President's Message: October 27, 2011

Dear Faculty and Staff:

I hope you had a productive day on Tuesday. I certainly appreciated the chance to see you all together again at Convocation. Special thanks to all of those who helped coordinate the activities, including:

• CETL
• Events/Mitby Theater/Welcome Center
• Community Relations
• Facilities
• WACTE
• Bookstore
• Madison College Foundation
• Help Desk/Technology Services

New Student Entrance
I’ve been talking to new students who are registering for second 8-week classes – and so we begin another eight weeks! I’ve also spent time at the welcome booth that Student Services set up to assist students and visitors entering the new “main” entrance. It's amazing what food, good music and smiles from our student ambassadors can do to raise spirits. I'm told that there will be some kind of light shows coming soon. And did you see the Wolfie displays?

Beginning November 10, shuttle buses will be available to transport students from the back parking lots to a
drop-off area near the Administration building. This will help students who are inconvenienced by our construction projects. The shuttles will run from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays.

Happy Halloween!
I hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween. Don't forget - there will be a free kids Halloween party from 11 a.m. to noon this Saturday at the Truax campus. Entertainer Dave Rudolf will be performing and there will be special surprises for the kids. Make sure they wear a costume! The party is sponsored by Madison College's Programs and Activities Council (PAC).

Marvels
Here are faculty members mentioned to me recently by students. It’s amazing how students have favorite instructors even during mid-term time!

Tracie Bowers, Recreation Management
Holly Kerby, Science
Susan Peterson, Learner Development Center
Kevin Piper, Arts and Sciences
Suzanne Sublette, Social Science

More Marvels
Instructor Andy Czerkas and his wife Jenny were interviewed by The Capital Times about how the downed economy has affected many households, even those with two incomes and who think of themselves as middle class. Click here to read the story. Andy is also a finalist for the AARP Foundation Hunger Hero Award. We'll know next month if he won the $15,000 top prize.

Recent Activities
• Attended the Madison Club Foundation Charity Gala;
• visited Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids with Terry Webb and Roger Price to tour their hotel, culinary and conference center;
• attended Madison East Rotary; and
• hosted legislators, retirees and community leaders at the President’s Table this week.

Following is a quote by Albert Schweitzer that was at the end of an email I received from Bob Dinndorf, Executive Director of the Foundation. “The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.”

Thank you for everything you do for our students.

Bettsey