MATC Matters

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Even though summer has officially begun, this is a bittersweet time as we bid farewell to our colleagues that are leaving the college. We will miss them, and wish them well in their future adventures:

John Alt, Executive Director, Economic & Workforce Development (Northern Region); Ken Backus, Director, Child Care Center; Kay Baier, Parking Office; Joan Bille, Project Leader, Technical Services; Barb Burrows, Administrative Assistant, Portage; Kathy Calkins, Administrative Assistant, Apprenticeship; John DeMain, Artistic Director; Patricia Donovan, Library Services Specialist; Jim Eigenfeld, Dean, Business & Applied Arts; Terry Gulmire, Facilities Administrator; John Lalor, Dean, Construction, Manufacturing, Apprenticeship & Transportation; Clinton Lombard, Custodial Lead Worker, Reedsburg; Maureen Menendez, Registrar; Sandra Mueller, Administrative Assistant, Business, Industry & Community Service; Mary Rapp, Finance Director; Nancy Schley, Instructional Design Coordinator; Ruth Schreiner, Administrative Assistant, Construction, Manufacturing, Apprenticeship & Transportation; Sylvia Schultz, Library Services Specialist; Will Strycker, Director, Labor Relations & Diversity; Jody Thrush, Dean, Arts & Sciences

As mentioned in my last letter, I attended a national conference sponsored by The Chronicle of Higher Education. I learned more about foundations, how presidents and CFOs can work together, and changes coming in technology, among other things. One of the most interesting sessions I attended was by Walter Mossberg, the technology writer for the Wall Street Journal. He spoke about three trends in digital technology: (1) evolution of the internet; (2) proliferation of hand-held devices and (3) that software is key.

I also attended a special conference for presidents who signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, reinforcing our pledge to decrease our use of natural resources. I heard from scientists and other college presidents about all of the ways we can contribute to climate sustainability. You will hear more about this at the groundbreaking for the solar-powered Truax Transit Shelter structure.

The Madison Area Technical College (MATC) District Board voted at its June 13 meeting to adopt the 2007-08 fiscal year budget. On Thursday and Friday, I attended the WTCS Presidents retreat that included a report on legislative budgeting and a roll-out of a program WTCS is sponsoring regarding the perception of technical colleges.

This week we received the good news that we’ve been awarded a $30,000 United Way grant for the purpose of providing GED preparation and testing, basic skills and literacy assessment, literacy skills education in reading and writing, basic literacy computer skills training and other appropriate educational instruction to inmates in the Dane County Jail System. Congratulations to Helene Smythe-Eagle for her work on the agreement.

This last week I was very impressed with the program for the Summer Institute for International Education and Service Learning led by Geoff Bradshaw and attended by many of our staff in addition to teachers. As we all know, we are part of a global economy and as we train workers, we must be aware of other cultures.

Tuesday night I attended the Sauk County Board of Supervisors meeting in Baraboo with John Alt, Stacy Clement, Diane Walleser and Judy Stoeckman, a member of our nursing faculty and also a Sauk County supervisor. We petitioned the board to request that the location of their new Continuum of Care facility be adjacent to our Reedsburg Campus. Though the decision has not been made, we are optimistic that the board will choose this location. Many thanks to John, Stacy, Diane and Judy.

I attended the United Way’s Disconnected and Violent Youth Delegation meeting with Ed Clarke and Jim Cavanaugh, one of our board members, on Wednesday morning. You will be happy to know that MATC was cited for doing a number of worthwhile activities to help these youth.

Thursday morning I attended the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce board meeting where I learned about political advocacy in the state of Wisconsin. Also on Thursday, I participated in a meeting of the legislative committee of the WTCS President’s Association where we received bleak news regarding state aid and the budgeting process. If any of you have close relationships with legislators, this is the time to let them know of our value to the economic and workforce stability of our state. I will keep you posted as the budget develops.

Remember, PeopleSoft will be down the week of June 29 through July 8, so during that time please help students as much as possible as they deal with the system being unavailable.

Have a great Fourth of July holiday. We are hoping for a few quiet weeks here at the college while many people are taking their summer vacations (and using up their vacation days).

Here is a quote I noticed at the Summer Institute for International Education and Service Learning, by Saint Augustine, d. 604, first Archbishop of Canterbury:

“The world is like a book and those that never leave home read but one page.�

Bettsey