The New Mexico Nursing Association sent a letter addressed to Barbara Couture regarding Dona Ana Community College's loss of accreditation and recommended the college hires a new program director.

"This director should have knowledge and experience with NLNAC accreditation and be known and respected by the local healthcare community," NMNA Executive Director Carolyn Roberts wrote.

Tracy Lopez is the current program director and has held the position since May 2011.

Kim Miller is a clinical nurse specialist who used to teach at DACC before resigning in May.

"You need a very, very experienced director at this point," Miller said.

Miller said she agrees with most of the NMNA's assessment that the college needs to hire a new program director, one with more experience teaching nursing in a clinical and community college setting.

"I don't think that (Lopez) is experienced enough to be able to take on as big a project as this really is," Miller said. "But she did try hard."

"She's done a great job with the curriculum and the pass rates," DACC spokesperson Jaylene McIntosh said.

DACC said it fully stands behind Lopez and all of its faculty members and said employment rates and pass rates are at their highest levels.

"We support what she's done," McIntosh said.

The NMNA also said the school was warned about losing its accreditation in 2003 but failed to take the necessary steps to keep it from happening.

"The lack of action to prevent the loss by accreditation by Dr. (Margie) Huerta, president of DACC, is especially troubling," Roberts wrote.

"We really felt that we would be accredited and unfortunately we all know the decision and we are working to correct that now by hiring full-time, masters-level faculty," McIntosh said.

The NMNA also recommended that DACC hires a consultant experienced in working with community college nursing programs -- advice that Miller feels could make a big difference.

"The school needs to be completely rebuilt," Miller said.

DACC said it's now offering scholarships to students who choose to remain in the program.