Letter: CVTC move harmful

5/23/2007 12:35:11 PM Leader Telegram Eau Claire

Suspending the administrative assistant and office assistant programs at Chippewa Valley Technical College is a major loss for the area. Suspending these two programs is unwarranted and was done to fund the new (and unnecessary) associate of science in liberal studies degree.

Loss of the office administrative degrees is being explained as eliminating an expensive program with low enrollment. Enrollment is not low if all students — part-time as well as full-time, on the satellite campuses as well as the Eau Claire campus — are counted.

These programs have created a skilled office workforce throughout the Chippewa Valley. The programs are key to (predominantly) women entering the workforce for the first time, re-entering the workforce, seeking to enhance their existing skills, or re-training because they have lost a job or must change careers due to health issues.

We need a skilled labor force in the Chippewa Valley. A key portion of that labor force must be administrative or office support staff. Our profession is no longer the stereotypical “secretary.” We support business and industry with skilled computer applications, conference planning, report writing, communications via Internet, record-keeping, public relations and supervisory skills.

CVTC is changing its mission to offer a program that is not needed. Each UW campus offers an associate degree, the same two-year program CVTC wants to offer. The two-year UW center campuses were established to meet the needs of residents in those counties wishing to get the first two years of a liberal arts education. All of those campus credits are transferable to the four-year universities.

The CVTC Board is not elected and therefore not directly accountable to taxpayers. Please go to the CVTC Web site (www.cvtc.edu/Board/Board.htm) to find the full list of board members. Although you will note no contact information is listed, I urge you to try to get in touch with them.

CYNTHIA WELCH

Menomonie