MATC Matters

Dear Faculty and Staff:

Much has been going on in Washington and right here at our own state capitol. This past week, Governor Doyle introduced his economic stimulus/budget adjustment bill—it passed both houses and was signed into law February 19. In a nutshell, it cuts about $1.8 million of current year WTCS categorical grant funds that have already been committed to districts. However, it does include a one-time increase of $1 million for WTCS Workforce Advancement Training (WAT) grants for the current year.

State Budget Cuts
Meanwhile, Governor Doyle’s 2009-2011 budget bill makes permanent cuts to WTCS general aid by $500,000 in each year of the new biennium. It imposes a larger across-the-board permanent cut of 1 percent to most state funding, including the WTCS. The bill also rejects the entire WTCS request for “Next Generation Workforce� funding. However, the budget bill does include some positive news. It will increase district capital project authority from $1 million to $1.5 million annually without going to referendum; establish non-resident WTCS tuition at 150 percent of resident tuition; eliminate the set-aside among all WAT funds for small businesses; and increase the WTCS’s authority to expend insurance surcharges on local fire training. It does not however, increase funding to offset 100 percent tuition remissions for veterans.

Administrative and Administrative Support Salaries
Due to the constraints we have in our budget for the next year, the College Council has unanimously agreed on a plan for administrative/administrative support salaries for 2009-2010:
• 0 percent cost of living (COLA) increase in base salaries (last year was 2 percent)
• merit range will not increase (last year’s range 0-3.5 percent)
• the overall merit increase for the college will not exceed 2.25 percent.
I really appreciate the willingness of the College Council to be part of the solution for us as we try to develop our budget during this economic crisis. Thanks to all of you for your support. I know how hard and long you work every day to serve our students and community.

Veterans Benefits Fair
At MATC, we help hundreds of veterans make the sometimes difficult transition from service member to student. This past Thursday we hosted the Veterans Benefits Fair. The goal of the event was to make sure our current and prospective veteran students are receiving all of their eligible benefits and to help them network with professionals in their field of study. Response to the fair was tremendous. Thanks to Tim Jacobson and Michael Shumway for organizing this important and timely event.

Patriot Awards
Prior to the veterans fair, Enrollment Services Manager Jennifer Hoege received the Patriot Award from the U.S. Defense Department. The award recognizes MATC’s strong support of National Guard and Reserve members.

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:
Keith Clark, business
Jennifer Nielsen, physical science
Eric Frey, accounting
Ramon Figueroa, mathematics
Jon Christian, metalworking

Highlights of My Week
• attended the YWCA Circle of Women event;
• attended a special meeting of the Foundation Board;
• reported on the state of the college at the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce Board meeting; and
• attended the WTCS Presidents monthly meeting.

With economic uncertainty and job loss all around us, it brought to mind this quote by Frederick Douglass:

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.�

Thank you for everything you do for our students.

Bettsey