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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Picraux

 

DATE TYPED:

2/16/03

 

HB

HJR 22

 

SHORT TITLE:

Boards of Regents Selection Process, CA

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

L. Baca

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

NFI

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

IDENTICAL TO: SJR 18

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

 

Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Joint Resolution proposes amendments to the Article 12 of the Constitution of New Mexico to make changes in the selection process for boards of regents.  The amendment would apply to all constitutional, public institutions except New Mexico School for the Deaf, the New Mexico Military Institute, the Northern New Mexico State School, or the New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped.

 

     Significant Issues

 

Senate Joint Resolution 18, if adopted by the voters, will change the number of regents from five to seven for the following institutions:

 

Northern New Mexico Community College

Eastern New Mexico University

New Mexico Highlands University

Western New Mexico University

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

New Mexico State University

 

One section (page 3) specifically directs the selection of the University of New Mexico Board of Regents be deleted because the proposal covers all public universities.

 

HJR 22 provides that the boards of regents at each institution will consist of seven members, four of whom shall be qualified electors of the State of New Mexico,

a.       one of whom shall be a member of the student body of the institution, and

b.      one of whom shall be a full-time, tenured member of the faculty of the institution,

c.       no more than four (presently three) of whom at the time of their appointment shall be members of the same political party.

1)         Length of terms for the qualified electors will remain at six years, the length of terms                                  for the student and faculty regents will be two years.

2)                  Selection by the governor, and with the consent of the senate, of the student and faculty members of the board of regents will be from lists provided by the president of the institution, who selects nominees from lists provided by the student body (presently student body presidents) and faculty senate president, respectively, of the institution.

3)                  Provision is made for establishing staggered terms for the members.

4)                  The amendment proposed by this resolution shall be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at the next general election or at any special election prior to that date that may be called for that purpose.

 

LRB/prr