Engineering and surveying university support program.

A. The board may establish an "engineering and surveying university support program" that provides strategies to enhance recruitment and retention of New Mexico professional engineers and professional surveyors, increase career and educational opportunities and improve interaction with the engineering and surveying professions and institutions of higher education. The program may provide direct educational and training scholarships through qualified New Mexico educational institutions to candidates for the engineering and surveying professions willing to reside and practice in New Mexico. The program may also provide funding for equipment and related materials at qualified New Mexico educational institutions to support the education of engineering and surveying students. The amount of funding provided pursuant to the program shall not exceed annually two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) in the aggregate. B. The board may request and use appropriations to establish, implement and maintain the engineering and surveying university support program. Any appropriation shall be deposited in the engineering and surveying university support fund.