MATC Matters

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Could we be in for another record-setting winter? Last week’s snowstorm forced us to close all of our campuses for the first time this winter. The severe weather has brought to light the need to once again remind everyone of our building closure procedures  that everyone should know. We want to thank our grounds crew for doing a terrific job of clearing away all the snow in time for Wednesday’s classes.

It’s final exam week and we all know what that means—lots of stress. We hope you had a chance to stop by the Stress Reduction Workshop in the Truax Student Lounge on Thursday. Amy Connell and her massage therapy students offered free chair massages, sound therapy and healthy snacks to anyone feeling a little stressed-out. This is the second year massage therapy students have put on the workshop.

Finals week marks the final week to turn in your pledge card for Smart Future. Make it a happier holiday for your students by supporting them through the MATC Foundation—100 percent of your tax deductible contribution goes toward the purpose you designate. Drawing for the Smart Future Vacation takes place January 6th. Just picture yourself on the beach in Aruba or Waikiki or Grand Cayman or Marbella.

Don’t forget about honoring a colleague or friend this holiday season with a tax-deductible donation to the Foundation in the form of Kris Kringle Cash. The Foundation office will give you a cleverly designed gift certificate that you can use in office gift exchanges or other celebrations. With a donation as little as a dollar, you can give a gift that helps our students and means something to your colleagues. You’ll help the college get to 100 percent participation if you direct the gift to the SMART FUTURE campaign. Call the Foundation office at 246-6441 and ask for Michelle Downer (administrative specialist). Your gift(s) will be delivered to you so you can avoid the long lines at the mall!

A special thanks to faculty and staff who donated presents to Santa’s Wish List. The program gives holiday toys to MATC students who have children under 12. This year, nearly 250 children signed up to receive gifts. Kudos to Mary Robbins, who started Santa’s Wish List back in 1990, and program director Shaylea Stensven.

This week the President’s Holiday Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch will be held at your work location:

Monday, December 15:
10:30 a.m.-Noon Fort Atkinson (Room 157)
12:30-2 p.m. Watertown (Room 121)

Wednesday, December 17:
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Portage (Room 102)
1-2:30 p.m. Reedsburg (Room 113)

Thursday, December 18:
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Downtown Education Center (D240)

Friday, December 19
8-9:30 a.m. Truax (Cafeteria)

We hope you can attend the MATC Holiday Party this Friday (December 19) at the Door Creek Golf Course in Cottage Grove. The party runs from 5-9 p.m.

January Convocation:
Just a reminder our next convocation is Tuesday, January 6. I look forward to welcoming everyone back to campus to kick-off our spring semester. 

MATC Marvels:
Bernard Nelson, horticulture
Dana Carpenter, accounting
Holly Mercier, marketing
Keith Clark, business
John Andrews, commercial art

More MATC Marvels:

Veterinarian CC Sheldon and Certified Veterinary Technician Laurie Angell have been selected to serve as one of four vets and one of two certified vet techs to monitor sled dogs during the 26th running of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon Race. The race runs from Duluth to Grand Marais and back on January 25, 2009.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Scott Beard has accepted the position of North Region Operations Manager, effective January, 2009. Scott is currently the Director of Institutional Research/Effectiveness. In addition, I want to thank Diane Jetzer for her years of service and for a tremendous job. We will miss you greatly, but wish you the best in your retirement! Thank you Scott and Diane!

MATC is riding a Wave! We recently received five WAVE (Web Audio Visual Excellence) Awards. The awards recognize outstanding achievement in communication produced for Video, Audio, CD-ROM, DVD and Web/Multi-media. MATC received two main WAVE awards and three merit awards. Congratulations to David Shaw, Heidi Petersen, Tammy Downing, Diane Neukirch, Dan Kretschman, Jeff Baumgarten and Joan Millard and her staff for all their hard work.
 
First it was the State Department of Regulation and Licensing (WDLR), now you can see our students beautiful photography at the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) at 2811 Agriculture Drive. Twelve color prints were installed at the office this past Tuesday. Ten more prints will be installed at both the WDLR and the DATCP. Congratulations to photography instructor Mario Quintana for overseeing this exciting project.

Just a short note of appreciation to seven intrepid MATC Wisconsin Association for Career and Technical Education (WACTE) Chapter 27 members for taking a shift on the telephone bank at WHA-TV (Wisconsin Public Television) during their fall membership drive, on Saturday, Dec. 13, from noon to 4:00 PM. The volunteers were: Linda Bahr, Catherine Hare, Mae Laatsch, Sandy Middleton, Patrick Molzahn, Tonya Vertein and David Shonkwiler. Thanks to all! 

Speaking of WACTE, thank you to our printing/publishing instructors Scott Baxter, David Stuber and Janneke Baske for providing the association with logo stickers.

Highlights of my week:
• attended the Public Service Summit 2008 where I networked with people from around the globe regarding possibilities for exchanges of faculty and students in many places;
• received more information on telepresence and shared our ideas with other educational leaders on using it as a teaching tool; and
• hosted a holiday reception for the MATC District Board Trustees, MATC Foundation Board members and major donors.

In closing, here is a quote by William Shakespeare printed on a bookmarker distributed by the MATC Combined Charitable Campaign, which befits the season:

“How far that little candle throws his beams?  So shines a good deed in a weary world.�

See you at graduation. Have a great holiday! This will be my last message until next year (January 5).

Bettsey