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|
SPONSOR: |
Varela |
DATE TYPED: |
02/08/02 |
HB |
409 |
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SHORT TITLE: |
Higher Education Technology Fund |
SB |
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ANALYST: |
Fernandez |
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APPROPRIATION
|
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
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|
FY02 |
FY03 |
FY02 |
FY03 |
|
|
|
|
$500.0 |
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Non-Recurring |
General fund |
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|
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|
|
|
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(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Relates
to HB248, SB257 and HCOR959
Commission on Higher Education (CHE)
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
House Bill 409
appropriates $500.0 from the general fund to the higher education technology
fund, administered by CHE, to support the development of a New Mexico virtual
college. This bill also changes the
name of the “Extended Learning Fund” to the Higher Education Technology Fund”,
removes the requirement to fund extended learning pilot program and expands the
purpose of the fund to include information technology projects.
Significant
Issues
CHE presents the following information:
The Extended Learning Fund was created in 1995
for distance education project funding but never received an appropriation.
Since then it has become apparent that it is essential for higher education
institutions to invest in technology for many purposes, such as administrative
systems, infrastructure upgrades and replacement, and other types of projects.
The changes proposed by House Bill 409 will enable the New Mexico Commission on
Higher Education (CHE) to use the fund for the annual information technology
project funding recommendations and creates the ability to provide start-up
funds for all types of information technology needs at our colleges and
universities.
Addressing a specific significant need
identified by the CHE, the New Mexico Virtual College (NMVC) will use current
and emerging technologies to facilitate access to higher education through
collaboration among member institutions. Resource sharing will enable the NMVC
to reduce duplication of effort while providing learning opportunities to all
New Mexicans regardless of location. The NMVC is not expected to grant degrees;
using a "home/provider" model, it will serve instead as a single point
of contact for students to enroll in courses from one or more institutions and
to receive a degree from the "home" member institution.
This proposal was included in the New Mexico
Association of Community College’s funding requests for FY 2002-03, submitted
for review as part of the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education’s
Information Technology Projects process. This year the CHE received 21 requests
for funding; a total of approximately $7.3 million. This request, for $520,000, was ranked as the CHE's second priority
of 15 projects. Funding for $500,000 was recommended, to be awarded through the
Commission's statewide Extended Learning Fund - proposed to be renamed as the
Higher Education Technology Fund by HB 409.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of
$500.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund
for expenditure in fiscal year 2003 and subsequent fiscal years. Any unexpended
or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert
to the general fund.
CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP
Relates to HB248 and
SB257. Both bills appropriate $500.0 to
CHE for the purpose of funding New Mexico Virtual College.
[1]Begin typing on the * in replace mode. Do not add or delete spaces.