MATC Matters

Dear Faculty and Staff,

This week I am encouraging your participation in two internal surveys: MATC’s AQIP Constellation Survey, which I also mentioned last week, and our Student Senate’s Textbook Survey. The results of both are very important to maintaining and improving our services and access for students.

Help Chart Our Future: Take the Constellation by Friday
We are entering the second and final week to complete the Constellation Survey. The clock is ticking on the number of days – five are left – during which you can let your voice be heard. So far, 222 employees have completed the survey and we need to move that number up significantly by this Friday, Feb. 16!

In 2002, 800 people participated but we’d like to see near 100 % employee participation this year – so we ask each of you to log on and complete the survey by the end of the day this Friday.

There is good reason for employees to take the time – about half an hour, or longer, if you add comments – to participate. The Constellation Survey is key to our successful participation in the AQIP reaccreditation process, through which we must demonstrate that MATC is meeting the standards necessary to maintain our accreditation status. Without accreditation, the credits our students earn would not be accepted for transfer by other colleges and we would not be eligible to offer financial aid to our students.

Help us ensure we maintain our long-held standing as an accredited institution of higher learning. For the good of our students, viability of our college and stability of our own careers, log on to our Constellation Survey, use MATC2 as your password and let your voice be heard!

Cures for Textbook Inflation? Support the Student Senate Survey
We know from another survey, the SSI (Student Satisfaction Inventory) conducted in 2005 (with another one coming up next month!) that one of the biggest concerns of our students is the cost of textbooks. Our Student Senate is taking a proactive role in researching alternatives to reduce the cost of textbooks and is starting with surveys to gather input from faculty and students.

Faculty, please log on to Inside MATC to find a link to your textbook survey, and please let your students know to do likewise to find their version. You also can find the link in our homepage news item about the Textbook Survey. The survey will be available through February 23, so please mention it to your students soon. We are very proud of the initiative our student senators are taking and are eager to work closely with them to develop more affordable textbook options.

Our Giving is Up for Combined Charitable Campaign!
The United Way has let us know that the results our 2006 Faculty and Staff Combined Charitable Campaign are just about in and it looks like our giving is up 18% from our total of $40,000 in 2005. Thanks for showing your spirit of giving – and sharing your income – to help others. These results tell me something I’ve known since I first joined MATC – that we are fortunate to work with so many externally aware and caring colleagues who make the world a better place through their own actions and generosity.

Value in Education
On February 11, the Wisconsin State Journal ran a guest column by the UW Colleges and UW-Extension Chancellor David Wilson, “Expanding Public’s Access to UW” - read what I had to say about our value in with my guest column from a week ago.

MATC Marvels
This evening Don Linstroth, our long-time apprenticeship administrator who retired last year following 31 years of service to MATC, is receiving a high honor shared by only four others this year and 78 individuals ever. Don is being inducted into The Wisconsin Apprenticeship Hall of Fame. Founded in 1983 by the Wisconsin Apprenticeship Council, this honor recognizes individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the success of the Wisconsin Apprenticeship System during their working lifetime.

Robert Gray and his winning John Deere ag tech students captured the top three high individual state scores and finished 1^st, 2^nd and 6^th in team rankings at the spring semester state PAS Ag Service Technician competition. All our winning students will compete in March at the national competition, sponsored by John Deere and Company and the Duramax Diesel Allison Division of General Motors.

Highlights of my week

• Hosted Wendel Barr of Covance, Pat Schramm of the Workforce Development Board, of South Central Wisconsin, Susan Schmitz of Downtown Madison Inc., and Carol Toussaint of Vantage Point.
• Attended the inauguration of the Regional Economic Development Entity Board of Directors.
• Attended the Downtown Madison Rotary Club meeting and heard about the role of three hospitals (Meriter, St. Mary’s and UW-Madison) in the Madison community.
• Met with Captain Brian L. Willison at the Dane County Law Enforcement Training Center in Waunakee.
• Participated in our Master Planning meeting.
• Attended the Governor’s 2007 Economic Development Conference.
• Greeted statewide post-secondary agriculture students at their Spring Competitive Events Conference.
• Met with the leaders from the State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
• Attended the American Council on Education’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.