Many MATC students and alumni are upset over the elimination of MATC’s Multicultural Services office and four staff members. They are gathering signatures for a petition to get the college to keep it. In addition, a student and alumni group has scheduled a protest for Monday, August 25.

This action follows an announcement earlier this week from MATC Vice President of Student Engagement and Community Impact, Michael Rogers. In an email to all MATC faculty and staff, sent on Wednesday, August 20, Rogers announced the “restructuring” of the Multicultural Services office and “establishing” the Office of Community Impact in its place. The new office will have two newly created positions, “one focused on specialized training and community transformation initiatives, and one focused on student mentorship programs.”

Roger’s announcement said the restructure is part of the college’s strategy to serve all students while adjusting to the new guidelines from the U.S. Department of Education. “This new office will champion holistic support for all students and cultivate increased partnerships within our community through high-impact practices, unique co-curricular opportunities and vibrant campus engagement.” 

Here is a statement the MATC Times received from Marketing & Communications with additional information:

“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. 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. This involves integrating and restructuring departments focused on specific student needs. The Office of Multicultural Services existed solely to serve students who identify as a specific race or ethnic group. However, not all positions were eliminated. We created the Office of Community Impact and transitioned some employees there. By doing this, 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.

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. This is being done to align with a broader, more integrated framework focused on the overall student experience, emphasizing access, engagement and building intentional community partnerships that serve all students. 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.”