A. The "higher education advisory board" is created to advise the department and the governor on policy matters and perform other functions as provided by law. The board is administratively attached to the department, with administrative staff provided by the department.

B. The secretary shall appoint fourteen members giving due regard to geographic representation, cultural diversity and the composition of higher education institutions in New Mexico. Four members shall represent the four-year public post-secondary educational institutions, one of whom shall represent the university of New Mexico, one of whom shall represent New Mexico state university, one of whom shall represent New Mexico institute of mining and technology and one of whom shall represent either New Mexico highlands university, eastern New Mexico university or western New Mexico university; three members shall represent the two-year public post-secondary educational institutions; one member shall represent the accredited private post-secondary educational institutions; one member shall represent business; one member shall represent college and university faculty; one member shall represent college and university nonfaculty staff; one member shall be a college or university student; one representative of the tribal colleges in New Mexico; and one representative of the Indian nations, tribes and pueblos in New Mexico. The members representing the categories of post-secondary educational institutions shall be the chief executive officers of the institutions of those categories or the chief executive officers' designees. The members representing faculty and nonfaculty staff and the student member shall be the leaders of faculty, staff and student organizations at their respective institutions.

C. Four members of the initial board, including the student member, shall be appointed for two years, five members shall be appointed for three years and five members shall be appointed for four years; thereafter, the student member shall serve a two-year term and the other members shall serve four-year terms. Members are entitled to receive per diem and mileage as provided in the Per Diem and Mileage Act [10-8-1 to 10-8-8 NMSA 1978] and shall receive no other perquisite, compensation or allowance.

D. The board shall annually elect a chair, vice chair and secretary from among its membership. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum for the conduct of business.

E. The board shall meet at the call of the chair at least quarterly. Meetings of the board shall be held in Santa Fe and at other sites within the state at the direction of the board.

History: Laws 2005, ch. 289, § 10.

Emergency clauses. — Laws 2005, ch. 289, § 31 contained an emergency clause and was approved April 7, 2005.