A. The courses of instruction at northern New Mexico college shall:

(1) meet the needs of young people of New Mexico who cannot be served adequately by the local public schools in their home communities;

(2) prepare technical and trade students for occupations and vocations that are useful and necessary in the economy of New Mexico; and

(3) provide academic, technical and vocational instruction beyond the high school level and accredited college level academic instruction.

B. The board of regents of northern New Mexico college may provide quarters for the boarding of resident students.

C. Nothing in this section shall preclude the university of New Mexico from continuing to provide upper college level and graduate courses in any areas in which such courses were being offered prior to January 1, 1977.

D. The board of regents of northern New Mexico college may develop, implement and seek accreditation for a baccalaureate degree program in teacher education.

History: Laws 1909, ch. 97, § 3; Code 1915, § 4987; C.S. 1929, § 120-1919; 1941 Comp., § 55-2133; 1953 Comp., § 73-22-34; Laws 1955, ch. 115, § 3; 1961, ch. 117, § 1; 1963, ch. 77, § 1; 1977, ch. 203, § 1; 2004, ch. 84, § 1; 2005, ch. 304, § 1; 2005, ch. 308, § 1.

The 2005 amendment, effective June 17, 2005, changed "northern New Mexico state school at El Rito" to "northern New Mexico college" in Subsection A; deleted the former provision in Subsection A(3), which provided that in the event the university of New Mexico northern branch is dissolved, the college shall provide accredited college level instruction at those areas presently served by the University of New Mexico northern branch and by the northern New Mexico state school; deleted the former provision of Subsection D, which provided that the board of regents is authorized to develop a degree program in teacher education for the Espanola campus; and deleted the former provisions of Subsection D(1) and (2), which provided that the program for teacher education at the Espanola campus shall be authorized when the board of regents certifies that the program has been developed and is ready for implementation and is ready to receive the accreditation review team and that the northern New Mexico state school shall engage in a partnership with New Mexico highlands university.

Laws 2005, ch. 304, § 3 and Laws 2005, ch. 308, § 3, both effective June 17, 2005, enacted identical amendments to this section. The section was set out as amended by Laws 2005, ch. 308, § 2. See 12-1-8 NMSA 1978.

The 2004 amendments, effective May 19, 2004, added Subsection D.

Law reviews. — For comment, "Education and the Spanish-Speaking - An Attorney General's Opinion on Article XII, Section 8 of the New Mexico Constitution," see 3 N.M.L. Rev. 364 (1973).

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 15A Am. Jur. 2d Colleges and Universities §§ 28, 35; 68 Am. Jur. 2d Schools §§ 219, 220, 298 to 302.

Extent of legislative power with respect to attendance and curriculum, 39 A.L.R. 477, 53 A.L.R. 832.

Power of legislature to impose noneducational function upon state educational institution or instructors therein, 67 A.L.R. 1032.

14A C.J.S. Colleges and Universities §§ 4, 10, 17, 29; 78A C.J.S. Schools and School Districts § 782 et seq., 815.