In future accreditation reviews, it will now be referred to as an “additional location” | President says she will continue to call it a “campus” | Is this new designation a loss of prestige?

It will probably come as a surprise to most readers of the Blog that after 50 years the Verde Campus in Clarkdale has lost its designation as a “branch campus” of Yavapai Community College.  It will now be referred to as an “additional location” during required accreditation reviews. 

This new designation for the Verde Campus, according to the College, will occur after the accreditation inspection scheduled for September of this year.  The new designation appears to be a downgrading of its status and a loss of prestige.

According to the College, the shift in designation is a response to a change in the federal Department of Education code of regulations, which made the Verde Valley Campus ineligible to be classified as a branch campus.  It must be considered an “additional campus” for accreditation purposes.  The College President did not suggest in a note to Third District Representative Paul Chevalier in August what changes could be made on the Verde Campus that would return it to a more prestigious campus designation.

Critics may argue that the change adds a psychological arrow to the quiver of the Prescott based administration  in its effort to keep control  of the Verde Valley Campus from local residents. Lowering its prestige, goes this argument, may lower the value of the college in the eyes of local residents and consequently reduce their interest in seriously developing it.   Critics may also argue that this sends a clear message to everyone in Yavapai County that the Prescott location is the only true campus in the County and, therefore, its most prestigious learning center. 

With its new designation, the Verde Campus becomes an “additional location” with the same formal status as centers like Chino Valley, Prescott Valley and Sedona.

Kudos to Third District Representative Paul Chevalier who discovered this change and was willing to share Community College President Lisa Rhine’s note to him about it.  The President’s response is reproduced unedited and in full below:

“1.          In the past, the Verde Valley location was classified by our accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission, as a “branch campus” in alignment with an old federal definition.  In preparation for our visit and in consultation with our HLC Liaison, we learned that the Verde Valley location is not eligible to be classified as a ‘branch campus’ due to a change in the federal Department of Education code of regulations.  At HLC’s advisement, the Verde Valley location’s classification is now accurately categorized as an “additional location”  to ensure accurate reporting and accreditation compliance in alignment with the federal definition.  We are free to call the location whatever we want and will continue to call it a “campus” and brand it as we would like.  This year when HLC visits, they will visit the Verde Valley as part of the review since that is already arranged for September but, in the future, it will be visited on the regular HLC rotation with the other ‘additional location.’”

“Above from the President.”