MATC 'restructures' multicultural office, eliminates 4 positions

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) is being met with some pushback from the community after it was announced that its Multicultural Affairs Office was being "restructured," with four positions eliminated. 

The closure of the office was reportedly done to comply with guidance from the Trump administration and the Department of Education. At a board meeting on Aug. 26, several residents spoke out about the changes.

"Shutting down like this will make it really hard for students like us," said Ja'Cole Jackson, a student at MATC. Around 62.7% of students in spring of 2025 identified as people of color, according to MATC's website.

In an email sent to students, the vice president of student engagement and community impact said his office, formerly known as Multicultural Services, was being “restructured” under new directives and mandates coming from the federal government and the U.S. Department of Education. “So that we do not jeopardize the critical funding needed to maintain operations and student aid at MATC, we believe it was necessary to restructure ... and re-establish a new way to continue to offer the same level of service and support,” he wrote.

"There's really good representation of diversity at MATC. The people it affects, the rollbacks on DEI, the people it affects most are here," shared MATC graduate and tutor Christian Porter.

AFT Local 212, the union that represents the four who lost their jobs, says it "condemns the closure... This action reflects neither the mission and values of the college nor the new strategic plan goals recently celebrated during back-to-school events."

Earlier this month, a federal judge struck down two Trump administration actions aimed at eliminating DEI programs at the nation's schools and universities, finding that the education department violated the law when it threatened to cut federal funding from educational institutions that continued with DEI initiatives.

An online petition as of Aug. 27 already has over 1,300 signatures, asking the president of MATC to reverse these changes. Jackson echoed those sentiments. "Fight it, honestly, this is something you have to take care of. This is your team, your problem. Sometimes someone has to be our voice; you’re our voice here. If we can't fight it ourselves, we need someone as powerful as him to step up to us." 

The union says they're in discussions with the college to try to help those four individuals keep their jobs. We're told they're awaiting communication from the college and expect an update this week or next.

MATC provided the following statement, explaining the decisions: 

"It is important to communicate the Multicultural Affairs office was not eliminated. The office was restructured and the Office of Community Impact was created. With this restructuring, we eliminated four Student Service Specialist staff positions. All positions were not eliminated as some employees where transferred to the Office of Community Impact. The Office of Community Impact will house two newly created positions: one focused on specialized training and community transformation initiatives, and one focused on student mentorship programs. By restructuring in this way, we are able to champion holistic support for all students and cultivate increased partnerships within our community through high-impact practices, unique cocurricular opportunities and vibrant campus engagement. What Prompted Us to Restructure in This Way? Since February 2025 we have been working toward following the guidance issued by the Dear Colleague letter issued by the U.S. Department of Education indicating colleges and universities could face investigation and loss of federal funding such as student financial aid if they employ race-conscious practices in “hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life. "That guidance prohibits positions with duties that provide services exclusively to students based on race or ethnicity. The Office of Multicultural Services existed solely to serve students who identify as a specific race or ethnic group. As such, throughout the year, we have been working to adhere to that guidance while continuing to serve all students at the same levels. Fulfilling our mission to serve all students in our community while adjusting to this guidance from the U.S. Department of Education has been challenging. We are having to redefine roles and responsibilities within the college based on operational needs. These decisions are never easy and we do not take them lightly. We want to continue to stress our commitment and focus on supporting each and every one of our students, providing them with the resources they need to succeed. We are equally committed to supporting our affected employees during this transition."