HOUSE BILL 84

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024

INTRODUCED BY

Joy Garratt

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION; REQUIRING A MINIMUM COMPENSATION FOR NON-TEMPORARY AND TEMPORARY FACULTY AT PUBLIC POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of Chapter 21 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] MINIMUM COMPENSATION AT PUBLIC POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR NON-TEMPORARY AND TEMPORARY FACULTY.--

          A. As used in this section:

                (1) "nine-month contract" means a contract to work at a public post-secondary educational institution from the fall term through the spring term;

                (2) "non-temporary faculty" means an employee at a public post-secondary educational institution, including an instructor, professor, lecturer or clinician educator, with a continuous faculty appointment; and

                (3) "temporary faculty" means an employee at a public post-secondary educational institution, including an adjunct, instructor or term teacher, with a fixed-term or temporary faculty appointment.

          B. The minimum compensation for non-temporary faculty at a public post-secondary educational institution shall be:

                (1) sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) when appointed to a full-time, nine-month contract at a four-year institution; or

                (2) fifty-five thousand dollars ($55,000) when appointed to a full-time, nine-month contract at a two-year institution.

          C. The minimum compensation for temporary faculty employed at a public post-secondary educational institution shall be:

                (1) two thousand dollars ($2,000) per credit hour at a four-year institution; or

                (2) one thousand eight hundred thirty-three dollars ($1,833) per credit hour at a two-year institution."

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Forty-four million dollars ($44,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the higher education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2025 and subsequent fiscal years to meet the compensation needs of non-temporary and temporary faculty at public post-secondary educational institutions. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

     SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2024.

- 3 -