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News in Brief

October 23, 2001

News in Brief


ON CAMPUS

Infectious disease symposium planned
The Medical School and School of Veterinary Medicine will sponsor a series of presentations related to public health and infectious and emerging diseases.

The first of these, to be held from 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13, at the Wisconsin Union Theater, Memorial Union, will focus on bioterrorism, and will provide information on such things as anthrax, clinical issues related to anthrax, the potential of other bioweapons and state plans to address risks of bioterrorism.

Featured speakers at that first event will be Dennis Maki, who heads the Medical School’s section of infectious diseases, and Jeff Davis, the state epidemiologist for communicable diseases.

Future events will focus on emerging infectious diseases such as the West Nile virus, foot and mouth disease and food safety, including the risk of E. coli infections.The organizer for the series is George Mejicano, assistant dean for Continuing Medical Education in the Medical School.

Mitchard is marshal
Homecoming parade watchers have a chance to cheer on a celebrity parade marshal this week: Best-selling author and local resident Jacqueline Mitchard.

The Homecoming Parade is a time- honored tradition. Students, alumni and area residents line State Street to cheer on Bucky Badger, floats representing various student groups and the parade grand marshal, who presides over the entire event.

Mitchard is the author of the No. 1 New York Times best-selling novel, “The Deep End of the Ocean,” also chosen for Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club.

The role of a parade grand marshal is to help the Homecoming Committee to unite the university and the community via a variety of Homecoming events. The parade grand marshal rides in the parade down State Street and distributes spirit awards at the awards presentation and fireworks display immediately following.

To get times, parade route and other details: http://www.uwalumni.com/.

Orientation rescheduled
The Office of Human Resource Development has rescheduled UW–Madison’s employee orientation for Thursday, Nov. 8. Director Don Schutt says the office felt that holding an orientation on the original Sept. 14 date would be inconsistent with the climate of the rest of the nation in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

This is the third orientation offered by the Office of Human Resource Development, but it is the first time the event is offered to all UW–Madison employees in addition to new hires.

Schutt says the decision to expand the event stems from the interest of long-time university employees who never had the opportunity to participate in a campus orientation.

The orientation seeks to familiarize employees with the resources the institution has to offer, help employees grow and develop on campus so they feel they are helping “beyond the walls of their office” and reconfirm the importance of every employee to the university, Schutt says.

The orientation is also designed to promote the campus strategic plan aimed at nurturing human resources. Part of the process is getting employees involved in the campus beyond their offices.

The event will run 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Kohl Center. Representatives from more than 30 campus departments, offices, schools, organizations and centers will discuss the resources and services.

The event provides access to many resources in one place so it will greatly reduce the time employees must spend seeking information, Schutt says. The tours will allow employees to learn more about the campus and its history.

Schutt encourages all employees to attend and urges those who had not signed up for the original date to register for the rescheduled event.

Economic summit topic: ‘Economy at the crossroads’
Final plans are taking shape for the second Wisconsin Economic Summit, to be held Nov. 26-27, at the Midwest Express Center in Milwaukee.

The summit is sponsored by UW System and the Board of Regents, in cooperation with business and government leaders from throughout the state.

The theme of this year’s meeting, which will build on the success of the 2000 Wisconsin Economic Summit, is “Wisconsin’s Economy at the Crossroads: Building Higher Paying Jobs for the Future.” Highlights will include sessions on: Lessons learned from neighboring states; why businesses choose to stay in or leave Wisconsin; how the states can improve the entrepreneurial climate; attracting, developing and retaining Wisconsin’s work force; preserving Wisconsin’s economic backbone; the amazing growth of the biotechnology/ biomedical sector; and latest Wisconsin economic trends.

Gov. Scott McCallum will address the summit Monday evening, Nov. 26, and a panel of state legislative leaders is planned Tuesday, Nov. 27. Daniel Burris, one of the world’s leading science and technology forecasters, will provide keynote remarks Monday afternoon.

Online registration is available at: http://www.wisconsin.edu/summit. To register: (414) 227-3200 or (800) 222-3623. Cost: $129 before Oct. 31.

Elmar Oliveira to perform
Elmar Oliveira has taken his place as one of the most commanding violinists of our time. Oliveira returns to the Wisconsin Union Theater Friday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m., almost 20 years to the day following his debut here in 1981. He will be accompanied by Robert Koenig.

Oliveira’s repertoire is among the most diverse of any of today’s preeminent artists. His performance will include Mozart (Sonata in A Major, KV 305), Elgar (Sonata, Op. 82), Bloch (Sonata No. 1), Kreisler (Liebesfreud), Gluck (Melodie) and Mussorgsky (Hopak).

Tickets: $30 ($29 Union members, $14.50 students), Union Theater Box Office, 262-2201.

Human rights leader to give democracy address
José Zalaquett, a Chilean lawyer with vast international experience in human rights, will be the featured speaker at the International Institute’s annual Mildred Fish-Harnack Human Rights and Democracy Lecture, Monday, Oct. 29, 5:30 p.m., Pyle Center.

Zalaquett’s free public talk, “Toward International Justice: A Critical Assessment,” is sponsored by the Institute and the Global Studies Program.

Zalaquett is professor of human rights at the Law School of the University of Chile, and of ethics and government at a post-graduate program on public policy at the same university. Zalaquett a member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States.

“After the Sept. 11 events, Mr. Zalaquett’s professional and personal experience with issues of international justice are of special interest to everyone concerned with the global consequences of a new type of “war’,” says Liliana Obregòn, acting associate director of the Global Studies Program. “We are fortunate to have him publicly speak at Madison on such a critical and timely subject.”

In 1990, he was appointed to Chile’s National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation. The commission’s report accounted for nearly 3,000 people who were killed or “disappeared” during the Pinochet regime. As a member of the commission, Zalaquett became a widely sought after authority on truth and reconciliation issues around the world.

More information: 262-2042, dlveatch@facstaff.wisc.edu.

Former ambassador of Switzerland to speak
Alfred Defago, the former ambassador of Switzerland to the United States, will speak about Switzerland’s contributions to American history Tuesday, Nov. 6. Defago’s lecture, “More Than Just a Tiny Footnote: Switzerland’s Mark on American History,” will open an exhibit that celebrates the relationship between Switzerland and the United States. The lecture will be at 4:30 p.m. in 126 Memorial Library.

A traveling exhibit created by the Library of Congress and the Swiss National Library, “The Sister Republics: Switzerland and the United States From 1776 to the Present,” will be unveiled following Defago’s lecture. The exhibit will continue through Jan. 10 in the west corridor of Memorial Library.

Defago is a visiting professor of international studies at the UW–Madison. In addition to his ambassadorship, he has served as consul general of Switzerland in New York, he was the director of the Federal Office of Culture, and he was head of the national and economic affairs department of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.

Student choreography showcased at Lathrop
Seven emerging choreographers, all seniors majoring in dance, will present their works in a lively concert entitled “Turning Toward Tomorrow,” with music ranging from Bach to the Beastie Boys.

Performances will be Oct. 25-27, 8 p.m., Lathrop Hall, 1050 University Ave. The student choreographers include Tamra Bisbee, Laine and Nell Curtis, Caroline Holden, Meghan McCoy, Kelly Radermacher and Elena Schmeeckle. Among them, four are scholarship recipients and three have been awarded honors grants for previous work.

“Choreographers choose from a rich palette of music, sound, light, props, text and sometimes, silence,” says Claudia Melrose, UW dance professor and fall concert coordinator. “We encourage students to select whatever they need from this palette to create works that speak to them as individuals.”

Tickets Oct. 25-26 are $8 students, $10 general public. On Saturday, Oct. 27, the “Homecoming Special” for student tickets is $5. All tickets go on sale at the door one hour before concert time.

More information: 262-1691.