MATC Matters

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I am pleased to start my message with the announcement that Deryl Davis Fulmer, PhD, has accepted the position of Associate Vice President for Learner Success. She comes to us from Milwaukee Area Technical College and has her doctorate in Urban Education. Many of you met her during the forums for vice president of learner success.

Election Season
As we gear up for “election season” I know that some instructors and advisors are using this time as an opportunity to provide “teaching moments” about responsible citizenship. For many of our students this will be their first chance at voting in a national election. Our chapter of Phi Theta Kappa has joined with the League of Women Voters to provide voter registration tables. I encourage anyone who needs to register to visit the tables this week. One is at Truax on September 16 and the other at Downtown on September 17.

Fall athletics—Show your Wolfpack pride!
Come out and cheer for our fall athletic teams. In soccer, Daniel Bednarczyk recently scored four goals—an MATC record. Our volleyball team is now ranked sixth in the nation for NJCAA. Although you may have to keep your cheering down to a loud whisper of praise, our golf team  has been busy with invitationals, taking second place in the Milwaukee Tech invitational and participating in the Edgewood invitational this week. Check schedules and other information on the MATC Athletics site and get involved.

Turkey Trot
It’s never too early to mark your calendars for the annual Turkey Trot event to benefit Thursday’s Child and the MATC Foundation. This year’s 2008 Turkey Trot will be November 1. More information will be posted soon.

Math club
MATC Math Club will kick-off the year with their 75th presentation, “Soccer Balls, Pentagons and Euler” this Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at Truax. For more on upcoming Math Club events, check out their website.

MATC Marvels
Here are this week’s “favorite teachers,” as mentioned to me by students:
Penny Aguilera, graphic design
John Andrews, commercial art
Janice Mettauer, English
Marty Richards, English
Annette Davis, college success, Fort Atkinson
John Ribble, commercial art
Christopher Gargan, commercial art

More MATC Marvels
John Galligan, writing instructor, has written a third novel in his fly-fishing mystery saga and prepublication reviews are excellent. Publisher’s Weekly called The Clinch Knot “stunning.” The publisher, Madison-based Bleak House Books, is planning a launch party on October 4 at its offices on Williamson Street. Galligan will be on hand to discuss and sign his novel on October 5 at Booked for Murder. Congratulations, John!

Dean of the Center of Business and Applied Arts Turina Bakken is co-hosting a new radio show on ESPN (1070am) called the Wisconsin Women’s Sports Hour. In September, the show airs Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. and in October it will move to Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. The aim of the show is to build awareness and create excitement for women’s sports and will include both sports news and upcoming schedules, but also feature news items that relate to women’s sports.

Monday’s Wisconsin State Journal featured an article on Robert Lovely and his experiences in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Teacher at Sea Program. Check it out online.

June Sarbacker, director of the Administrative Assistant Online Program, teaches about 40 students from around the country. She shared feedback from students who were assigned to critique Inside MATC as part of an assignment for a Professional Profile course.

Highlights of my week:

• visited the Waterloo School Board with MATC District Board trustee Carolyn Stoner to talk about enhancing our services and partnerships with the District (this is one of a series of board-to-board outreach visits we are making to every one of our 40 school districts);
• attended a TEMPO meeting where UW–Madison School of Business Dean Michael Knetter spoke;
• interviewed by the Wisconsin State Journal about MATC’s tuition and comparison with other community colleges;
• attended the Kikkoman USA Research and Development Laboratory dedication where Governor Doyle was one of the keynote speakers;
• together with Nancy Johnson, accounting/management instructor, reported to Madison Symphony Orchestra Board about their Endowment Campaign and the rich partnership MATC has enjoyed with the MSO;
• spoke with UW Colleges Chancellor David Wilson;
• attended the Rotary Club of Madison meeting;
• dropped in at the part-time faculty institute;
• attended the WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) Initiative Leadership Caucus (PDF: 84KB) meeting;
• attended a meeting with Inacom Information Systems representatives;
• participated in a conference call with Senator Herb Kohl’s staff to discuss funding the intellectual disability section as provided by the Higher Education Act at community colleges; and
• attended the monthly meeting of the WTCS presidents.

In closing, here is a quote from Colin Powell on leadership:
“Good leadership involves responsibility to the welfare of the group, which means that some people will get angry at your actions and decisions. It’s inevitable—if you’re honorable.”

Bettsey