Message from the CEE Visiting Committee Chair:
Advisory board steps up to support CEE
 n behalf of the department’s advisory board, here is a brief update of what we are doing to support the department and its goals. The board consists of two dozen alumni and supporters. We meet twice a year on campus and we receive frequent updates from the department chair.
The board is responsible for providing:
• Advice from alumni, industry and business leaders, and engineering practitioners
• A connection between our faculty and students and industries and agencies
• Leadership in the form of service and financial support
In addition, the board is assisting the department in the following areas:
• Reviewing the implementation of the department’s strategic plan
• Helping the department find creative approaches for increasing its resources
• Providing guidance, insight and feedback on the department’s teaching and research programs
• Helping the department develop policies or procedures to ensure its curriculum is providing students the education their employers expect
• Working to support the department within UW-Madison
• Assisting in raising the visibility of the department and the
College of Engineering throughout the region and the nation
The board is focusing on three areas of the department’s strategic plan, which includes improving the department’s reputation and standing, developing an overall research program, and improving the department’s funding and fiscal stability.
We are working toward accomplishing several goals for our October meeting. First, we will receive a progress update on the department’s strategic plan and its implementation. Second, in the area of the department’s reputation, we will work toward raising the department into the top-10 civil engineering programs in the country, including key faculty hires, diversifying the student base, and educating the “market” concerning what UW-Madison CEE has done and is doing.
Third, in the area of the research program, we have suggested looking at larger grants, leveraging centers of excellence, and developing cross-disciplinary research. Key faculty hires and financial support are important here, as well.
As Wisconsin funding to UW-Madison continues to shrink, the department is more dependent on research grants, centers and gifts. We will be working to establish a current database of alumni, asking those who already give to UW-Madison to target their gifts to CEE, making more industry contacts, increasing
grants, and improving communications with our stakeholders.
Our ability to make progress will depend on everyone’s help. If you wish to offer comments or suggestions in these three areas, please forward them to russell@engr.wisc.edu. Your ideas and input are very welcome.
Lawrence H. Roth, P.E., G.E.
CEE Industrial Advisory Board Chair
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