Two bills that passed in the Assembly last week could have significant impact on the operations of Wisconsin's Technical Colleges. While the Budget Conference Committee continues to debate over budget issues, the Assembly passed AB-506, which sets state aids for K-12 schools and municipalities and AB-507, which would continue levy limits on local governments approved during the last budget and establish a new 2.6 percent increase limit on technical college levies for the next two years. At this time, the Senate Leadership has indicated they will not take either bill to a floor vote. Meanwhile, the state's share of funding for the technical colleges remains an unresolved budget issue before the Budget Conference Committee.

The Wisconsin Technical College System is hosting a conference aimed at improving success for students of color. The conference, "Promoting Multi-Cultural Success: A Whole College Enterprise," will be held October 3 & 4 at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Green Bay. It will not only celebrate our technical colleges' service to Wisconsin students of color but also explore opportunities and strategies for helping these students succeed. The featured speaker is Reg Weaver (pictured) of the National Education Association (NEA). This conference is for all areas and functions of our colleges, including instruction, student services, human resources, research and evaluation and college advancement. It's for faculty and staff, administrators, managers, students and board members. Colleges are encouraged to send teams. Technical College students may attend this conference as part of a group sponsored by their college. For more information on the conference, please access the link below.

Chippewa Valley Technical College has selected a new president. The CVTC Board just announced that Bruce A. Barker, J.D., (pictured) vice- president of operations at CVTC will replace Dr. Bill Ihlenfeldt. Dr. Ihlenfeldt announced last year he would retire this December. Frank Bucheger, Board Chair, stated, "We are confident that Mr. Barker will provide the leadership that will bring CVTC to a new level of development and accomplishments. Barker joined CVTC in 1999 as Human Resources Administrator

Dr. David Buettner, president of Fox Valley Technical College, recently announced he is retiring from his position effective August 2008. Buettner said he will work with the board to find a successor. "Dave has been an excellent president, excellent leader of the college," said Board Chair Jack Rhodes. "We wish him well, and we are ready to go forward and try to find a worthy successor. He will leave very big shoes to fill."

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College has been ranked the 7th best two-year college in the nation, according to a study published in Washington Monthly. The rankings, which are the first of their kind, used data from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) and graduation rate statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Education.

A recent study by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance found that the economic impact of Wisconsin's Technical Colleges on the state's economy is $6.9 billion dollars annually. The study, which took into account the total economic output from jobs, higher wages, and spending in one year, showed a return of nearly $4 for every $1 in tax dollar used to educate students.