N.M. Admin. Code § 5.3.12.8

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 17, September 10, 2024

Section 5.3.12.8 - GENERAL PRINCIPLES GUIDING INSTRUCTIONAL FUNDING

A. Funding priorities: The department is committed to ensuring equitable access to quality educational services to give all citizens the opportunity to fulfill their potential, regardless of their place of residence. Therefore, a major objective of the department's annual funding recommendations will be to encourage the most effective and efficient means of delivering higher education services to citizens throughout New Mexico.

B. Academic quality: Quality is an essential component of the department's agenda for higher education in New Mexico.

(1) By reporting student credit hours earned for state support, an institution concurs and agrees that all credits are derived from courses and programs that meet generally accepted principles of quality as used by the appropriate regional accrediting association, including, but not limited to:

(a) Each program of study results in learning outcomes appropriate to the rigor and breadth of the degree or certificate awarded.

(b) Degree or certificate programs are coherent and complete.

(c) The program provides for appropriate interaction between faculty and students and among students.

(d) Qualified faculty provide appropriate oversight of each course and program.

(e) The program is consistent with the institution's role and mission.

(f) Institutional review and approval processes ensure that each course and program is appropriate for the learning delivery system being used.

(g) The institution provides appropriate training and support services for faculty.

(h) The program ensures that appropriate learning resources are available to students.

(i) The program provides students with clear, complete and timely information on the curriculum, course and degree requirements, nature of faculty/student interaction, assumptions about technological competence and skills, technical equipment required, availability of support services and financial aid resources, and cost and payment policies.

(j) Students accepted for the course or program have the background, knowledge and technical skills needed to undertake the program.

(k) Students enrolled in the course or program have reasonable and adequate access to the range of student services appropriate to support their learning.

(l) The institution evaluates the program's educational effectiveness, including assessment of student learning outcomes, student retention, and student and faculty satisfaction. Students have access to such program evaluation data.

(m) Policies for faculty evaluation include appropriate consideration of teaching and scholarly activities related to various learning delivery systems.

(n) The institution demonstrates a commitment to ongoing support, both financial and technical, and to continuation of the program for a period sufficient to enable students to complete a degree/certificate.

(2) In implementing regular enrollment audit and program review processes, the department has both a right and a responsibility to test credits to ensure these standards are met.

C. Funding mechanisms: The department affirms its expectation that educational services provided to students be of the highest quality regardless of where or when instruction is offered. Therefore, in order to provide an adequate and equitable distribution of state funds to public higher education institutions in support of both on- and off-campus instruction, all eligible student credit hours will be used in the calculation of the recommended instructional and general appropriation.

D. Tuition credit: While the governing boards of New Mexico's public higher education institutions are assigned the responsibility for setting tuition and fee charges at their respective institutions, as part of its statutory responsibility the department is concerned with the adequate financing of these institutions and with the equitable distribution of funds among them. Because it is the policy of the department that every New Mexico citizen who desires public post-secondary education should have access to these educational opportunities, tuition credit for off-campus instruction shall be established for the sponsoring institutions at the same level as that set for resident and nonresident students on-campus.

E. Funding eligibility: To meet its responsibility to ensure access to high quality education for New Mexico's residents in a manner that promotes the effective and efficient use of available public tax dollars, the department recognizes that it is necessary to define types of instruction eligible for state funding. Therefore, the department asserts as a matter of public policy, that courses and programs provided by public institutions of higher education in New Mexico that are received within the geographic boundaries of the state are eligible for state funding if they meet the following criteria:

(1) Courses and programs must demonstrate academic quality, consistent with the expectations stated in Subsection B of 5.3.12.8 NMAC.

(2) Courses must be offered for academic credit, or for developmental credit at non-doctoral institutions.

(3) Courses typically must be accessible to members of the general public who meet admissions standards and prerequisites. However, this paragraph is not intended to preclude state funding for course sections offered to specialized audiences or at locations inaccessible to the general public (e.g., secure areas on military reservations).

(4) In order to promote the responsible use of public resources and build upon existing institutional strengths, courses available off-campus must be related to educational programs offered by the institution to students on-campus. Likewise, programs available off-campus must fall within program areas offered on-campus and degrees available off-campus may not be at a level higher than offered on-campus.

F. Geographic service areas: The department acknowledges that rapidly evolving information technologies can deliver instructional services to many individuals without regard to their geographic location. However, the department also acknowledges that public two-year post-secondary institutions are provided supplemental funding through local tax levies, and are thus expected to meet the local taxpayers' educational needs. The department is committed to responding to the changing needs of the state and will examine alternative means of ensuring access and local accountability. At this time the department maintains that each two-year higher education institution's local taxing district shall constitute its geographic service area for the direct provision of lower division instruction, subject only to limitations imposed by its enabling legislation, and consistent with the provisions of Subsection C of 5.3.12.9 NMAC until June 30, 2006.

N.M. Admin. Code § 5.3.12.8

1/10/91, 9/30/96, 5.3.12.8 NMAC - Rn & A, 5 NMAC 3.12.8; 11/30/01; A, 7/31/05