Paying Homage to Rus Slicker I never had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Rus F. Slicker, MATC president from 1982 to 1990, but many of you did. To some, that time will seem like only yesterday. Knowing something about the job he held, I think I know something about the man. Dr. Slicker, who passed away just before the holidays, was one of only eight presidents in our 95-year history. A career-long educator, mostly at two-year colleges, he made a lasting contribution to this institution. Decades from now, it still will be felt. Dr. Slicker championed construction of the Student Center, which so dramatically enhanced the student experience at MATC. He was a strong advocate for a four-block Downtown Milwaukee Campus that became a reality. Although he had stepped down as president just months before our successful 1990 referendum, we substantially owe its passage to him. The referendum paved the way for adding the campus block that eventually became the Health Sciences building. His vision, however, was about more than bricks and mortar. During his tenure, programs and class offerings grew at the Mequon, Oak Creek and West Allis campuses, helping to truly regionalize our services. Dr. Slicker also strengthened ties to local businesses. He brought in a diverse team of strong administrators. And he drove district-wide upgrades of our teaching and learning technologies. Tending to live in the moment nowadays, we forget that we are but the end of a long chain. People like Rus Slicker profoundly shaped the modern MATC. The challenge for us is to live up to their example and never forget that they, literally, built our world. Darnell E. Cole President

In This Issue: Enrollment Rebounds Although we are still down just slightly from a year ago, enrollment appears to have stabilized amid hopeful signs that our cycle may be on the way back up. Smart Connect This month we launch a series of mini open houses for prospective students, in a major cross-divisional project. West Allis Addition Approved The city has approved a scaled-down version of our original plan, which now will be built in two phases. Ramping Up The Express Ramp welder training project with Bucyrus International, Inc. has swung into high gear with startup of two new sections. Discovery World Classes Expand After launching classes at Discovery World with two courses last fall, we now have expanded to six course offerings. A Quarter Century of Tax Help Oak Creek Accounting Instructor Jim Benedum celebrates 25 years of service to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Click here for top of Communique Click here for a printer-friendly version