A. The board of regents of northern New Mexico college may choose to partner with one or more area school districts to be the parent institution of a branch community college established by the school districts to provide technical and vocational education. The branch community college may be co-located on the northern New Mexico college main campus or on its El Rito campus. Notwithstanding the provisions of N.M. Stat. Ann. Chapter 21, Article 14, the co-located branch community college shall be under the direction of the president of northern New Mexico college and shall operate under the administrative structure of northern New Mexico college. Otherwise, the board of the branch community college shall have the same powers over financing and financial control as provided for boards of other branch community colleges in N.M. Stat. Ann. Chapter 21, Article 14.

B. The board of regents and the area school boards or the elected board of the branch community college may agree to have northern New Mexico college offer its technical and vocational courses through the branch community college. If so offered, those courses shall not be eligible for funding from the northern New Mexico state school land grant permanent fund income fund or be eligible to benefit in any way as a land grant beneficiary.