MILWAUKEE – The Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Board recently took care of business in Milwaukee.
The board, which meets six times each year, including four meetings hosted by technical colleges on a rotating basis, gathered at Milwaukee Area Technical College on November 15 and November 16.
In Room 210 of the Main (M) Building, board members heard reports from Board President Dr. Rodney Pasch, WTCS President Dr. Morna K. Foy, and representatives from the WTCS Presidents’ Association. The board also reviewed the 2022-2025 WTCS Facilities Plan, and toured MATC’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus.
“We were excited to host this meeting and were happy to show board members and WTCS officials our vibrant Downtown Campus,” said MATC President Vicki J. Martin, Ph.D. “Quite a lot of important information was discussed and shared by the participants during the two days, and we look forward to when we can host this meeting again.”
MATC Executive Vice President of Student Success Naydeen Gonzalez-De Jesus, Ph.D., discussed the college’s dual enrollment (DE) programs, along with Dual Enrollment Coordinator Stefanie Patti, instructor and dual enrollment liaison Chris Brzinski, and St. Francis High School teacher Michelle Renaud.
Also, the WTCS board and MATC recognized Froedtert Health with a Futuremaker Partner Award.
The Futuremaker Partner Award is presented four times a year by the WTCS Board to recognize the unique, long-standing connections between the state’s employers and local technical colleges.
In June 2022, Froedtert Health established the Froedtert Memorial Hospital Scholarship Fund with a $6 million gift to the MATC Foundation to fund scholarships for underprivileged and deserving students over the next 20 years.
“Froedtert’s commitment to MATC students through the Froedtert Memorial Hospital Scholarship Fund for underprivileged and deserving students is a perfect example of the partnerships Wisconsin’s technical colleges form to ensure all students have equitable access to education,” Pasch said. “This kind of support helps students receive the instruction and support services offered by our colleges, leading them to family-supporting careers with Wisconsin’s employers.”
The WTCS Board is the coordinating and oversight body for Wisconsin's 16 public, two-year technical colleges, including MATC. Those colleges offer more than 500 programs awarding two-year associate degrees, one- and two-year technical diplomas, short-term technical diplomas and certificates. More than 270,000 people enroll at the state’s technical colleges each year.
The WTCS Board consists of 13 members, including 10 appointed by the Governor: a student, a farmer, an employer representative, an employee representative and six public members.
The remaining three "ex-officio" members, who serve by virtue of their professional position, are: the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, and the President of the University of Wisconsin (UW) Board of Regents, or his or her designee.
Among the board's primary oversight responsibilities are setting tuition rates, reviewing and approving programs and building renovations, and administering state and federal grants.
The board is scheduled to next meet on January 17, 2023, at the WTCS office in Madison.
About MATC: Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 25,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 170 academic programs — many that prepare students for jobs immediately upon completion and others that provide transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
About WTCS: The Wisconsin Technical College System offers more than 500 programs awarding two-year associate degrees, one- and two-year technical diplomas, short-term technical diplomas and certificates. The System is the major provider of customized instruction and technical assistance for Wisconsin employers. More than 270,000 people enroll at a technical college each year.