SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 59

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Cisco McSorley

A JOINT MEMORIAL

RESOLVING TO STUDY THE PART- AND FULL-TIME FACULTY AND STAFF RATIOS AT NEW MEXICO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

     WHEREAS, the commission on higher education has reported that New Mexico universities and colleges use part-time faculty similarly; and

     WHEREAS, the commission on higher education reported no evidence that part-time faculty members are any less capable or qualified than full-time faculty members; and

     WHEREAS, part-time faculty members constitute between thirty and seventy percent of New Mexico post-secondary faculties; and

     WHEREAS, governing boards of New Mexico post-secondary schools have an obligation to carry out their roles and missions equitably and provide leadership and guidance; and

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

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

     WHEREAS, national professional organizations representing post-secondary faculty, administrators and trustees have agreed that fair compensation for part-time and non-tenure-track faculty should be based on qualifications commensurate with tenure-track faculty qualifications, 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 commission on higher education be requested to convene a "best practices task force" to examine compensation practices and conditions of employment for part-time faculty at post-secondary schools; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include both full- and part-time faculty, members of the commission on higher education, staff of the legislative finance committee, representatives of the American federation of teachers and the association of university professors and members of university, community and technical college administrations; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the best practices task force report be presented to an appropriate interim legislative committee by September 30, 2005 and that the report address the following issues: establishment of minimum acceptable levels of salaries and benefits for part-time faculty; indexing part-time faculty to full-time tenure-track faculty; means of recognizing professional stature of part-time faculty; fiscal implications of increased reliance on part-time faculty; and means of addressing inequities in compensation for part-time faculty at post-secondary schools; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the best practices task force develop a set of best practice principles and recommendations for use by all post-secondary schools beginning in the 2007 fiscal year; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission on higher education develop a plan and submit recommendations to the second session of the forty-seventh legislature to address compensation and staffing issues at post-secondary schools and submit to the governor a ten-year implementation plan for improved part-time faculty salaries and benefits; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to members of the commission on higher education and the presidents of each of New Mexico's post-secondary schools.

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