Germantown to Stay in MATC
District!
November 20, 2008
The Wisconsin
Technical College State Board voted 12-0 to reject
Germantown 's bid to leave the MATC District and join the
Moraine Park District.
The unanimous vote was based on the clear set of facts presented
to the Board including:
- 4 times as many Germantown students
go to MATC than to Moraine
Park . Germantown students have voted with their
feet for MATC.
- MATC Mequon campus is less than half
the distance from Germantown
as the closest Moraine Park
campus.
- 70% of the courses Germantown students
take at MATC are not even offered at Moraine
Park .
- Germantown's secession would cost MATC
$4.7 million forcing cuts in programs, classes and services
to students. Several other WTCS colleges would also lose
state aid.
- When asked by WTCS board members what
problems existed that the move would resolve, the Germantown
representative could not name one problem that needed
to be addressed.
The vote on Wednesday was the culmination
of several weeks of public input, including a public hearing
the week before Wednesday's vote.
At the hearing, many industry representatives
testified that MATC is important to the success of their
business. Also testifying against Germantown 's request
to secede were several MATC students from Germantown who
also gave glowing testimony to the faculty and staff they
worked with at MATC. And several faculty members testified,
including Julie Rock from the Nursing program and George
Stone from Liberal Arts and Sciences (if we forgot someone,
we apologize). They detailed the benefit of MATC, not only
to the students from Germantown but to the entire community.
In the end, the WTCS board responded responsibly.
They listened to the facts and concluded that Germantown
’s students are best served by remaining in the MATC
District.
The
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article
is attached.
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