Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance

committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

if they are used for other purposes.

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).

Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and

attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

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

SPONSOR Gutierrez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/23/08

HB 174

SHORT TITLE NMSU Chicano Program Outreach & Retention

SB

ANALYST Haug

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$55.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Higher Education Department (HED)

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 174 appropriates $55.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New Mexico

State University to hire staff for outreach to and retention of students in Chicano programs.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $55.0 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.

The HED states that this request was not on the list of priority projects submitted by NMSU to

the New Mexico Higher Education Department and was not included in the Department's

funding recommendation for FY09.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

As highlighted by NMSU, the retention rate for first-time non-minority freshmen to their second

year of college at NMSU has been between 75% -76% in the last four years. The same retention

House Bill 174 – Page

2

rate for Hispanic students has been between 69%-75% in the same period. A co-hort of 57 first-

time Hispanic freshmen at NMSU who accessed various services in Chicano Programs was

tracked in the academic year 06-07. Students in this cohort were retained at a rate of 78%. This is

evidence that ombudsman services, information on scholarships, and information focused on the

needs of first generation students is helpful in increasing retention rates. The increased retention

of students and maximization of the use of the Legislative Lottery Scholarship results in

increased economic potential for all New Mexicans. The Chicano Programs office has a staff of

2.5 full-time employees (including a secretary). The Hispanic student population of NMSU's

main campus is 6,743 students. This results in a student to staff ratio of 2,697 to 1. This is much

greater than the student load at other student-support programs. The Chicano Programs office

also provides support and leadership development to 12 Hispanic student organizations and is

involved with various agencies and departments on campus and in the community. The increase

in staff would enable Chicano programs to reach more students of all ethnic and racial

backgrounds and help enable them to obtain a higher level of academic achievement.

GH/bb