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

SPONSOR Begaye

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/24/08

1/25/08 HB 169

SHORT TITLE NMSU Digital Pathways Education Program

SB

ANALYST Cox

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$150.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

New Mexico State University -NMSU

Responses Received From

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 169 requests an appropriation of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) from

the General Fund to the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University for expenditure in

fiscal year 2009 to support the digital pathways distance education program.

Distance learning is a concept that enables students to receive education via a computer at

remote and/or distant locations.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation is not included in the HED’s funding recommendation for FY09.

The appropriation of one hundred fifty thousand dollars contained in this bill is a recurring

expense to the General Fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of

Fiscal Year 2009 shall revert to the General Fund.

House Bill 169 - Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

While many New Mexico Pueblos and Reservations are beginning to rebuild their economic

infrastructure with increasing employment opportunities, there is a significant lack of American

Indian college graduates to fill professional management positions. As a result, Tribal industries,

government, education, and health care systems need community members with professional

degrees to meet the immediate and long-term needs of their communities.

Digital Pathways project, funded through NMSU and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, seeks to

further American Indian educational efforts by developing a recruiting and mentoring network

and supporting students as they earn degrees. This project has successfully addressed the

following: 1) Using American Indian mentors to work with tribes and SIPI (Southwest Indian

Polytechnic Institute) to identify, recruit, and mentor American Indian students. Mentors are

shared between Acoma and Laguna; Cochiti and Santo Domingo; and the pueblos of the Eight

Northern Indian Pueblo Council (Nambé, Picuris, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, San Juan, Santa

Clara, Tesuque, and Taos). 2) Partnering with SIPI to develop a pipeline for students to earn

baccalaureate degrees after completing an associate degree with SIPI. 3) Developing online

programs in high need areas as described by New Mexico’s American Indian Nations. 4)

Coordinating these efforts with the New Mexico Tribal Higher Education Commission acting as

advisory council. 4) Holding an annual conference of tribal leaders, participants, and community

members to address program effectiveness, progress, and issues.

This legislative request will extend mentoring to the Navajo Reservation and offer scholarships

to Native students in Digital Pathways. American Indian students who attend SIPI pay no tuition,

so transitioning to NMSU could be a financial hardship: Diné tuition (425/semester) is below

NMSU’s ($2,226/semester). Additionally, we recruit non-traditional, place-bound (living in their

native communities) students with fewer opportunities for scholarships.

PRC/nt