The President of Manhattan Area Technical College stood up during this years Regional Leaders Retreat and said that the college is not receiving the support it needs from the three city area it serves.

During a session focused on the regions workforce Rob Edleston, President of M.A.T.C. told those in attendance that they the should be ashamed.

“We have, in this room alone, we have about six companies, six individuals that give to the college every year. Out of these three city’s that we serve, and we serve a six county service area. I hope you’re feeling a little ashamed,” Edleston said.

Edleston explained that when the colleges were allowed to move away from the school districts the ad valorem tax didn’t not travel with the technical colleges.

“We only have two legs of funding, one is tuition which has gone up every single year and will continue to go up every single year. Matter of fact we’ve gone up nearly 12 percent at times in certain career clusters.”

Edleston applauded Geary County and the support they have given to Cloud County Community College’s Geary County campus.

If things don’t change Edleston said that they will have to consider giving up their college and become a part of another college. He said that Cloud County Community College is trying to adopt the college.