ADAMS - During the Mid-State Technical College (MSTC) Board of Directors meeting held Monday evening, the Board authorized $17,810,256 for the 2007-08 property tax levy, representing an overall mill rate of $1.47 per $1,000 of equalized property value. The levy will be distributed to the 97 municipalities within MSTC's District boundaries. Each municipality's share is determined by the equalized values that are certified by the Department of Revenue.

According to Toni Joosten, Accounting Manager, the 2007-08 budget's real dollar impact on a taxpayer living in the MSTC District who owns a $100,000 home is $147.45 for MSTC services, a reduction in the previous year's tax bill of $2.55. "This amount is lower than last year's mill rate and represents a declining mill rate for MSTC for the sixth consecutive year," said Joosten. She added that the college maintains a considerably lower impact than other taxing jurisdictions because MSTC serves a broader tax base with 97 municipalities.

Dr. John Clark, MSTC President, said the focus of MSTC's budget is to maintain programs and services to meet student, employer and community expectations. "This budget furthers MSTC's vital role in regional economic development as it contains the financial, human and capital resources necessary to accomplish its goals." He added that the college works diligently to minimize its tax burden on district residents.

In other news, the Board heard a report from Dr. Sue Budjac, Vice President of Academic Affairs, about the college investigating two new programs to potentially offer in fall 2008. Dr. Budjac reported that MSTC is in the initial stages of pursuing a Forensic Investigator program. "Preliminary plans include developing and offering this program as a less-than-one-year technical diploma. The target audience would include crime scene investigators employed by law enforcement agencies, insurance companies or other business-claims investigators as well as graduates of Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement associate and baccalaureate degree programs," said Dr. Budjac. She said the new program idea was introduced to the Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement program advisory committee and received enthusiastic support.

Dr. Budjac said MSTC is also pursuing the possibility of an associate degree Polysomnography Technologist program. "In response to interest expressed by major healthcare providers in our district, we are investigating the possibility of offering this associate degree." She said polysomnography technicians work with patients in explaining sleep study procedures. "They also gather and analyze patient information and physician orders to insure the proper tests are performed," said Dr. Budjac. She added that several critical issues validate the pursuit of this program. "Medical evidence of sleep disturbance is resulting in greater study, acquisition of sleep-related knowledge and treatment. In addition, laboratories conducting sleep studies will need to be accredited in the future and federal reimbursement for accredited labs will require that labs be staffed with registered personnel." Dr. Budjac said the college is further investigating the demonstrated need and relevance for the two programs.

The next Mid-State Technical College Board of Directors meeting will be held Monday, November 19 at the Wisconsin Rapids campus. Committee meetings are scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m., with the regular Board meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. To learn more about MSTC programs and services, please call 888.575.6782 or visit the college's website at mstc.edu.