Dear Faculty and Staff,
Starting with the elections on Tuesday, last week was a busy and news-filled week. Governor Jim Doyle, who recently visited Truax to award MATC and UW-Madison start-up funds for a solar testing facility, will be continuing as our governor. In addition, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, who has sponsored funding for our Broadcast Captioning and High School Equivalency programs, will continue representing our state’s Second Congressional District, which covers most of MATC’s service area.
I am pleased to let you know that Congresswoman Baldwin recently accepted our invitation to join the Community College Caucus, a bi-partisan, voluntary membership organization comprised of members of Congress who are committed to supporting community and technical colleges. Congresswoman Baldwin’s decision to join this caucus is truly an honor.
Legislative Changes
While our governor and Congressional representative will continue in office, it is a time of change in the Wisconsin State Legislature due to Democrats winning an 18-15 majority in the State Senate. For the MATC area, this means Sen. Dale Schultz, while re-elected, will no longer be majority leader. The new Republican leader will be Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, who must give up his co-chairmanship of the Joint Finance Committee.
In the State Assembly, Republicans lost at least seven seats (with some recounts possible) but retained their majority. Both of the legislative committees overseeing technical colleges will get new chairs. Republican Sen. Sheila Harsdorf must surrender the gavel of the Higher Education Committee due to the new Democratic majority. Republican Rep. Rob Kreibich, chair of the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee, was defeated. You can learn more about results in the MATC District here.
Follow Wolfie’s Lead to Time Capsule Ceremonies
This week, all of us can take part in ceremonies celebrating a different vote — the Madison Time Capsule! WISC-TV Channel 3 invites all of us, and the general public, to the Overture Center on Wednesday, Nov. 15, between 4:30 and 7 p.m. to view the informal packing ceremony for the Madison Sesquicentennial Time Capsule, and on Thursday, Nov. 16, at 5:30 p.m. for the official and more formal sealing ceremony. Wolfie will help make sure our submission, the MATC Tool Kit, is packed with care and may even make an appearance on Ch. 3’s Live at 5, to be broadcast from the Overture Center. Make a trip and see local history as it is recorded for the next generation!
Making Our Own Drama – Barefoot in the Park, Forensics and Spotlight
This has been a very exciting time for MATC’s Performing Arts Department. Last Friday was the opening night — and a sold out performance — of our Performing Arts’ production of Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park. Director Michael Lussenden has assembled a wonderful cast and promises an incredible run of performances this Friday and Saturday evenings, Nov. 17 and 18, as well as a Sunday matinee, with a performance just added to meet ticket demand on Saturday at 2 p.m.
It has been an intense labor of love for all involved. Featured in a key role is our own Kelly Schulte, administrative assistant in Strategic Advancement, and Roger Herian, speech instructor, as well as MATC students Chance Cork and Julie Logue, and MATC alum Dale Mitchell.
Last Sunday, MATC also co-sponsored a forensics meet of the Mid-America Forensics League with 12 other colleges and universities participating, including Ripon and Wartburg Colleges and Northwestern and Bradley Universities. We appreciate Patti Huber, speech and performing arts instructor, and the forensics team for their work on this competition.
Thanks and congratulations to the many faculty and staff from across the college who collaborated to create and staff our College Spotlight event last Thursday. Their hard work resulted in more than 400 prospective students and their families connecting with MATC to learn more about our programs and services. Also, thanks to Wolfie and Bucky for sharing the spotlight to greet visitors, promote our UW Transfer Contract and demonstrate that they are pals who work together well as partners — as our colleges do.
Think Global — Dialogue on World Languages Tomorrow
As part of International Education Week, tomorrow Wednesday, Nov. 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Truax Boardroom, we will show a live videoconference, “World Languages in the Community College: The Presidential Challenge.” The two-hour program will address the U.S. need to increase capacity and expertise in critical world languages and provide resources on the teaching of languages in community colleges. Participation is free and open to all but, if you plan to attend, please contact Geoff Bradshaw.
Seeing Universal — Mercury Rising
Last Wednesday, Dixie Burns and Karl Bethke of our science faculty set up a telescope outside the Mitby Theater and invited science classes and passers by to view the transit of Mercury. Between 3 p.m. and sunset, about 100 students and others stopped by to view this rare event, when the small disk of Mercury passes over the sun.
Each week, I like to highlight some marvelous people I encounter or learn about here at the college. Here are this week's "favorite teachers,” as mentioned to me by students:
John Davis, music
Colette Sisco, psychology
Marit Brunsell, finance
David Lamp, accounting
Keith Clark, business
Richard Wandschneider, architectural technology
- Met with B.J. Pfeiffer, president of Enterprise Solutions, and Pat Schramm, executive director of the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin.
- Gave our first “Board to Board” outreach presentation at the Madison Metropolitan School District Board meeting.
- Met with Captain Bauer, U.S. Army recruiter.
- Hosted a President’s Table in the Gourmet Dining Room for Fitchburg Mayor Tom Clauder; John Weston, vice president of operations at Webcrafters; Bob Keller of Bob Keller Real Estate and his wife, Catherine; and Fred and Mary Mohs.
- Attended Sara Sherkow’s funeral.
- Attended an AQIP Steering Team meeting.
- Attended the MATC District Board meeting at our Portage Campus.
In closing, I would like to share a motto that I saw on a poster on the 6th floor at DTEC:
“Character: We must adjust to an ever changing road. . .while holding onto our unchanging principles.”
— Bettsey
Bettsey L. Barhorst, President |
Bettsey L. Barhorst, President
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