A most extraordinary thing happens to certain community volunteers.  They find themselves in a role that they themselves sought, but, in reality, could not have imagined.  It is more than most bargained for, both in effort required and in its reward.  They may not have pursued it at all if they’d realized the extent of the responsibility.  They bring to the table personal skills, professional experience, commitment to technical education, a sense of stewardship, and many more elements of trusteeship.   In many ways they create a most “representative” form of local government.  They represent every Wisconsin county and the demographic, geographic, social, economic, professional, and personal faces of a great state.

They come together to combine nine distinct voices at each college board table into one board voice.  Since 1971, they have come together to combine those sixteen voices into something larger at the state level.

Thirty-three years later, the Technical College District Boards Association is strong, but not without significant challenges.  Like the boards and colleges it represents, it is ever-changing and must respond more quickly to add value and to thrive.  One of the great challenges of keeping legislators and the public aware of today’s technical colleges is fueled by how fast the colleges change.  The faster the rate of change, the harder it is for even well-informed people to keep up with you.

Change brings great new things and renewal and new energy.  It also magnifies the need for continuous learning and relearning.  Like the colleges, the rate of change has dramatically affected this Association, the system president and board, the college presidents, and all of our leaders.  From 1997 to the present:

·          The WTCS engaged a new system president and now seeks another;

·          75% of the colleges – 12 of 16 – have engaged new presidents;

·          85% of state board members – 11 of 13 – were first appointed;

·          74% of district board members – 106 of 144 – were first appointed;

·          87% of Association board of director members – 14 of 16 – were first appointed; and

·          100% of the Association’s executive committee members were first elected.

If the technical colleges continue to respond to the state’s and local communities’ ever-changing needs for the next 33 years as they have for the past 33, Wisconsin will surely thrive.  If the Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association likewise continues to respond to its ever-changing member needs through education, information, advocacy, and interdistrict cooperation, the WTCS will thrive as well.

Paul Gabriel — Executive Director, June, 2004

Postscript