MATC Matters

Dear Faculty and Staff,

We’ve hit our mid-semester stride at the college. Students are busy with mid-terms and papers, while staff and faculty are in the midst of unit planning and a whole host of projects. It’s a good time of year to break with our routine at Convocation and touch base with our plans for the year. Join me on Wednesday at Convocation as we continue to “Bring the Future into Focus.” For details, see the Convocation schedule on the CETL website.

State budget update
Governor Doyle met with legislators Friday and emerged with a tentative proposal that may be voted on by both houses of the legislature today. A report on the budget decision (WORD: 48KB) from Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association Executive Director Paul Gabriel lays out both the good and the bad news based on what we’ve heard so far. But details are still unclear and the impact this will have on WTCS and MATC will need further examination.

MATC Marvels
Here are this week’s “favorite teacher” as mentioned to me by students:
Douglas Dillman, visual communications
Robert Greene, DTEC Arts & Sciences
As stated by one student, “All of my information systems instructors!�

Other MATC Marvels
The MATC Biotech department has received a grant from Monsanto of $10,000 to purchase an upgrade to our thermal cycler that will enable them to teach students a technique called quantitative PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), used for measuring the quantity of DNA in a sample.The following staff made a number of valuable presentations during a recent conference, “Promoting Multi-Cultural Success: A Whole College Enterprise�: Linda Aroonsavath, Learning Programs advisor; Maria Banuelos, Diversity/Community Relations associate vice president; Nedra Bobo, Diversity/Community Relations; Keith Cornille, Learner Development dean; Veronica Delcourt, Arts & Sciences dean; Debbie Derr, Learner Success vice president; Marilyn Rinehart, former Health & Safety Education associate dean; Gabriel Sanchez, formerly with Adult and Continuing Eduction, President of the Latino Chamber of Commerce and Steering Committee Member of the Latino Community Council of Color; Gwen Torkelson, Human Resources director; and Terry Webb, Learner Success associate vice president.

Congratulations to MATC Marketing staff who won four Medallion Awards at the recent National Council of Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) regional conference. Medallions recognize outstanding achievement in marketing, public relations and communications at community and technical colleges in our region (Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Ontario). MATC received gold medals for the “MATC Smart Guide” fall timetable, the Foundation Annual Report Calendar and the newly redesigned cluster brochure series, and a bronze medal for the Athletics brochure.

Thanks to the efforts of CC Sheldon and her staff and students, over 130 feral cats were neutered last weekend during a 24-hour “spay-a-thonâ€? hosted at MATC. More than 60 MATC veterinary technician students assisted under CC’s leadership, as well as six certified veterinary technicians, seven veterinary students from the University of Wisconsin, and seven licensed veterinarians (three from MATC). MATC teamed up with “Dane County Friends of Ferals” and UW-Madison to neuter and vaccinate the untamed cats.

Highlights of my week
In addition to events on our campuses, I’ve had the opportunity to go out into the community to share news about MATC and learn what’s going on. Recently, I took part in these events:

• served on the Higher Learning Commission visiting team for Oakton Community College
• welcomed participants to the Wisconsin Biotechnology & Medical Device Association conference
• hosted the president’s table in the gourmet dining room for Joan Lawrence, mother of James Brett Lawrence who died of heart disease while a student at MATC; Dave Zweifel, editor of The Capital Times; and Bruce Mohs, fellow Rotarian, and his wife, Jan.
• A few months ago the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) bestowed its highest internal award, DiaMond Award, to the DOA MATC Internship program for its overall program successes. The interns worked at the Division of Enterprise Technology. This program, a partnership between DOA and MATC, also received a higher accolade as the State Council of Affirmative Action and Office of State Employment Relations winner of the 2007 Annual Diversity Award. In recognition, Kenneth McCullough and Nina Milbauer, computer information systems instructors, and I received the award at a ceremony held at the State Capitol’s Senate Parlor.
• participated in the WTCS President’s monthly meeting
• went on a tour of some of our Madison campuses with a number of our district board trustees. Thanks to David Shonkwiler, agriscience and technologies dean, Sido, center of health and safety education dean, and Kathy Sellnow, human and protective services dean and their staff for their tours. Thanks also to Maria Banuelos, associate vice president for learner success and Marty Crabbs, DTEC administrative specialist who had prepared for the visits at DTEC and South Madison Education Center.
• congratulated our students inducted into Phi Theta Kappa. Thanks to Susana Valtierra, Phi Theta Kappa and educational programming board coordinator for planning the induction ceremony. Congratulations to instructors Lori Kelley, information technology, and Michael Johnson, finance, who were nominated by their students to be recognized as Phi Theta Kappa mentors.

June Sarbacker, business tech instructor, shared this quote with me from novelist Margaret Drabble. It seems appropriate in this time of uncertainty as we wait for final details on the state budget and its impact on those who receive state services. It also gives us hope as we kick-off the college’s Combined Campaign drive to help the organizations who are there for all of us in times of need.

“When nothing is sure, everything is possible.�

See you at Convocation!

Bettsey