Whenever the said board, by affirmative vote of a majority of its members, duly entered in the minutes of said board, shall, by resolution, determine that it is necessary to erect, alter, improve, furnish or equip any building or buildings at said school [New Mexico institute of mining and technology], or acquire any land for the use thereof, or to acquire land and buildings for use as a branch of said school [institute], or to retire the whole or any part of any series of bonds previously issued by said school [institute] or to refund the same, or for any of said purposes, the board of regents of the New Mexico school of mines [institute] is hereby empowered and authorized to issue and sell, subject to the terms of this act [21-11-15, 21-11-16, 21-11-18 to 21-11-26 N.M. Stat. Ann.], building and improvement bonds of the New Mexico school of mines [institute].