Doña Ana Community College
 | |
| Type | Community college |
|---|---|
| Established | 1973[1] |
| President | Renay Scott[2] |
Academic staff | 682[1] |
Administrative staff | 301 |
| Students |
Credit: 8,535 Non-credit: 5,404[1] |
| Location |
Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States 32°16′34″N 106°45′19″W / 32.2761°N 106.7554°WCoordinates: 32°16′34″N 106°45′19″W / 32.2761°N 106.7554°W |
| Campus | Small city |
| Website |
dacc |
Doña Ana Community College (DACC) is a community college with several campuses in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, mostly in Las Cruces. The school is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.[3] DACC was founded in 1973 to provide associates degrees and technical/vocational training to Las Cruces and neighboring communities.[1] Along with Alamogordo Community College, Carlsbad Community College, and Grants Community College, the school is a branch of New Mexico State University.[4]
As of 2014, the school had 8,535 credit students (including part-time) and 5,404 non-credit students.[1]
DACC's main campus is in Las Cruces, on 15 acres adjacent to New Mexico State University. The school also has facilities in East Mesa, Anthony, Sunland Park, White Sands, Chaparral, and Hatch. Classes are also offered at local high schools.[5]
In 2012 the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) revoked accreditation for DACC's nursing program. Although New Mexico's board of nursing permitted the program to continue, accreditation is a prerequisite for employment in most hospitals and acceptance into other nursing programs, such as the one at New Mexico State.[6] In 2010 the school had been placed on warning status by the NLNAC for having an inadequate ratio of qualified instructors. A lawsuit filed in 2013 by eight nursing students alleges that the school had not notified students of the warning, and had been made aware of the problem as early as 2002.[7] In May 2015, a state judge ruled that the lawsuit would be become a class action, and would include the 100 students enrolled at the time.[8] The nursing department's staffing shortage had been fixed by at least December 2014, and the school said the current program was "well within the standards".[3] In August 2015, it was announced that accreditation had been fully restored. This applied retroactively to students who graduated the previous May.[9]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Quick Facts". Doña Ana Community College. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ↑ "DACC announces new vice president of academic affairs". Las Cruces Sun-News. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- 1 2 Dickson, Todd G. (17 October 2014). "Accreditation visit goes well for DACC". The Las Cruces Bulletin. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- ↑ "New Mexico State University - Fall 2013 Factbook" (PDF). oia.nmsu.edu. New Mexico State University. 2013. p. 6. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- ↑ "Campuses & Facilities". Doña Ana Community College. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ↑ Soular, Diana Alba (10 August 2012). "DACC nursing program loses accreditation; questions loom for students". Las Cruces Sun-News. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- ↑ Soular, Diana Alba (10 May 2013). "DACC nursing students file class action lawsuit against college". Las Cruces Sun-News. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- ↑ "Lawsuit against Dona Ana Community College becomes class action proceeding". kob.com. Associated Press. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ↑ "Dona Ana Community College's nursing program regains baccreditation after 3 years". KVIA.com. ABC News. 5 August 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.