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

SPONSOR:	HEC		DATE TYPED:	3/11/03		HB	HJM104/HECS
SHORT TITLE:		Higher Education Full-time Faculty Study				SB
					ANALYST:		L. Baca

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY03	FY04	FY03	FY04
	NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to SJM 36

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Education Committee Substitute for House Joint Memorial 104 requests that the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) study staffing patterns for full-and part-time faculty and classified staff at New Mexico’s institutions of higher education and make recommendations for ratios of full-time to part-time faculty and classified staff to maintain and improve the delivery of quality higher education services.

Significant Issues

There has been a trend to hiring increased numbers of part-time faculty and classified staff in New Mexico and nationally. However, there is a dearth of information concerning the impact of this practice on the delivery of higher education services. Moreover, there appears to be an absence of guidelines to determine whether to hire full-time or part-time faculty and staff instead of full-time personnel. The quality of education in a college or university requires the appropriate and effective use of faculty and staff. Consequently, the CHE is requested to:

• establish guidelines for the use of full- and part-time faculty that do not exceed those ratios that currently reflect recognized best practices and will enhance and maintain the delivery of quality higher education services;

• systematically and annually monitor and analyze information regarding the impact of those guidelines on the quality of education at institutions of higher education;

• implement formal and continued annual monitoring ratios of full-time to part-time faculty and staff and determine the impact on the delivery of higher education services; and

• transmit the recommendations and findings of the guidelines and monitoring to the Legislative Education Study Committee by November 1, 2002.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The CHE is requested to implement the provisions of CS/ HJM 104 within existing resources. The study will require that considerable staff time be devoted to fulfilling the request in the memorial.

LRB/njw