MATC Matters

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I just returned from the American Association for Community Colleges (AACC) annual conference where once again, I was proud of the many programs we have and all student-centered accomplishments we have achieved. This year, the Phi Theta Kappa annual conference was held in conjunction with AACC, and both Susana Valtierra and Julia Haseleu were there with a group of our students.

WTCS State Board meeting
Last week it was MATC’s turn to host the WTCS State Board meeting, only occurring approximately every four years, affording us a chance to showcase our programs. Many hands were involved in efforts to highlight some of the activities and programs that make MATC special. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in this great team effort!

Thanks to instructors Jane Clark, Jacob Eapen, Paul Flogel, Michael Kostrna, Ken McCullough, Jeff Minter, Paul Morschauser and Jeanette Mowery for hosting tour sites. Thanks to tour guides Becky Baumbach, Bill Bessette, Debbie Derr, Joe Lowndes, Roger Price, John Stransky, Diane Walleser, Terry Webb and Teresa Werhane. Thanks also to Paul Short and John Johnson and their first- and second-year culinary arts program students for the fantastic dinner, to Brad Kahn and his staff, to facilities, to marketing and prospective student relations staff for tour set-up and materials, and to Terry Christensen, Tyler Mortensen and Paula Symons.

New Multicultural Center at South Madison
MATC is a part of an exciting endeavor to help local entrepreneurs start and grow their own businesses. On Saturday, April 12, we will host a ribbon cutting ceremony-with Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, along with the Latino Chamber of Commerce and the African American Black Business Association-for the new Multicultural Business Resource Center in the South Madison Community Campus. For more information about the center’s services or the open house, call 246-6458.

MATC’s green commitment continues
Join your colleagues, students and friends to kick off Earth Week activities with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 18, for the new Solar Transit Shelter at Truax (Anderson Street side). The ceremony is the first of several activities planned for Earth Week including showings of Leo DiCaprio’s “The 11th Hour” in the Mitby, transportation information tables, a bicycle clinic and MATC’s Volunteer Center’s annual clean-up event at the McCarthy Youth and Conservation Park in Sun Prairie. For a flyer and more information on these and other events, check out the MATC Environmental Sustainability Alliance (MESA) website.

PACE Survey Listening Sessions reminder
I hope you will share your insights at one of the PACE (Personal Assessment of the College Environment) Survey Listening Sessions slated for next week. Check MATC Matters for exact locations and times.

MATC Libraries celebrate National Library Week
Next week is National Library Week. In the 2006-2007 academic year library staff at the six campus libraries answered 16,958 reference questions and taught over 300 instruction sessions in support of classes across the curriculum. Our libraries serve about 35,000 students, faculty and staff per month! Join me in thanking our dedicated library staff for all they do in support of students, faculty and staff. Stop by at one of the events they have planned to share some refreshments and to welcome our new library director, Julie Gores.

MATC Marvels
Here are this week’s “favorite teachers,” as mentioned to me by students:
Lyn Wible, human services
Brian Fritz, aerobics
Robert Gray, Jr., John Deere Ag. Equipment
Barbara Spar-Malamud, human services
Joel Ryan, history

Other MATC Marvels
Last week chemistry and creative writing instructor Holly Walter Kirby entertained a large group of eager young learners with her “Science-in-a-Box” performance at the University of Wisconsin’s Science Expeditions event. Science-in-a-Box makes learning about molecules and other scientific concepts fun using the art of theatre to present and explain basic scientific concepts. Holly received funding for the project through the National Science Foundation and has developed the program for other teachers to replicate easily in their classrooms.

Ken Walz is one of only two teachers in the nation to be selected for a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) summer fellowship conducting research on renewable energy technology. The fellowship is part of the U.S. Department of Energy “Academies Creating Teacher Scientists” program.

Congratulations to Rod Kohlhepp, Harley Arzt, Tim Hoege, Lynn Forseth, Dorothy Grant and the MATC collision repair department for their efforts in hosting the state collision repair instructors’ meeting. They pulled together a comprehensive and very “high tech” agenda. Participants have reported that the painting simulator session was simply amazing. (MATC is the first technical college in the system working in water-borne paints).

Sandy Gordon, ASID, part-time interior design instructor, is one of 16 interior designers selected to participate in “Design MMoCA” at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art from April 25 to April 27. The event will showcase 16 one-of-a-kind room vignettes created by local and regional design teams and inspired by works in MMoCA’s permanent collection. On Saturday, April 26, Brenda Brady, ASID, and Jessica Mahne, ASID, also interior design instructors at MATC, will be among designers to lead guided tours of the exhibit. For more information, visit MMoCA’s website.

Highlights of my week:

• visited the South Madison Community Campus Open House;
• held PACE Listening Sessions at Reedsburg and Portage;
• met with statewide marketing director Kyle Schwarm;
• welcomed students at the German student/faculty reception;
• participated in a meeting of the Master Planning Steering Committee;
• hosted President’s Tables in the Gourmet Dining Room with guests Rod Nilsestuen, secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, and his wife, Carol; Jay Loewi and Londa Dewey of QTI Group; Mary Gulbrandsen, Fund for Wisconsin Scholars; Jack Fischer, secretary of the Department of Commerce and Deborah Godt, executive liaison; Paul Kundert and Maggie Hertz from UW Credit Union, as well as State Representatives Terese Berceau, Joe Parisi and Spencer Black, and Terri Zimmerman, Representative Black’s legislative aide.
• hosted the WTCS State Board meeting and gave a presentation on the college;
• stopped in on the state-called Collision Repair meeting with Mary Quinnette Cuene, WTCS State Board Chairperson;
• visited the Human and Protective Services center with Kathy Sellnow; and
• met with Jonathan Pollack to talk about MATC’s 2011 Centennial Celebration.

In closing, here is a quote from the Report of the National Commission on Community Colleges that I was given at the AACC Conference:

“American Community Colleges. . . are the Ellis Island of American higher education, the crossroads at which K-12 education meets higher education, and the institutions that give students the tools to navigate the modern world.”

Bettsey