Higher education
The state House of Representatives passed a measure creating a new regulatory structure for colleges and universities on Friday.
Under the bill, a cabinet-level secretary of higher education would oversee the state's public, post-secondary schools.
The secretary would head up the Department of Higher Education. The secretary would be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.
The Commission on Higher Education regulates the state's colleges now. Members are appointed by the governor and they make funding recommendations to the Legislature.
The bill also creates an advisory board to advise the department and the governor on policy issues. The governor would appoint the board's members.
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The measure is similar to changes recommended by the Governor's Task Force on Higher Education. It is also one of Gov. Bill Richardson's higher education initiatives.
Last year, the Legislature replaced the Board of Education with a cabinet-level secretary of education to oversee K-12 education.
The Higher Education Department Act must be approved by the Senate and signed by the governor before it becomes law. It is in the Senate Education Committee.
The House passed a separate measure on Tuesday that would require standardized placement tests for freshmen.
Under the bill, the tests would determine freshmen's placement into English and mathematics courses.
High school students who intend to go to college would take the test during their junior year, the bill states. If a student's score indicates he or she will need remedial classes before enrolling in a freshman-level math or English class, the high school will provide the student with the classes before graduation.
Testing would begin in fall 2006.
House bill 136 is now in the Senate Education Committee. To be enacted, it must be passed by the Senate and signed by Richardson.
