SENATE BILL 122
47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005
INTRODUCED BY
Mary Jane M. Garcia
FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE
AN ACT
RELATING TO LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIPS; ALLOWING A "STOP OUT" PERIOD FOR STUDENTS IN THE LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
Section 1. Section 21-1-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1971, Chapter 235, Section 1, as amended) is amended to read:
"21-1-4. TUITION CHARGES--DEFINITIONS.--
A. Except as provided in Section 21-1-4.3 NMSA 1978, the state educational institutions set forth in Article 12, Section 11 of the constitution of New Mexico shall charge tuition, which is in addition to earmarked fees, at rates provided by law.
B. During the regular academic year, "full-time student" means a student who is taking twelve or more credit-hours in one semester or quarter. Full-time students during the academic year shall be charged tuition at rates provided by law.
C. During the summer session, "full-time student" means a student who is taking at least a minimum number of credit-hours, which minimum is in the same proportion to twelve credit-hours as the duration and normal credit-hour load of the summer session in the particular institution is to the duration and normal credit-hour load of the institution's regular semester or quarter. Full-time students in the summer session shall be charged tuition at resident and nonresident rates in each institution, which rates shall be in the same proportion to the full-time resident and nonresident rates of that institution for the regular semester or quarter as the minimum number of credit-hours is to twelve hours.
D. "Part-time student" means a student who is taking [less] fewer than the minimum number of credit-hours in a semester, quarter or summer session [than that] required for full-time student status. Part-time students shall be charged tuition at rates per semester- or quarter-credit-hour as provided by law.
E. The commission on higher education shall define resident and nonresident students for the purpose of administering tuition charges in accordance with the constitution and statutes of the state and after consultation with the appropriate officials of the institutions concerned. Each institution shall use the uniform definitions so established in assessing and collecting tuition charges from students.
F. The tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall apply to full-time resident students who suspend the pursuit of a baccalaureate degree for up to two consecutive semesters and return immediately while maintaining all other requirements for eligibility."
Section 2. Section 21-13-10 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1963, Chapter 17, Section 9, as amended) is amended to read:
"21-13-10. BOARD DUTIES.--
A. It is the duty of the community college board to determine financial and educational policies of the community college. The community college board shall provide for the management of the community college and execution of these policies by selecting a competent president for the community college, and, upon the president's recommendation, the board shall employ other administrative personnel, instructional staff or other personnel as may be needed for the operation, maintenance and administration of the community college.
B. The community college board shall have the power to fix tuition and fee rates for resident and nonresident students of the community college district, to accept gifts, to accept federal aid, to purchase, hold, sell and rent property and equipment and to promote the general welfare of the institution for the best interest of educational service to the people of the community college district.
C. To the extent that funds are made available by the legislature from the lottery tuition fund, the community college board shall award tuition scholarships for qualified resident students attending their respective institutions.
D. The tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall apply only to full-time resident students who, immediately upon completion of a high school curriculum at a public or accredited private New Mexico high school or upon receiving a graduate equivalent diploma, are accepted for entrance to and attend a community college. Each tuition scholarship shall be awarded for up to two consecutive years beginning the second semester of the recipient's first year of enrollment, provided that the recipient has maintained residency in New Mexico and maintained a grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale during [his] the first semester of full-time enrollment.
E. The commission on higher education shall prepare guidelines setting forth explicit student continuing eligibility criteria and guidelines for administration of the tuition scholarship program. Guidelines shall be distributed to community college boards to enable a uniform availability of the resident student tuition scholarships.
F. The tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall apply to full-time resident students who suspend the pursuit of an associate's degree for up to two consecutive semesters and return immediately while maintaining all other requirements for eligibility."
Section 3. Section 21-16-10.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1996, Chapter 71, Section 6, as amended) is amended to read:
"21-16-10.1. TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS AUTHORIZED.--
A. To the extent that funds are made available by the legislature from the lottery tuition fund, the board of a technical and vocational institute shall award tuition scholarships for qualified resident students attending a technical and vocational institute.
B. The tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall apply only to full-time resident students who, immediately upon completion of a high school curriculum at a public or accredited private New Mexico high school or upon receiving a graduate equivalent diploma, are accepted for entrance to and attend a technical and vocational institute. Each tuition scholarship shall be awarded for up to two consecutive years beginning the second semester of the recipient's first year of enrollment, provided that the recipient has maintained residency in New Mexico and maintained a grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale during [his] the first semester of full-time enrollment with renewal of an additional two years upon transfer.
C. The commission on higher education shall prepare guidelines setting forth explicit student continuing eligibility criteria and guidelines for administration of the tuition scholarship program. Guidelines shall be distributed to the boards of technical and vocational institutes to enable a uniform availability of the resident student tuition scholarships.
D. The tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall also apply to full-time resident students who suspend the pursuit of an associate's degree for up to two consecutive semesters and return immediately while maintaining all other requirements for eligibility."
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