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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR McSorley
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
1/24/08
HB
SHORT TITLE UNM Teaching & Learning Institute
SB 121
ANALYST Cox
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY08
FY09
$784.0
Recurring
General Funds
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Bill 121 requests a seven hundred eighty-four thousand dollars ($784,000) appropriation
from the General Fund to the Board of Regents of the university of New Mexico for expenditure
in fiscal year 2009 to support the University of New Mexico's teaching and learning environment
initiative to increase the percentage of minority faculty members and to support library programs
that celebrate diversity.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of seven hundred eighty four thousand dollars ($784,000) contained in this bill
is a recurring expense to the General Fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance
remaining at the end of Fiscal Year 2009 shall revert to the General Fund.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
HED states that the purpose of the Teaching and Learning Environment Initiative is twofold. The
first purpose is to increase the number of minority faculty members at UNM. Currently, over
50% of the UNM student body is a non-white minority. In contrast just over 20% of the faculty
is a non-white minority. An increase in minority faculty would provide more mentors and role
models for the diverse study population. The second purpose involves strengthening library
programs for minority students including African and Native American studies as well as a new
program for Chicano/Hispanic/Latin American Studies. Through the development of a more
diverse faculty and associated library programs, the university hopes to better teach, mentor, and
support its unique student body.