Cruz and the Milwaukee Board of Trustees continue to ignore the demands by communities of color to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office student services at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
November 10, 2025
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Since July 2024, Dr. Anthony Cruz has ignored complaints by faculty, students and workers who have suffered retribution, harassment, discrimination, retaliation and employment discrimination under a systematic hostile work environment perpetuated by the corrupt Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) administration including from Laquitha Bonds-Jones, the Vice-President and Chief Human Resources Officer, who has been accused by the AFT Local 212 union of altering policy documents without authorization by Dr. Cruz and the MATC Board of Trustees. Also, Bonds-Jones was allegedly responsible of wage-pay reduction by 7.23% affecting part-time faculty in 2025, which nearly $900 of reduction hourly wages were cut for more than 700 part-time faculty employees totalling an estimated $622,688.57. Since the AFT Local 212 union revelation of the wage-pay discrepancy and Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) news report, the MATC administration has agreed to refund the wages to part-time faculty.
Despite Bonds-Jones alleged ineffectiveness and incompetence operation of the Human Resources Office, she remains employed at the technical college. Bonds-Jones has an estimated salary of more than $182,155 per year.
To add injury to the open wound, Dr. Cruz without informing the communities of color in the Milwaukee metro area decided to just eliminate the Multicultural Affairs Office after 53 years of providing multicultural student services and terminated 4 student services specialists without giving them the option to transfer to other open qualified positions at MATC to comply with Trump's end of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs, which is deemed illegal and unconstitutional by three federal court rulings.
To date, Dr. Cruz hasn't earned his salary, simply because he hasn't improved the internal turmoil, toxic and the systemic hostile work environment created by his administration affecting faculty, students and workers at MATC. Currently, Dr. Cruz earns more than $285,000 in salary per year, with $15,000 travel allowance and $55,000 retirement annuity.
The Multicultural Affairs Office was created at MATC after a successful sit-in by Native-Americans in 1973 demanding space for indigenous students to gather, organize and to be allowed to receive multicultural student services in order to succed at the technical college. The creation of the Multicultural Affairs Office after 1973 was also welcomed by the Latino, African-American and growing Asian communities.
Today, more than 15 local organizations have joined the Coalition to Reclaim MATC. The coalition is composed of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, Wisconsin Indian Education Association, Milwaukee Teachers Education Association, Voces de la Frontera, Shee Yee Community of Milwaukee Inc, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Milwaukee Chapter, Progressive Baptist Church, Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, Hmong American Friendship Association, Black Men Organizing, MIRACLE Mental Health Network, Pastors United, Souls to the Polls and Students for Democratic Society-UWM, who have been organizing to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office student services at MATC.
MATC wrongfully replace the Multicultural Affairs Office with the Office of Community Impact and eliminated all ethnic based student services for Latino/Hispanic, African-American, Asian-American and Native-American students.
The Coalition to Reclaim MATC held a protest at the technical college during the MATC Board of Trustees on October 28, 2025, and will stage another protest on November 24, 2025 at the 700 block of W. State Street and S. 6th Street during the Board meeting at Room M210 at 4:00 p.m..
The MATC Board of Trustees under Chairperson Erica L. Case continues to ignore the communities of color demands to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office student services and to rehire those that have been terminated including a liberian who had applied more than 60 times for a full-time position, and finally received a position, but was terminated without just cause. (October 28th Board meeting, public comment testimony by former MATC Librian Jennifer Wayd and members of the Coalition to Reclaim MATC at link: https://youtu.be/5Hq89U8ONw8)
According to MATC and community sources, if Dr. Cruz continues to ignore the communities of color demands to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office student services and rehire the 4 student services specialists that were terminated in September 2025 including the terminated liberian, with full back pay wages, and seniority, the Coalition to Reclaim MATC will have no alternative then to seek Cruz's resignation, including the resignation of the hostile and corrupt MATC administration.
So far, Dr. Cruz has failed to address the MATC faculty hostile work environment complaints and to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office student services.
The Coalition to Reclaim MATC has reached out to Dr. Cruz in order to meet and resolve the pending issues with no avail by Cruz.
Carlos Aranda, a counselor at MATC released the following statement on Saturday, "The Milwaukee Area Technical College administration has an obligation to act with integrity and uphold the standards of fairness and accountability that define true leadership."
"Over the past several months—August, September, and October—community members and advocates have met with Milwaukee Area Technical College President Dr. Anthony Cruz and attended District Board meetings to request the reinstatement of three women of color and one man of color whose employment was terminated under the current administration. These individuals have suffered significant financial and psychological harm as a result of those decisions.
"Many in the community believe that, during his first year at MATC, President Cruz has demonstrated a limited understanding of Wisconsin's community college mission, particularly its role in serving underrepresented populations. In addition, there are growing concerns regarding the District Board's commitment to ethical governance, transparency, and the responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources. Questions have been raised about potential conflicts of interest among certain board members and how these relationships may influence decisions that affect the college community.
"The current situation has not only damaged the reputation of the college's leadership but also eroded public trust in the integrity of its governance.
"We invite all concerned members of the MATC and Milwaukee community to join us on Monday, November 24, at 4:00 p.m. in Room M210 on the Milwaukee Campus.
"This will mark the fourth time that community members have come before the District Board to respectfully urge the administration to restore the Four + 1 employees—with back pay and benefits—consistent with the principles of justice and accountability.
"It is time for the MATC administration to act with integrity and do what is right. Each day that passes without resolution deepens the harm and weakens public confidence in the institution's moral and civic responsibilities."
The members of the MATC Board of Trustees are, Erica L. Case, Chairperson; Citlali Mendieta-Ramos, Vice-Chairperson; Dr. Waleed Najeeb, Secretary; Gail Pence, Treasurer; Lauren Baker; Mark F. Foley and Wisconsin State Representative Supreme Moore-Omokunde (D-Milw).
Editor's note: It's time for the communities of color to organize a major march from the Southside of Milwaukee to downtown MATC in solidarity with the Coalition to Reclaim MATC demands to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office and rehire the 4 + 1.
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