that the consultant produced or helped to produce;

(11) significant quotes by the consultant or Americans concerning the consultant's activities; and

(12) photographs of the consultant at work or engaged in community affairs. (22 U.S.C. 2452(b) (6); 45 CFR 148.41) § 12.2 Consultant reports.

Consultants are normally asked to make two progress reports on their activities. The reports should be submitted in December and March of the academic year. The types of materials that might be included in these reports are those listed in items (2) through (10) of § 12.1 above.

(22 U.S.C. 2452(b) (6); 45 CFR 148.41)

PART 149 COMMISSIONER'S RECOGNI TION PROCEDURES FOR NATIONAL ACCREDITING BODIES AND STATE AGENCIES

Subpart A-Criteria for Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies and Associations

Part 11-Applications

11.1 Application procedures.

Sec.

149.1

Formal proposals should be prepared in accordance with materials available from the Division of International Education, Office of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202. (22 U.S.C. 2452 (b) (6); 45 CFR 148.42) Part 12-Reports

Scope.

149.2

149.3

149.4

Definitions.

Publication of list.

Inclusion on list.

149.5

Initial recognition; renewal of recognition.

§ 12.1 Institutional report.

Each grantee should submit a final program report which specifically describes the consultant's contribution to the improvement of modern foreign language and area studies at the institution. Matters such as the following should be discussed or included in the report:

(1) the degree to which the objectives stated in the project proposal have been achieved;

(2) the formal program or workload of the consultant;

(3) specific objectives set for the consultant to strengthen the sector of the educational program with which the consultant was primarily concerned;

(4) concrete evidence of the value of the consultant's contribution;

(5) description of a typical day or week of the consultant's activity;

(6) evidence of any stimulus to learning among students to whom the consultant was exposed;

(7) acknowledgement of the worth of the consultant's endeavors from teachers, supervisors, community leaders, etc.;

149.6 Criteria.

Subpart A-Criteria for Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies and Associa tions

AUTHORITY: (20 U.S.C. 403(b), 1085(b), 1141(a), 1248(11)); (42 U.S.C. 293a (b), 29513(b), 295h-4(1) (D), 298b(f)); (8 U.8.0. 1101(a) (15) (F)); (12 U.S.O. 1749c (b)); (88 U.S.C. 1775 (a)).

SOURCE: 39 FR 30042, Aug. 20, 1974, unless otherwise noted.

§ 149.1 Scope.

Accreditation of institutions or programs of institutions by agencies or associations nationally recognized by the U.S. Commissioner of Education is a prerequisite to the eligibility for Federal financial assistance of institutions and of the

students attending such institutions under a wide variety of federally supported programs. The recognition of such agencies is reflected in lists published by the Commissioner in the FEDERAL REGISTER. Inclusion on such list is dependent upon the Commissioner's finding that any such recognized agency or association is reliable authority as to the quality of training offered. The Commissioner's recognition is granted and the agency or association is included on the list only when it meets the criteria established by the Commissioner and set forth in § 149.6 of this part.

§ 149.2 Definitions. "Accrediting" means the process whereby an agency or association grants public recognition to a school, institute, college, university, or specialized program of study which meets certain established qualifications and educational standards, as determined through initial and periodic evaluations. The essential purpose of the accreditation process is to provide a professional judgment as to the quality of the educational institution or program(s) offered, and to encourage continual improvement thereof;

"Adverse accrediting action" means denial of accreditation or preaccreditation status or the withdrawal of accreditation or preaccreditation status;

"Agency or association" means a corporation, association, or other legal entity or unit thereof which has the principal responsibility for carrying out the accrediting function;

"Institutional accreditation" applies to the total institution and signifies that the institution as a whole is achieving its educational objectives satisfactorily;

"Regional" means the conduct of institutional accreditation in three or more States;

"Representatives of the public” means representatives who are laymen in the sense that they are not educators in, or members of, the profession for which the students are being prepared, nor in any way are directly related to the institutions or programs being evaluated;

"States" includes the District of Columbia and territories and possessions of the United States.

(20 U.S.C. 1141(a))

§ 149.3 Publication of list.

Periodically the U.S. Commissioner of Education will publish a list in the FEDERAL REGISTER of the accrediting agen

Any accrediting agency or association which desires to be listed by the Commissioner as meeting the criteria set forth in § 149.6 should apply in writing to the Director, Accreditation and Institutional Eligibility Staff, Bureau of Postsecondary Education, Office of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202.

§ 149.5 Initial recognition, and renewal of recognition.

(a) For initial recognition and for renewal of recognition, the accrediting agency or association will furnish information establishing its compliance with the criteria set forth in § 149.6. This information may be supplemented by personal interviews or by review of the agency's facilities, records, personnel qualifications, and administrative management. Each agency listed will be reevaluated by the Commissioner at his discretion, but at least once every four years. No adverse decision will become final without affording opportunity for a hearing.

(b) In view of the criteria set forth in § 149.6, it is unlikely that more than one association or agency will qualify for recognition (1) in a defined geographical area of jurisdiction or (2) in a defined field of program specialization within secondary or postsecondary education. If two or more separate organizations in a defined field do seek recognition, they will both be expected to demonstrate need for their activities and show that they collaborate closely so that their accrediting activities do not unduly disrupt the affected institution or program.

(1) Its scope of operations:

(1) The agency or association is national or regional in its scope of operations.

(ii) The agency or association clearly defines in its charter, by-laws or accrediting standards the scope of its activities, including the geographical area and the types, and levels of institutions or programs covered.

(2) Its organization:

(1) The agency or association has the administrative personnel and procedures to carry out its operations in a timely and effective manner.

(ii) The agency or association defines its fiscal needs, manages its expenditures, and has adequate financial resources to carry out its operations, as shown by an externally audited financial statement.

(iii) The agency's or association's fees, if any, for the accreditation process do not exceed the reasonable cost of sustaining and improving the process.

(iv) The agency or association uses competent and knowledgeable persons, qualified by experience and training, and selects such persons in accordance with nondiscriminatory practices: (A) to participate on visiting evaluation teams; (B) to engage in consultative services for the evaluation and accreditation process; and (C) to serve on policy and decisionmaking bodies.

(v) The agency or association includes on each visiting evaluation team at least one person who is not a member of its policy or decision-making body or its administrative staff.

(3) Its procedures:

(i) The agency or association maintains clear definitions of each level of accreditation status and has clearly written procedures for granting, denying, reaffirming, revoking, and reinstating such accredited statuses.

(ii) The agency or association, if it has developed a preaccreditation status, provides for the application of criteria and procedures that are related in an appropriate manner to those employed for accreditation.

(iii) The agency or association requires, as an integral part of its accrediting process, institutional or program self-analysis and an on-site review by a visiting team.

(A) The self-analysis shall be a qualitative assessment of the strengths and limitations of the institution or program, including the achievement of institu

tional or program objectives, and should involve a representative portion of the institution's administrative staff, teaching faculty, students, governing body, and other appropriate constituencies.

(B) The agency or association provides written and consultative guidance to the institution or program and to the visiting team.

(b) Responsibility. Its responsibility will be demonstrated by the way in which

(1) Its accreditation in the field in which it operates serves clearly identified needs, as follows:

(i) The agency's or association's accreditation program takes into account the rights, responsibilities, and interests of students, the general public, the academic, professional, or occupational fields involved, and institutions.

(ii) The agency's or association's purposes and objectives are clearly defined in its charter, by-laws, or accrediting standards.

(2) It is responsive to the public interest, in that:

(i) The agency or association includes representatives of the public in its policy and decision-making bodies, or in an advisory or consultative capacity that assures attention by the policy and decision-making bodies.

(ii) The agency or association publishes or otherwise makes publicly available:

(A) The standards by which institutions or programs are evaluated;

(B) The procedures utilized in arriving at decisions regarding the accreditation status of an institution or program;

(C) The current accreditation status of institutions or programs and the date of the next currently scheduled review or reconsideration of accreditation;

(D) The names and affiliations of members of its policy and decisionmaking bodies, and the name(s) of its principal administrative personnel;

(E) A description of the ownership, control and type of legal organization of the agency or association.

(iii) The agency or association provides advance notice of proposed or revised standards to all persons, institutions, and organizations significantly affected by its accrediting process, and provides such persons, institutions and organizations adequate opportunity to comment on such standards prior to their adoption.