A group representing specialized accreditors has written to Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings to protest what it sees as arbitrary and inconsistent moves by the Education Department to change the rules for accreditors. The letter of complaint was sent by Cynthia A. Davenport, executive director of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors. The body represents 50 accrediting groups, including those that certify degree programs in health sciences, psychology, and engineering.

The complaint refers to the last meeting of a committee that supervises the accreditors on behalf of the Education Department, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, known as Naciqi. Accreditors must be re-recognized by the committee every five years in order for the programs they accredit to be eligible for federal support, including student aid. Ms. Davenport wrote: “We saw inconsistent and unclear recommendations by staff; inconsistent actions by Naciqi; new and different interpretations of longstanding recognition requirements; arbitrary imposition of new mandates; extensive discussions of issues that are outside the scope of the recognition criteria; and a general lack of courtesy and respect.”

The letter says the Education Department endeavored at the recent committee meeting to force several accreditors to adopt more stringent standards in such areas as facilities and student learning. The letter also says that the review of an accreditor overseeing law programs included lengthy discussion of its standards on “diversity,” an issue over which, Ms. Davenport says, the department has no say.

Accreditors voiced concerns about the possibility of such moves before an Accreditation Forum called by Ms. Spellings last month. At the gathering she tried to dispel the concerns by promising to make any changes in concert with the accreditors.