MATC Moving to All Virtual Services and Wrapping Most In-Person Instruction by Thanksgiving

Milwaukee (Nov. 13 2020) — Milwaukee Area Technical College will move to delivering nearly all student services virtually beginning Monday, Nov. 30. The college also will seek to wrap in-person instruction by Thanksgiving wherever possible. The moves are in response to health and safety concerns regarding surging COVID-19 cases in the community. About 70% of courses are already being offered online. This change is effective through the fall semester, which ends Dec. 18.

“The health and safety of our students and employees and preserving our mission to provide the best education possible are of paramount importance,” said Dr. Vicki J. Martin, MATC president. “We are striving to achieve these outcomes and feel confident that we have found the right balance of having as few people on campus as possible to avoid spread while providing the tools necessary to continue training students for careers with family-sustaining wages and meeting the needs of area employers.”

Limited access to labs and on-site classrooms will be available to complete in-person hours after Thanksgiving only in cases where programs/courses must meet a number of in-person contact hours for accreditation, licensing, industry standards and/or course competency requirements. Approved off-site instruction and experiences including apprenticeships, internships, off-site customized training, clinicals and other off-site instruction will continue.

The vast majority of student services such as admissions, financial aid, and advising will be offered virtually beginning Monday, Nov. 30. Limited staff will be available on campuses to assist students in accessing virtual services, which will be available 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Fridays. Limited staffing also is being planned for specific on-campus student resources and further details will be shared as soon as they are available. Students are urged to access services online whenever possible.

MATC will launch a virtual services page at matc.edu that includes ways to reach teams by email, phone and, in many cases, by video.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, MATC has made plans based on multiple scenarios so the college can adapt quickly. A Health and Safety Committee has been meeting weekly to review COVID-19 key indicators in areas such as cases, testing, contract tracing and care and in the community and the college. Due to the current status of COVID-19 in our community and at our college, the committee recommended these additional actions to prioritize health and safety, and college leadership approved them.

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. Nearly 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 150 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 35 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.