President's Message: August 2, 2010

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy the beautiful summer weather (minus the recent bad storms). It’s hard to believe, but the start of the fall semester is now less than a month away. Convocation is scheduled for August 17-18. Our 2010 theme is "Constructing New Opportunities for Learning." Here's the updated tentative schedule. Please check “Matters” for further updates.

Future Planning Survey
Today is the last day to take the Future Planning Survey. Your input is very important in deciding the future of our College. The District Board is currently evaluating options and preparing to take the next steps in implementing our College Facilities Master Plan. Results will be shared and discussed at Convocation.

College Marvels
Here are the names of faculty mentioned to me recently by students as their favorite teachers:
Harold Gates and Lori Mettel, human services
Christopher Dyszelski, Susan Jacobs and Rebecca Ramirez, psychology
Laurie Fitzgerald and Bernardo Hoes, English
Joe Lowndes and Thomas Tubon, genetics
Michael Lussenden, communication arts
Tony Przybylski, math

More Marvels
Information Systems instructor Andy Czerkas was recently honored as an “AFT Everyday Hero” for his exceptional commitment to the community.

We have recently been awarded four Workforce Advancement Training grants by the Wisconsin Technical College System. Funding totaling $213,609 was received to train incumbent workers at: Cardinal Float Glass ($81,813), Seneca Foods ($39,626), Webcrafters ($24,221) and a consortium of nine companies in Dane, Jefferson and Sauk counties ($67,949). Funding is for July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. Congratulations to Jennifer Bakke, BICS Director; Karen Kretschmann and Andy Ross, BICS; Amy Brown, Financial Resources; and Denise McKay and Anne Scott, Grants Office, for their work in preparing the grant.

The Radiography Program has been granted an extension of accreditation for a period of three years, equating to an award of eight years of accreditation, thanks to the hard work and dedication of Kay Parish, Radiography Program Director and faculty member, Fran Moritz, recently retired Learner Success Project Leader, Kevin Mirus, math instructor, and Kay Wagner, CHASE Advisor.

Congratulations to Alfonso Studesville, recipient of the City of Madison Reverend James C. Wright Human Rights Award.

Highlights of My Recent Schedule:
• participated in the District Board organizational meeting,
• gave a report on the College to the Foundation Board at their summer meeting,
• attended TEMPO where the discussion focused on alternatives to strategic planning,
• attended meetings of the Rotary Club of Madison,
• attended the monthly meeting of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce Board and gave a report on the College,
• met a couple of times with Joe Lowndes, president of Local 243 full-time faculty union, and Mick Conners, president of the Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel (PSRP) Union, Local 3872,
• threw the first pitch at the Foundation’s annual Madison College at the Mallards game,
• participated in the monthly meeting of the WTCS presidents,
• met with community leaders,
• welcomed new employees Mensah Lassey, David Miller, and Gretchen Rixie at their orientation session,
• represented the College as Bob Dinndorf and his fellow “Nefrons” performed a capella in Barrie Park in Fort Atkinson,
• met with the management team of our Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel (PSRP) union,
• was joined by district board chair Jon Bales and trustee Noel Radomski when our executive team met with a campaign strategist and leading observer of public opinion in the country,
• provided an update on the Facilities Master Plan at a meeting of the college’s leadership,
• videotaped a welcome message for the New Student Daze event,
• attended Downtown Madison Rotary meetings,
• had a phone meeting with Governor Doyle,
• attended an event hosted by UW-Madison to learn about connections among business, health insurance and UW-Madison’s new School of Nursing,
• met with Wisconsin Technical College System President Dan Clancy, Vice President Jim Zylstra, and Facilities Development Director Bob Dimperio to discuss our Facilities Master Plan,
• talked with Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney,
• met with BJ Pfeiffer with Enterprise Solutions Technology Group and UW-Madison English Professor (and Director of the UW Odyssey Project) Emily Auerbach to discuss possible partnerships,
• participated at a BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute (BTCI) board meeting at Promega,
• judged nominations for the 2010 Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Central Region Awards,
• walked the 2.3 mile route in the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Psi Omega Chapter’s “Walk it Out” African American youth diabetes awareness event,
• met with a major donor,
• participated at the United Way of Dane County Executive Committee meeting,
• attended the visitation for Rod Nilsestuen, Secretary of the State of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection,
• met with a reviewer from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) regarding reaccreditation of our Physical Therapy Associate Program,
• gave the keynote address at the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation joint event with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation,
• attended an informational meeting about, “Giving Hope A Home,” the proposed American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, hosted by Donna Katen-Bahensky and Lea Culver, and
• presented the Facilities Master Plan to the Madison West Kiwanis Service Club.

In closing, here’s a quote an administrator shared with me, from Gail Sheehy:

“Changes are not only possible and predictable, but to deny them is to be an accomplice to one’s own unnecessary vegetation.”

Bettsey