2021 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 21 - State and Private Education Institutions
Article 8 - New Mexico State University
Section 21-8-7 - [Course of instruction; books; diplomas and degrees; removal of officers.]

The immediate government of the several departments shall be intrusted to their respective faculties, but the regents shall have the power to regulate the course of instruction and prescribe, under the advice of the faculty, the books and authorities to be used in the several departments, and also to confer such degrees and grant such diplomas as are usually conferred and granted by other agricultural colleges. The regents shall have power to remove any officer connected with the agricultural college [New Mexico state university] or experiment station when, in their judgment, the best interests of the college [university] require it.

History: Laws 1889, ch. 138, § 27; C.L. 1897, § 3560; Code 1915, § 5138; C.S. 1929, § 130-1012; 1941 Comp., § 55-2507; 1953 Comp., § 73-26-7.

Bracketed material. — The bracketed material was inserted by the compiler and is not part of the law.

Laws 1889, ch. 138, § 2, created and established the agricultural college and agricultural experiment station of New Mexico, as an institution of learning. Laws 1893, ch. 61, § 24, changed the name of the agricultural college and agricultural (experiment) station of New Mexico to the New Mexico college of agriculture and mechanic arts. Article XII, Section 11, of the constitution of New Mexico, as repealed and reenacted November 8, 1960, further changed the name to the New Mexico state university. See also 21-8-2 NMSA 1978.

Cross references. — For tuition and matriculation fees, see 21-1-2 NMSA 1978.

For removal of faculty member for cause after trial, see 21-1-7 NMSA 1978.

Power to revoke degrees. — The plain language of this section gives the Regents exclusive power to confer degrees. Implicit in that power must be the authority to revoke degrees. Hand v. Matchett, 957 F.2d 791 (10th Cir. 1992).

To the extent a power to revoke degrees is recognized, it is vested exclusively in the Regents. None of the statutes governing the university expressly allow the Regents to delegate this or any other power. Hand v. Matchett, 957 F.2d 791 (10th Cir. 1992).

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 15A Am. Jur. 2d Colleges and Universities §§ 1, 5, 11 to 13, 31, 41.

Dismissal or rejection of public school teacher because of disloyalty, 27 A.L.R.2d 487.

Elements and measure of damages in action by school teacher for wrongful discharge, 22 A.L.R.3d 1047.

Student's right to compel school officials to issue degree, diploma, or the like, 11 A.L.R.4th 1182.

14A C.J.S. Colleges and Universities §§ 17, 19, 25, 29.