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

SPONSOR Nava

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/10/06

HB

SHORT TITLE Transfer Articulation Program

SB 598

ANALYST Earp

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$148.8

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Higher Education Department (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 598 appropriates $148,840 from the general fund to the Higher Education Depart-

ment (HED) for the maintenance and operation of the New Mexico Transfer Articulation Pro-

gram.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $148,840 contained in this bill would be a recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall

revert to the general fund. Information provided by HED indicates these funds would support

1.5 FTE positions and associated costs to fully implement the provisions of the Post-secondary

Education Articulation Act established pursuant to Senate Bill 161 of the 2005 legislative ses-

sion. These funds would augment the operational budget for the department that is included in

the General Appropriation Act.

Senate Bill 598 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Post-secondary Education Articulation Act (Sections 21-1B-1 through 6 NMSA 1978) es-

tablishes state requirements for transferability of academic courses among New Mexico institu-

tions of higher education, including the development of a 35 hour transferable General Education

core and transfer modules in various academic disciplines. Section 21-1B-6F states that:

“The general education core, the discipline module for business and early childhood edu-

cation and the common course numbering and naming system for all courses in those

modules shall be effective by spring semester 2006, and the printed materials of all insti-

tutions shall conform to the system by fall 2006. A minimum of three additional disci-

pline modules shall be effective not later than fall semester 2007 and an additional three

discipline modules by fall semester 2008.”

This legislation would provide additional resources to the department to perform the develop-

mental and reporting responsibilities of the Post Secondary Articulation Act.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

HED has a statutory responsibility to performing this function. The department would be re-

sponsible for defining the job descriptions of the proposed new positions, as well as recruiting

and selecting the individuals to be hired.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

HED provided the following background information that may be of interest:

What is articulation.

In higher education, articulation is the process of facilitating the automatic transfer of agreed-

upon courses from one public post-secondary institution to another. This means that a student

can take courses at colleges and universities across the state knowing which will be accepted at

other public post-secondary institutions toward completion of a degree.

How will articulation help New Mexico students.

- Articulation will define each course and course module that will transfer among public post-

secondary institutions for credit toward degree completion.

- Students who pass a course with a C or better on the State Common Core matrix will not have

to take it more than once.

- The number of credit hours many students take will decrease, saving them and the state money.

- The Lottery Success Scholarship and other funds will not be depleted by duplication of courses

- Two and four year public post-secondary institutions will increase their communication and

cooperation.

- More students will graduate with certificates and advanced degrees from New Mexico colleges

and universities

Why does New Mexico need an articulation process.

Given the geographic distances in New Mexico and the number of people living in rural areas, it

is important that courses students take at two-year public colleges transfer to other two-year col-

leges and four-year public universities. in the past, many New Mexico students took courses lo-

Senate Bill 598 – Page

3

cally only to find out that they were not accepted by other public colleges and universities. This

resulted in the student having to take, and pay for, the same course more than once costing the

student time and money.

Currently in New Mexico, many students graduate from four year public post-secondary institu-

tions with a surplus of credit hours, which is a cost to them and the state. More significantly,

only 35.6% of freshmen earn a degree within six years compared to 47.7% nationally (Improving

Student Success in Postsecondary Education in New Mexico, p.6). This is due in part to the lack

of articulation between public post-secondary institutions. Students often receive elective credit

for transfer courses which do not fulfill specific requirements for degree completion.

What is New Mexico doing to address articulation.

Representatives from public post-secondary institutions formed an Articulation Task Force to

carry out SB161. The 35 hour general education core has been determined and will form a

statewide matrix that will eventually be posted on the NMHED website with links to institutional

websites for advisor and student use. Three 65 hour modules representing the first two years of

courses in business, criminal justice and early childhood education were developed. Three new

modules will be developed each year. In addition, registrars are working to develop common

course numbering and a course crosswalk between like courses and course sequences.

What will these funds be used for.

The funds will be used to create 1.5 Full-Time Employees (FTE) at NMHED to fully implement

statewide articulation. This FTE will monitor course submissions from public post-secondary

institutions, interact with institutions concerning questions or complaints, and conduct trainings

to explain the articulation system. The half-time position will create, update and monitor the ar-

ticulation website.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

HED would need to continue implementation of the requirements of the Post Secondary Articu-

lation Act within the constraints of its existing operating budget.

DKE/yr