45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO DIRECT THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION TO STUDY THE USE OF NONTENURE-TRACK FACULTY BY NEW MEXICO'S POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN PLACE OF TENURE-TRACK, FULL-TIME PROFESSIONAL FACULTY AND TO REPORT TO THE APPROPRIATE INTERIM LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.

WHEREAS, a quality college or university must have a staff of full-time, permanent, tenured faculty to maintain high academic standards; and

WHEREAS, public colleges and universities are resorting to replacing tenured and tenure-track faculty positions with increasing numbers of nontenure-track and part-time teaching positions; and

WHEREAS, courses should be taught by highly qualified people, whether full-time or part-time, tenured or nontenured, who are paid a professional salary and included in the academic processes; and

WHEREAS, studies have shown that the majority of part-time faculty members teach under substandard conditions; and

WHEREAS, part-time and nontenure-track positions are disproportionately occupied by women; and

WHEREAS, national professional organizations representing university and community college faculty, administrators and trustees have agreed that fair compensation for part-time and nontenure-track faculty should be based on commensurate qualifications with tenure-track faculty, with a goal of pro rata rather than per-course-hour rates;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to direct the appropriate interim legislative committee to review the growing dependence on part-time and nontenure-track faculty in New Mexico's post-secondary educational institutions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission on higher education and each post-secondary educational institution be requested to report to the appropriate interim legislative committee on the use and compensation of part-time and nontenure-track faculty; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission on higher education, in consultation with post-secondary educational institutions and faculty organizations, consider policies designed to discourage over-reliance on part-time and nontenure-track faculty for undergraduate instruction while protecting those instructors performing effectively in such positions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission on higher education make recommendations by November 2002 to the appropriate interim legislative committee on the establishment of minimum salary and fringe benefits provisions indexed to tenure-track faculty compensation for part-time and nontenure-track faculty to ensure fair employment and consistent emphasis on quality instruction at all levels, from lower divisions through graduate instruction; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to members of the New Mexico legislative council, the commission on higher education and the president of each of New Mexico's post-secondary educational institutions.