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

SPONSOR Marquardt

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2-8-2006

HB 707

SHORT TITLE NMSU-Alamogordo Music Program

SB

ANALYST Dearing

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$35.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

New Mexico Department of Higher Education (NMDHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 707 appropriates $35,000 from the general fund to the New Mexico State University

Board of Regents in order to provide funding for the music program at the Alamogordo branch

of NMSU.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $35,000 contained in this bill is 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.

This request was not in the list of priority projects submitted by NMSU to the New Mexico

Higher Education Department for review and was not included in the Department’s funding rec-

ommendation for fiscal year 2007.

House Bill 707 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The New Mexico Higher Education Department (NMHED) is committed to the adequate and

equitable support of necessary instructional, student services, and academic support initiatives

for all students in New Mexico. Activities to be funded in this proposal are currently recom-

mended for funding through the Instruction and General (I&G) higher education funding formula

within the General Appropriation Act. Funding of this program without consideration of similar

needs at all institutions could weaken the equitability and thus the integrity of the established

I&G formula funding process.

The Department of Music at NMSU has been an established, independent department since

1962. The department’s goals include providing quality education to students, and to preparing

them of the successful careers as educators, in public schools or in private studios, and preparing

them to successfully pursue graduate studies in music at recognized and established institutions

and conservatories nationwide.

The music programs at the Alamogordo Branch of NMSU (NMSU-A) would utilize this appro-

priation to continue to grow the current music program by offering new courses as well as up-

dated equipment.

The mission of NMSU’s music department is to:

Prepare students for careers in the field of music

Give all students opportunities to perform, study and experience music

Enhance cultural atmosphere through proving performances to the community

ADMINISTRATION IMPLICATIONS

Funds to be administered through the existing program.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The music program at the Alamogordo Branch of NMSU would have to find alternative funding

sources to expand the current music program, offer new courses and update equipment. Expan-

sion of course offerings could be postponed.

PD/nt