46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

REQUESTING THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION TO STUDY STAFFING PATTERNS FOR FULL- AND PART-TIME FACULTY AND CLASSIFIED STAFF AT NEW MEXICO'S INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RATIOS OF FULL- TO PART-TIME FACULTY AND CLASSIFIED STAFF TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF QUALITY HIGHER EDUCATIONAL LEARNING AND SERVICES.

WHEREAS, there has been a steady increase in the last few years of the employment by New Mexico's public colleges and universities of part-time faculty and classified staff; and

WHEREAS, there is a paucity of information about the effect the employment of these larger numbers of part-time faculty and classified staff has upon the delivery of higher education services; and

WHEREAS, there appear to be few uniform guidelines or rules that New Mexico public colleges and universities use to determine whether hiring part-time faculty and staff instead of full-time personnel will be more or less effective in providing services; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to identify the number and ratio of part-time faculty and classified staff to full-time personnel employed by New Mexico's public colleges and universities; and

WHEREAS, after systematic gathering and analysis of information about the current staffing practices in public higher education institutions, a determination should be made of whether there is a need for setting up a more structured and organized system for hiring and retaining part-time faculty and classified staff in those institutions;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the commission on higher education be requested to perform a comprehensive study to gather information on the numbers and ratios of part-time faculty and classified staff to full-time personnel employed by New Mexico's public colleges and universities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission on higher education include an analysis of the impact of differing ratios of part-time faculty and classified staff on the delivery of higher education services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission on higher education develop recommendations for the use of part-time faculty and classified staff that will enhance and maintain the delivery of quality higher education services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the findings and recommendations of this study be provided to the legislative education study committee by November 1, 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the executive director of the commission on higher education, the superintendent of public instruction and the director of the legislative education study committee for appropriate distribution.