Western Technical College - Latech Yearbook (La Crosse, WI)

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The TI provement of existing programs and the creation of new ones at WWTI stems from the work done by the Research and Development Department. Student and faculty evaluations of present programs play in important role in this research, along with graduate follow-ups, surveys, questionnaires and evaluations done at the business and industry levels. The department reports annually to the state and federal government and coordin- ates federal grants and building funds. The Research and Development Department is administered by Mr. William Temte. He has been at Western Wisconsin Technical Institute since J anuary 1964, when he started working as a mathe- matics and electronics instructor. Later he became the student activities director, financial aids officer and counselor. In 1968, the Research Department was formed, and Mr. Temte was its administrator. At the present time, he also has the duty as chair- man of the La Crosse area Manpower Board. Mr. Temte observes that the small college atmosphere at WWTI has changed to that of a large institution as more diversified student groups are being served. The Public Information Department at WWT'I operates primarily as a direct supportive branch of the District Directoris Office and is res- ponsible for the development and organization of all school and district publications, informational, and promotional materials, and internal and ex- ternal communications. This includes the coord- dination of approval for all official school publi- cations regarding instructional programs, student activities, recruitment and graduate placement; the dissemination of news releases to newspapers, radio and television; and the preparation of internal communciations such as the weekly faculty bulletin, as well as community service and evening school announcements. Mr. Donald tChickl Meinert is Administrator of Public Information for WWTI and the district. He started at WWTI in 1966 in an original position which was a sort of combined graphic arts and public information coordinator. At that time he taught chemistry, physics , advertising, commercial art and principles of graphic arts, and also served as the public relations director. As the school grew in size, the need for expanded public information services also increased, and now Mr. Meinert devotes all his time to this job. 15

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14 Adm I mstratlve Servnces is responsible for the financial matters of the district, including budgeting, tax collection, tuition, state and federal aids, payroll, fringe benefits and purchasing. The department is responsible for the physical facilities of the school and the administrative data processing department, which provides support services for other departments. Mr. Dale Tessmer serves as the administrator of this department. One of the major developments Mr. Tessmer finds over the last ten years is the switchover from hand to computer operations, eliminating much paperwork. In 1968, the Western Wisconsin VTAE District was formed, making it one of sixteen dis- tricts in the state. This event gave the school more financial independence. Western Wisconsin Techni- cal Institute is unique in that it is one of three down- town campuses in the state, an advantage which makes greater cultural exchange possible. TOP: Mr. Dale Tessmer - Administrator of Administrative Services. BOTTOM: Dr. Philip Thaldorf - Administrative Assistant, Jerry Boggs - Administrative Data Processing, James Boots - Admin- istrative Services.

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TOP: Richard Flanigan - Safety Train- ing. MIDDLE: Robert Peterson - Driver Education. BOTTOM: William Schenk - Career Mobile Technician. FAR RIGHT: J. Robert Pendleton - Administrator of Community Services. In the year 1973 Community Services -' ., was established as an administrative unit directly responsible to the Director and Board of the Western Wisconsin Vocational Technical and Adult Educ- ation District. Community Services is charged with the responsibility to find the educational needs of and to provide the educational opportunities to all of the adult residents in the district. The Administrator of Community Services is J . Robert Pendleton, who retured from the Navy in 1970. Mr. Pendleton came to Western Wisconsin Technical Institute as a communication skills and social sciences instructor. During the 1971-72 school year he was president of the faculty. In 1972 he be- came the communication skills department head. When in J anuary of 1973 the Community Services was created, Mr. Pendleton became its admin- istrator. At the same time he was assigned as pro- ject director for a federal project in career educ- ation with the specific objective of taking career education tpreparing all people with a satisfactory career for lifel to the 27 public school districts which make up the Western Wisconsin postsecondary district.