University Roundtable spring lineup kicks off Feb. 14

The University Roundtable, a traditional semester lecture series at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, will kick off on February 14 with a lecture by Alan Fish, the Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Management, about the future of the University Master Plan.

Fish currently provides leadership in evaluating and meeting campus facilities needs, including long-range planning, budgeting, construction, environmental health and safety, parking and transportation, space management, and utilities. He represents the university on all facilities and construction matters before the public, UW System administration, and local, state and federal governments.

“Our new master plan takes a dramatically different direction,” says Fish, in reference to his presentation. “We will now reinvent ourselves in place, expanding by adding infill density within our current boundaries and increasing available land by converting surface parking to parking structures, which free up existing land for development or green space.”

The second installment of the Roundtable series will be on March 14, led by David Bordwell, a UW–Madison communication arts professor. Bordwell will discuss his book, “The Way Hollywood Tells It,” which evaluates the circumstances that allow films made in the American movie industry to share standardized norms of construction.

Chancellor John D. Wiley will give the final Roundtable presentation on April 11, focusing on the Wisconsin Idea. The concept of serving statewide needs is more relevant than ever in the 21st century, Wiley says, especially in areas state citizens consider top priorities: health care quality and access; economic development and job creation; and educational access and attainment. Wiley will discuss the 2007 Wisconsin Idea Project (WIP), which is devoted to strengthening and expanding UW–Madison’s impact in those core areas.

Roundtable lunches are open to the public and begin at 11:45 a.m. in Tripp Commons in the Memorial Union. To RSVP, please contact Colleen McCabe at (608) 263-2985.