SENATE MEMORIAL 35

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2016

INTRODUCED BY

Pete Campos

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, TO APPOINT A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW THE ADEQUACY, APPROPRIATENESS AND ALIGNMENT OF BRANCH AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE STATUTES AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STATUTORY CHANGES.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico statutes relating to the organization and operation of two-year post-secondary institutions and programs have evolved in a piecemeal, haphazard way over many years; and

     WHEREAS, these statutes include those for branch community colleges in Chapter 21, Article 14 NMSA 1978, first codified by the New Mexico legislature in 1957, under which four branch community college campuses of New Mexico state university, four campuses of the university of New Mexico and two campuses of eastern New Mexico university currently operate; and

     WHEREAS, these statutes include the Community College Act, enacted by the New Mexico legislature in 1963, under which six locally governed community colleges currently operate; and

     WHEREAS, these statutes include the Technical and Vocational Institute Act, enacted in 1963, under which central New Mexico community college currently operates; and

     WHEREAS, these statutes include the Off-Campus Instruction Act, enacted in 1982, under which no institutions currently operate; and

     WHEREAS, these statutes also include the College District Tax Act, the Learning Center Act and the Workforce Training Act, among others; and

     WHEREAS, some provisions in these statutes may be obsolete, duplicative or no longer relevant to current practice; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico legislature needs a review and update of these statutes to ensure that the legal framework relating to two-year post-secondary institutions is adequate, appropriate and aligned to current and future requirements;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the higher education department be requested to appoint a "branch and community college task force" to conduct a thorough review of all relevant New Mexico statutes of adequacy, appropriateness and alignment and to develop recommendations for modification to be presented to the first session of the fifty-third legislature; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be appointed by the secretary of higher education, in consultation with the secretary of public education and branch and community college presidents; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force membership include geographic and demographic representation that is reflective of New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force develop recommendations to be presented to the appropriate legislative committees by December 1, 2016 for consideration by the 2017 legislature; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of higher education, the secretary of public education and the presidents of the state's branch and community colleges.

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