New Mexico Higher Education Department (2016). New Mexico Higher Education Department Annual Report, 2016. The New Mexico Higher Education Department strives to bring leadership, guidance, and assistance to New Mexico's higher education stakeholders. The HED is committed to promoting best practices, institutional fiscal responsibility, and student achievement. Everything the agency does is through the lens of supporting New Mexico's higher education institutions and enhancing student success. Higher education is an economic engine which fosters innovation and shapes the future workforce. Over the past two years, the higher education Department (HED) has made substantial progress on strengthening policy reforms and forming long term vision for a more cohesive New Mexico higher education system. On December 5th, 2016, Governor Susana Martinez enacted Executive Order 2016-037 establishing New Mexico's long-term "Route to 66" Goal for 66% of the New Mexico population to have attained some form of postsecondary education by the year 2030 (i.e. New Mexico's "Route to 66" Goal). The "Route to 66" Goal was selected by a plurality of higher education stakeholders who attended an HED-hosted attainment goal meeting on August 18, 2016. At this attainment goal meeting, the HED presented four attainment goal scenarios to an audience comprised of higher education leaders and state government officials. These attainment goal scenarios came from an attainment projection model that was developed by HED staff in consultation with the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce. As a result of the August 18 attainment goal meeting, Governor Susana Martinez formally announced the "Route to 66" Goal at the Governor's Second Annual Higher Education Summit on September 23, 2016 and then formalized Executive Order 2016-037. Executive Order 2016-037 tasks the HED Cabinet Secretary with chairing a Higher Education Statewide Strategic Planning Committee and developing a strategic plan for improving statewide higher education coordination and increasing educational attainment. The purpose of the New Mexico "Route to 66" Goal and strategic plan will be to provide sustainable policy guidance to the New Mexico higher education system for the long-term. This annual report outlines the initiatives and accomplishments of the HED and its composite divisions in 2016. Executive summaries are provided by the following divisions: (1) Policy & Programs; (2) Planning and Research; (3) Adult Education; (4) GEAR UP; (5) Private and Postsecondary Schools; (6) Financial Aid; and (7) Institutional Finance.   [More]  Descriptors: Higher Education, Annual Reports, Educational Improvement, Education Work Relationship