SENATE MEMORIAL 108

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2015

INTRODUCED BY

George K. Munoz

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE FOR TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS AND THE UNIFORM PERCENTAGE BY WHICH TO CALCULATE TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS, AND TO NOTIFY ALL ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS OF THE DETERMINATIONS BY JUNE 1 ANNUALLY.

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico legislative lottery tuition scholarship encourages New Mexico high school graduates and New Mexico general education diploma recipients to enroll full time and complete a two-year degree within four semesters or a four-year degree within eight semesters; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico legislative lottery tuition scholarship provides financial support by paying a portion of the cost of tuition at any New Mexico public post-secondary institution; and

     WHEREAS, the fall semester for most public post-secondary institutions begins the second week of August and the spring semester begins the second week of January; and

     WHEREAS, Subsection A of Section 21-21N-4 NMSA 1978 provides that prior to June 1 of each year, the higher education department shall:

          A. determine the total amount of money available for all student scholarships for qualified students;

          B. determine the uniform percentage by which to calculate tuition scholarships for qualified students attending any public post-secondary educational institutions; and

          C. notify all public post-secondary educational institutions of the determinations; and

     WHEREAS, students have to be able to plan for their expenses while attending college; and

     WHEREAS, currently, scholarship amounts and the percentage used to calculate tuition scholarships are not being reported by June 1 as mandated in statute and higher education department Rule 5.7.20.11 NMAC;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the higher education department be requested to adhere to the statutory and regulatory requirements to make available the scholarship amounts that will be awarded for both the fall and spring semesters and the percentage used to calculate legislative lottery tuition scholarships by June 1 annually; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the higher education department be requested to make the scholarship amounts and percentage calculations available to the public by June 1 annually; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of higher education and to the boards of regents or governing bodies of public post-secondary educational institutions providing legislative lottery tuition scholarships.

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