MATC Matters

Dear Faculty and Staff,

On Friday, February 13, Congress approved the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R.1) which is often referred to as the Stimulus Plan or the Economic Recovery Act. The package contains a variety of targeted efforts in energy, infrastructure, technology, education, tax cuts, and healthcare. Although technical and community colleges will be called upon to contribute to most of these areas, specific funding for higher education is focused on Pell Grants and College Work Study. Additionally, workforce training dollars will likely be distributed to state agencies which have the authority to contract with technical and community colleges to provide the actual training.

Wisconsin State Budget Stimulus Bill
Meanwhile, the State Senate will introduce a budget stimulus/budget repair bill which will be voted on this week. The bill provides $1,000,000 (general purpose revenue) in 2008-09 for training program grants, above budgeted funding of $3,000,000 for 2008-09. In addition, the bill requires that beginning in 2008-09, the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Board will award at least $1,000,000 annually for advanced manufacturing skills training requested by businesses, with priority given to welding, under the current program for general business training grants. Governor Doyle will introduce his budget bill at 7 p.m. Tuesday (February 17). 
 
Harassment-Free Environment
MATC is committed to supporting, promoting, and encouraging all staff to participate in an interactive training and educational program to prevent and discourage discrimination and/or sexual harassment. In support of our commitment to maintain a harassment-free environment, the college is providing two online training programs, ”Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace” and “Preventing Employment Discrimination.â€? If you have any questions or comments about this program or our sexual harassment policy, please contact Malika Monger at 608-243-4449. Thank you for your interest and involvement in helping to make Madison Area Technical College a harassment-free environment.

MATC First in the World
This past Friday we had a chance to showcase our new “TelePresenceâ€? video conferencing system at Cisco’s Madison office. MATC will be the first college in the world to have this high-tech system, which will enhance our long distance learning programs. Students will feel as if they’re sitting in a classroom with their instructors and fellow students, who may actually be miles away. Look for the first two TelePresence classrooms at our Fort Atkinson and Watertown campuses this spring. We’re expected to have a total of 12 TelePresence classrooms throughout the MATC district.

Don’t Forget to Vote
Tuesday (February 17) is Primary Election day. We encourage everyone to get out and vote.

MATC Marvels
When I talk to students and hear about their favorite teachers, I also ask them to tell me about anyone at MATC who has especially helped them or been kind to them. Here are the names mentioned to me most recently:
David Stokes, business law
John “Luke� Matthews, anthropology
Sarah Fritz, Spanish
Clarissa “CC� Sheldon, veterinary tech
Andrea Foley, lab animal tech

More MATC Marvels
MATC’s “Win a Career� contest was a big success. More than 200 people filled Truax’s lower cafeteria on Thursday night. Thanks to Vicki Saffran, Teresa Werhane, Corey Helser, Bob Dinndorf and the Marketing and Event Services staff for putting on a great show for our prospective students and their families.

Valentine’s Day may be over, but you still have a chance to show support for our Wisconsin troops serving overseas. From now through Friday, February 20, you can drop-off your Valentines for Vets in a special mailbox at the enrollment center. Last Friday, third graders at Madison’s Marquette Elementary School made valentines for our troops. Thanks to Michael Shumway, enrollment center, for coming up with a unique way to support our troops overseas.

Highlights of my week:
• met with JJR on the Facilities Master Plan;
• met with The Capitol Times editorial board on the reinvestment and recovery stimulus package; and
• attended the Madison Freiburg Sister City Inc. annual meeting with Mayor Dave.

In closing, here is a quote that I saw recently by Abraham Lincoln’s most lyrical biographer, Carl Sandburg, when he spoke before Congress in 1959, on Lincoln’s sesquicentennial:

“Not often in the story of mankind does a man arrive on Earth who is both steel and velvet, who is as hard as rock and soft as drifting fog, who holds in his heart and mind the paradox of terrible storm and peace unspeakable and perfect.�

Have a great week!

Bettsey