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

SPONSOR Pinto

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/7/2007

2/8/2007 HB

SHORT TITLE UNM Gallup Indigenous Nations Library Program SB 814/aSIAC

ANALYST McOlash

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$200.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Indian Affairs Department (IAD)

Public Education Department (PED)

Higher Education Department (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of SIAC Amendment

The Senate Indian and Cultural Affairs Committee amendment broadens the application of SB

814 to all UNM libraries and emphasizes that services are to be delivered to all tribal communi-

ties.

Synopsis of Original Bill

Senate Bill 814 appropriates $200,000 from the General Fund to the UNM Regents for expendi-

ture in FY 2008 to continue the indigenous Nations Library Program work, including expanding

services provided by the Tribal Information Project to all campuses (especially Gallup); adding

to the Native collections and increasing resources at UNM libraries; providing assistance for the

Bachelor’s degree in Native American Studies; developing Native American information and

research skills; and increasing the success and retention of Native American students.

Senate Bill 814 – Page

2

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $200,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the General Fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY 2008 shall revert to the

general Fund.

The list of activities funded under SB 814 includes expanding services, providing assistance, de-

veloping research skills, and increasing the success and retention of students – all recurring ex-

penditures. Adding to collections and increasing information resources might be appropriately

classified as non-recurring expenditures but the amounts for these efforts are not specified.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Indian Affairs Department SB 814 Analysis

UNM’s Indigenous Nations Library Program was developed in 2004 to serve

the information needs of UNM-based American Indian communities and pro-

grams as well as outreach to New Mexico tribes. Its goals are to recruit, retain,

and ensure academic success of American Indian students and to foster re-

search on and about the state's rich Native American history and resources.

1

Native American students at UNM graduate at lower rates than students from

most other ethnic groups. According to the Council of University President’s

Performance Effectiveness Report for New Mexico Universities, November

2006, only 27.6% of Native American students entering UNM in the fall of

1999 graduated within six years. White non-Hispanic students graduated at a

rate of 47% over the same time span.

1

According to a handout compiled by the University of New Mexico libraries, it

is seeking $180,000 in funding for the Indigenous Nations Library Program for

FY 2008.

2

No specific mention is made of the Gallup program in that docu-

ment. The University Libraries’ 2005-2006 Annual Report states that the seed

money for the creation of the program was provided via legislative appropria-

tion in 2004 and that it has been funded again by the Legislature in subsequent

years.

3

1

From the UNM Library’s Website:

http://elibrary.unm.edu/inlp/about.php

1

From NM HED: http://hed.state.nm.us/cms/kunde/rts/hedstatenmus/docs/649408-12-21

3

http://elibrary.unm.edu/

(Click on “UL Legislative Requests for 2007")

4

elibrary.unm.edu/deansoffice/ULAnnualReport05-06.pdf (p.45)

This request was not submitted by UNM to the HED and is not included in the Department’s

funding recommendation for FY08.

Senate Bill 814 – Page

3

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

The activities listed in SB 814 suggest a very ambitious, quite possibly overly ambitious, under-

taking relative to the level of funding requested.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The University of New Mexico has several degree-granting programs concentrating on American

Indian or indigenous studies. The degree programs include Native American Studies, Language

Literacy and Socio-cultural Studies, Native American Linguistics, and Community and Regional

Planning. The Indigenous Nations Library Program serves the information needs of UNM-based

American Indian communities and programs as well as outreach to New Mexico tribes.

The HED analysis indicates the proposed appropriation will be used to continue the work of the

Indigenous Nations Library Program and will include the expansion of information services to

UNM-Gallup and other branch campuses. Some of the funds will be used to add to the existing

library holding of Native literature, materials, and references to enhance the information re-

sources available through the UNM libraries. The library resources are essential to student re-

search and the services provided by the staff in the Indigenous library are vital to increasing the

success and retention of the university's American Indian students. UNM-Gallup enrolls and

graduates the highest number of American Indian students who eventually transfer to the main

UNM campus to continue their studies.

BM/yr