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HOUSE MEMORIAL 73

TH LEGISLATURE

- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -

FIRST SESSION

, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio "Moe" Maestas

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIENCES

CENTER ASSESS POLICIES FOR THE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND

TENURE OF HISPANIC, NATIVE AMERICAN AND OTHER MINORITY HEALTH-

RELATED FACULTY AT NEW MEXICO'S PUBLIC POST-SECONDARY

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

WHEREAS, the Hispano-Latino advisory council, created at

the university of New Mexico health sciences center, sponsored

a health summit in 2006; and

WHEREAS, among the council's priorities were obtaining

more support for cultural and linguistic competence programs,

replacing funding for the combined bachelor's degree-doctor of

medicine program at the university of New Mexico health

sciences center and examining hiring patterns of tenure-track

faculty; and

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WHEREAS, a baseline study of faculty who are tenured or on

a tenure track at the university of New Mexico health sciences

center documented that, while tenured and tenure-track

Hispanic-Latino faculty on the main campus increased seven and

one-half percent and ten and nine-tenths percent, respectively,

between the years 1990 and 2004, the increase at the health

sciences center was less than one percent; and

WHEREAS, the total number of tenure-track faculty at the

university of New Mexico health sciences center increased from

sixty-six in 1990 to ninety-five in 2004, the increase in

tenure-track Hispanic-Latino faculty during the same period

only increased from five to eight; and

WHEREAS, the Hispanic-Latino tenure-track faculty ratio in

basic sciences fell during the same period, from thirty-one

percent in 1990 to twelve percent in 2004; the Hispanic-Latino

tenure-track faculty ratio in nursing fell from fifteen percent

to six percent; and the Hispanic-Latino tenure-track faculty

ratio in pharmacy remained unchanged; and

WHEREAS, a study of the recruitment, retention and hiring

practices of Hispanic-Latino, Native American and other

minority health-related faculty at all New Mexico public post-

secondary educational institutions could help to identify

physicians, nurses and other public health professionals

interested in academic medicine; and

WHEREAS, such a study could assemble data on existing

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faculty at state educational institutions who are available for

academic appointments and on existing medical students who are

interested in academia; and

WHEREAS, the study could identify trends in current hiring

and could predict future needs; and

WHEREAS, the study could examine fiscal, attitudinal and

other barriers to increasing the recruitment of, awarding

tenure to and retaining minority faculty in the health

sciences; and

WHEREAS, the study could investigate promising and best-

practice models for addressing work force diversity within the

schools of medicine, pharmacy and nursing; and

WHEREAS, the study could conclude with recommendations for

programming, funding and policy changes;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE NEW MEXICO that the university of

New Mexico health sciences center be requested to assess

recruitment, retention and hiring practices for Hispanic-

Latino, Native American and other health-related faculty

personnel at the health sciences center and at other state

public post-secondary educational institutions in the state;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, by November 2007, the

university of New Mexico health sciences center report to the

interim legislative health and human services committee its

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findings and its plans to correct any deficiencies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the executive vice president for health sciences

at the university of New Mexico school of medicine, the

secretary of higher education, the chair and vice chair of the

legislative health and human services committee and the

governor.

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