You gave us a clear, unvarnished picture of our strengths and our gaps.
Milwaukee Area Technical College might not be the perfect place to work, but it’s ready, willing and able to be better.
That’s the message college administrators delivered Wednesday, September 16, when they revealed the results of the Personalized Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) Climate Survey, a biennial survey of MATC’s working environment.
About 100 employees gathered in person and online at a Voice of the College Live session to hear the findings of the 2026 survey and brainstorm how to make improvements.
Almost every two years since 2013, the college has asked employees their opinions on a variety of topics using the PACE survey. Areas measured include institutional structure, supervisory relationships, teamwork and student focus.
The college sent out 2,333 surveys and received a record-high 1,288 responses — 55% of MATC’s workforce — said Laquitha “Elle” Bonds-Jones, the college’s vice president of Human Resources.
“You gave us a clear, unvarnished picture of our strengths and our gaps,” MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz said at the session. “And because you took the time to share your experiences, we’ve made some real progress. At the same time, we know that we still have a lot of heavy lifting to do.”
On the survey, employees answered 68 questions using a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best. The college’s overall rating was 3.56 and has remained relatively flat since 2013, said Erich Zeimantz, MATC’s director of Institutional Research and Data Analytics. The 2024 overall score was 3.55 and 2022’s was 3.47, he said.
On the 2026 survey, the college scored well in:
- Employees feeling their job is relevant to college’s mission (4.38)
- College prepares students well for a career (4.15)
- Student diversity is important (4.12)
- Supervisors are confident in employee work (4.05)
- College prepares students for further learning (4.00)
On the flip side, nine of the college’s 10 lowest scoring areas were under one area, institutional structure, Zeimantz said, including:
- Employees able to influence institution’s direction (2.66, down from 2.80 in 2024)
- Institution is appropriately organized (2.75)
- Administrative processes are clearly defined (2.78)
- Decisions are made at appropriate level (2.86)
- Opportunity for advancement (2.91)
The college has made progress in several areas, Dr. Cruz said. Scores in the organizational structure, operating clarity, transparency and career advancement increased in 2026, he said. Since 2024, 82% of all promotions at the college have gone to internal candidates, he added.
In the 2026 survey, the college for the first time asked employees whether or not change at the college is planned, communicated, resourced and inclusive. MATC’s score of 2.81 was below the national PACE average of 3.27 and the large college average of 3.33, Zeimantz said.
“This is a baseline to build from, not a single bad score,” Zeimantz added.
Along with the survey responses, 965 employees submitted more than 2,600 comments, said Jane Beyer, the college’s director of Talent Strategy. “These comments give a voice to the results,” she said.
In the comments, employees expressed frustration that decisions were made without input, that some processes were difficult to navigate, that departments felt isolated from the rest of the college, and that successes went unseen and unappreciated.
After the findings of the survey were presented, Michelle Wild, director of Training, Development and Credentialing, helped employees at the event to determine what challenges to tackle first and where focused efforts would make the most difference.
The college’s Executive Leadership Team will review the suggestions and determine where to take action, Beyer said. Administrators plan to communicate progress to the rest of the college through The Week Ahead emails, the myMATC portal and other Voice of the College Lives sessions, she said.
Dr. Cruz introduced Voice of the College Live in the spring of 2025 as a way to collect direct input from faculty and staff about crucial issues like hiring, student retention and transparency. Since then, sessions have been held in April 2025 and October 2025. In April 2026, employees discussed ways to improve and enhance MATC Day.
About MATC: As 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 35,000 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 180 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 45 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
