Industry and academic professionals with the Associated Collegiate Press national critique service evaluated all student work published in Kokopelli during the spring 2022 semester. This evaluation resulted in Kokopelli earning an ACP "First Class" rating with two marks of distinction for “Coverage and Content” and “Online Exclusive/Timely Content.”

The critique included live feedback via Zoom and a formal written report and score card. Darren Phillips, who serves as Kokopelli's faculty adviser and publisher, set up the live critique to coincide with his JOUR 427 final exam meeting. This allowed students to interact with the judges and to receive both praise and constructive criticism in real time.

Students in the JOUR 427 capstone course published approximately 75 stories this semester, which works out to about one story a day, Monday through Friday, for 15 weeks. These numbers mark Kokopelli's official return to pre-pandemic production levels.