SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 20

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Leonard Tsosie

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT STUDY THE POLICIES OF NEW MEXICO'S PUBLIC POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS REGARDING THE GRANTING OF TENURE AND THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE POLICIES.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is among the most racially and ethnically diverse states in the nation and prides itself on being so; and

     WHEREAS, in the 2004-2005 school year, approximately sixty-eight percent of New Mexico public school students identified themselves as Hispanic, Native American, African-American or Asian; and

     WHEREAS, in the 2004-2005 school year, approximately thirty-six percent of public post-secondary students were Hispanic, even though Hispanics comprised forty-two percent of the total state population; and

     WHEREAS, in the 2004-2005 school year, approximately seven and one-half percent of public post-secondary students were Native American, even though Native Americans comprised ten percent of the total state population; and

     WHEREAS, less than half of Native American and just over half of Hispanic first-time freshmen proceed to the following fall semester; and

     WHEREAS, the student bodies of New Mexico's public post-secondary institutions are less diverse than the population of the entire state and become even less diverse as students proceed to graduation; and

     WHEREAS, approximately twenty-one percent of college and university faculty members in New Mexico identify themselves as belonging to Hispanic, Native American or other racial or ethnic minorities and approximately thirty-five percent are female; and

     WHEREAS, the number of tenured faculty nationally and in New Mexico who are members of minority racial and ethnic groups or who are female is acknowledged to be even smaller; and

     WHEREAS, the recruitment and retention of well-qualified faculty of all ethnic and racial groups and both genders to achieve a more representative diversity is of value to sustain the viability, vitality and academic excellence of New Mexico's institutions of higher education; and

     WHEREAS, more minority students may be encouraged to proceed to graduation if they have diverse faculty to serve as role models in the academic world, and all students benefit when they have the opportunity to learn from highly qualified faculty who reflect New Mexico's diverse cultural and linguistic character; and

     WHEREAS, the award of tenure is the imprimatur of a post-secondary educational institution that denotes acceptance and respect and becomes the best guarantee of continued employment in a faculty member's chosen field;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the higher education department, in collaboration with public institutions of higher education, be requested to study the policies of New Mexico's public post-secondary institutions regarding the granting of tenure and to examine the current composition of tenured faculty, including gender and ethnicity demographics; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the higher education department be requested to report the findings and recommendations of the study to the legislative education study committee by September 2006; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of higher education and the director of the legislative education study committee for appropriate distribution.