By H. Nelson Goodson
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Cruz, President of the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) announced in his social media (LinkedIn) that he is celebrating his 2nd Anniversary working at MATC and is continuing to visit newly enrolled MATC students at their homes. How ironic, he hasn't visited any of the MATC instructors or workers at MATC in the last 2 years to get feedback about the internal hostile work environment, retaliation, harassment and etc...they have endured under his leadership, nor has he and the MATC Board of Trustees have done nothing worth mentioning to resolve those ongoing issues in the last 2 years that have led to low working moral by instructors at the technical college.
Dr. Cruz earns $285,000 in salary per year plus perks, $15,000 for travel allowance and $55,000 retirement annuity. Many instructors at MATC and communities of color in the Milwaukee area would say, Cruz hasn't earned his salary and is getting paid for failing to resolve internal employee/administration hostile work environment issues and MATC is facing more than $2.5M in deficit for 2027.
Dr. Cruz can celebrate his 2nd Anniversary of milking a hefty salary from MATC, but actually has no real accomplishments to show and to be celebrated other than getting paid for his failures at the technical college. Unless, we missed something that Dr. Cruz has prevailed to accomplish worth his pay. Getting rid of the Office of Multicultural Student Services and replacing it with the failing Office of Community Impact at MATC was one of his biggest blunders in August 2025, according to members of the communities of color (Hispanic/Latino, Asian-American, African-American and Native-American) it effected.
In the last 2 years under Dr. Cruz leadership:
• MATC deficit under Milwaukee Area Technical College President Dr. Anthony Cruz more than doubled from previous predecessor (former MATC President Vickie J. Martin) in 2023 with $1.1M to today under Dr. Cruz at $2.8M in 2026 to an expected deficit of $2.5M in fiscal year 2027.
• Student enrollment at MATC has declined, in several years in 2009-2010 to 2010-2011, MATC had nearly 15,000 full-time equivalent student (FTE) enrollment, compared to date in 2026, 9,200 FTE enrollment.
• A 2% student tuition increase for certificate degree and a 3% increase for an associate degree in 2027 has been approved
• MATC has a current $80.7M outstanding debt through June 30, 2026
• MATC will operate in 2027 with mostly part-time instructors, according to the budget hearing.
• MATC will also target 108 employees, especially full-time instructors for early retirement or no contract renewal in order to offset the pending deficit for FY 2027
• Elimination of the Office of Multicultural Student Services, and unjustly terminating 4 student services specialists affecting Latino/Hispanic, African-American, Asian-American and Native-American students including communities without their imput, in order to comply with Trump's illegal and unconstitutional executive order eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) race related programs, which multiple federal courts have ruled it was unconstitutional.
• MATC facing multiple employees discrimination complaints with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Equal Rights Division.
• MATC administration under Dr. Cruz has proliferated its hostile work environment including the practice of harassment, discrimination and retaliation against employees and instructors that file complaints or just complain.
• MATC cutting employee wages, but are being forced to work more without wage compensation.
• MATC has an all White male administration who are paid excessive wages, for example, Dr. Cruz gets $285,000 in salary per year with extras perks, eventhough, he has more than doubled the MATC deficit, since 2024.
• MATC President Cruz has ignored the communities of color demands to restore the Office of Multicultural Student Services, and has also failed to provide any particular reason why he continues to ignore the communities of color requests who actually pay his salary.
• MATC Human Resources led by Laquitha “Elle” Bonds-Jones, the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer under Dr. Cruz cut part-time employees hourly wages without their knowledge and also reduced their sick leave pay. Part-time employees had to be compensated back pay wages and earned sick leave fully pay restored. Also, Bonds-Jones was eventually caught altering MATC policies without the knowledge of the MATC Board of Trustees or the MATC Local 212 union. Dr. Cruz has declined to terminate Bonds-Jones for her alleged misdeeds at the technical college.
• Student enrollment stats intentionally inflated, despite student enrollment decline between 2025 to 2026, according to discovery made by MATC Board of Trustees who learned that misinformation was being provided to them at the April 28, 2026 Board meeting. Presentation by Phillip King, the Executive Vice-President and Provost showed an enrollment decline from 2025 to 2026, but enrollment stats were inaccurately inflated, which multiple MATC Board members criticized Phillip for providing inaccurate student enrollment stats. (MATC Board meeting video time at 2:20:00 minute to 2:50:00 minutes stamp)
• MATC Board of Trustees meeting for Tuesday, April 28, 2026, the first 42 minutes of the meeting were public comments by 11 instructors, students and the MATC Local 212 union regarding their concerns and issues they are facing at MATC under Dr. Cruz's administration, at link:
https://www.youtube.com/live/--C91QsctXM
• In less than 2 years at MATC, Dr. Cruz has continuously shown lack of leadership including his lack of ability to resolve major plaguing issues at the technical college, which so far, the inept Board of Trustees have failed to take any action to hold Dr. Cruz accountable.
Full HNNUSA article: ESL Program On The Chopping Block, Instructors Say MATC Going Backwards Under President Dr. Anthony Cruz, Also Technical College Facing $2.5M Deficit For Fiscal Year 2027 (April 28, 2026)
https://tinyurl.com/zy8jz5k5
HNNUSA full article at link: Insight MATC: Lack Of Leadership And Efficiency By President Dr. Anthony Cruz, Technical College Facing Layoffs, Job Eliminations, And Possible Administrative Non-contract Renewals To Offset $2.5M Deficit In 2027 (May 21, 2026)
https://tinyurl.com/4snzv3pa
.jpg){kind=link}
