President's Message: July 28, 2011

Dear Faculty and Staff:

As I’ve told you many times, our College is fortunate to have a strong and conscientious Board of Trustees. Here is a list of the 2011-12 Board Officers who were chosen at the recent Madison College District Board Meeting:

Chair:              Ms. Frances Huntley-Cooper
                       (Retired)

Vice Chair:      Dr. Carolyn Stoner:
                       (Retired)

Treasurer:       Joel Winn
                       (Executive Director, Fort Memorial Hospital Foundation)

Secretary:       Dr. Noel Radomski
                       (Director, WI Center for the Advancement of Postsecondary Education)

Dr. Jon Bales, who was Chair the past two years, performed a remarkable service to the college community, leading us through the referendum, the first stages of implementation of the Master Plan, and numerous other projects. We owe him much gratitude.

In the News
Journalism instructor Larry Hansen, who is in Norway visiting family, was interviewed by Channel 27 and Fox 47 about the tragic attacks that recently took place in that country.

Animation instructor Ed Binkley was among 100 artists worldwide to participate in a book venture with Lucasfilm, Ltd. The book is called, "Star Wars: Visions." Ed's illustration, "Tusken Sentries", was selected for the project's debut poster. It was featured at the recent Comic-Con International Convention in San Diego.

The Daily Jefferson County Union recently featured an article about our wind turbine at the Fort Atkinson campus.  

College Marvels
When I talk to students, I ask them about their favorite instructors. Here are the names mentioned to me most recently:

Janice Burt, Adult Basic and Development Education
Theresa Haag, Nursing
Al Lehnen, Math
Rafael Perez, Arts and Sciences
Maurice Sheppard, Political Science
Wayne Sigelko, Math
Joshua Stokdyk, Arts and Sciences

More Marvels
We were recently awarded seven Workplace Adult Basic Education grants totalling more than $180,000 by the Wisconsin Technical College System. The College was also awarded five General Purpose Revenue (GPR) Workforce Advancement Training Grants totalling close to $137,000. Congratulations to the following staff: Jennifer Bakke, Jane Griswold, Karen Kretschmann, Kristin Polywacz (CCL /Business and Industry Services); Amy Brown (Financial Resources); and Bret Johnston, Anne Scott (Grants Office).

Recent Activities
• Attended the District Board meeting,
• participated in a Facilities Master Plan Project Team meeting and a meeting to review interior design plans for our new Gateway entrance at Truax,
• attended the WTCS Board meeting where plans for our regional campus facilities upgrades were approved;
• participated in Gateway Technical College’s centennial celebration in Racine,
• attended In Business magazine’s summer reception,
• attended the Community Colleges for International Development (CCID) Board Meeting at the Kirkwood Community Center in Cedar Rapids,
• participated in a United Way of Dane County Executive Committee meeting,
• participated in an Executive Administrative Council Annual Planning session,
• met with Steve Skolaski from the Rennebohm Foundation, and
• attended Downtown Madison, Inc.’s “What’s Up Downtown” breakfast.

Thank you for everything you do for our students, especially now as we gear up for the upcoming fall semester.

As I think about our Board of Trustees and leadership at the College, it reminds me of a quote from former President John F. Kennedy:

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”

Bettsey