President's Message: November 29, 2010

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I hope you had a relaxing Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for this year. Because of your hard work and dedication, voters approved the first phase of the College’s historic Facilities Master Plan earlier this month and we’re hoping to break ground on the project in July. But more important than buildings, we continue to work together to transform so many lives.

Holiday Celebrations
As we approach the holiday season, be sure to mark your calendar for the annual holiday celebrations for College faculty and staff. Here’s the schedule:

December 10 (Friday)
5-9 p.m., College-wide holiday celebration
Door Creek Golf Course, 4321 Vilas Road, Cottage Grove

December 15 (Wednesday)
8-9 a.m., Downtown Campus, D240
1-2 p.m., West Campus, Room 116

December 16 (Thursday)
10-11a.m., Portage Campus
12-1 p.m., Reedsburg Campus, Room 13

December 20 (Monday)
10-11 a.m., Fort Atkinson Campus
12-1 p.m., Watertown Campus

December 21 (Tuesday)
9-10 a.m., Commercial Avenue Campus, Room 108B
10:30-11:30 a.m., South Campus

December 22 (Wednesday)
8-9:30 a.m., Truax Campus, Cafeteria

College Marvels
When I talk to students and hear about their favorite teachers, I also ask them to tell me about anyone at Madison College who has especially helped them. Here are the names mentioned to me most recently:
Jeffrey Havens, math
Mark Finger, accounting
Paul Peeders, math
Carl Stewart, intro to college writing
Ronald Koci, information technology
Andrea Thalasinos, sociology

More Marvels
At the annual conference for the American Association for Paralegal Education, Madison College instructors Anne Schacherl and Norma Kropp received recognition for extraordinary services in their roles as co-hosts at the North Central Regional Conference held in Madison.

Madison College has received two grants to upgrade the skills of production workers through customized training at Trachte Building Systems in Sun Prairie, and T.W. Design in Montello. Thank you to the staff who contributed to the development and submission of the applications: Jennifer Bakke – BICS Director; Karen Kretschmann, Andy Ross – BICS; Amy Brown – Budget Office; and Denise McKay and Anne Scott – Grants Office.

Thanks to the Madison College Combined Charitable Campaign Committee: Barb Wise, Chair; Robin Gee, Trish Kelm, Sue Landmark, Shawna Olsen and Terry Wermuth.

The Journal of Chemical Education (JCE) has released the web edition of an article written by several Madison College chemistry instructors: "An Integrated Approach To Introducing Biofuels, Flash Point, and Vapor Pressure Concepts into an Introductory College Chemistry Lab". The print version will be appearing in an upcoming issue of JCE. Featured in this manuscript are Chemistry instructors Ken Walz, Katie Cadwell, and Ramsey Kropp along with Stephanie Britton and Adam Hoffman who have taught with the Madison College Chemistry Department. 

In case you haven’t heard, chemistry and engineering instructor Ken Walz has been selected as the Wisconsin Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Dr. Walz was selected from more than 300 top professors in the United States.

Highlights of My Past Weeks:
• spoke with Wisconsin Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman,
• attended Downtown Madison Inc.’s annual dinner,
• participated in a planning meeting of my Executive Team,
• attended the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) State Board meeting in Appleton,
• participated in a WTCS President’s Association meeting (also in Appleton),
• participated and gave a College update at a Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce Board meeting, 
• attended the United Way’s campaign celebration at Monona Terrace,
• welcomed participants at the 2nd Annual Global Showcase held in the Mitby Theater,
• keynoted the Latino Chamber of Commerce annual meeting,
• met with Sheriff David Mahoney to talk about public safety training improvements,
• met with a major donor,
• interviewed by Corporate Report Wisconsin,
• hosted a President’s Table with guests Kaleem Caire, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison, Phyllis Wilhelm, Director of Economic Development at MG&E, and owners of Silly Yak Bakery Holly Beach and Michael Marshall,
• participated in the WTCS Presidents’ Legislative Advocacy Strategies conference call, and
• attended the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau Autumn Gathering.

In closing, I would like to share a quote by Archbishop Tutu that is on my office door and describes our Madison College family:

“You do not do the things you do because others will necessarily join you in the doing of them, nor because they will ultimately prove successful. You do the things you do because the things you are doing are right.”

Thanks to each and every one of you for everything you do for our students!

Bettsey