CHAMPAIGN — This fall, the University YMCA's Friday Forum lecture series will address the subject of public education, the relationship between education and society and the challenges of improving education.

Friday Forum is a free, weekly lecture series open to the public and held during the fall and spring semesters.

The fall 2011 series will feature former Gov. Jim Edgar; Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability; local high school teachers and other speakers.

All lectures begin at noon Friday at the University YMCA, 1001 S. Wright St., C.

The fall schedule is:

— Sept. 16, "Few Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics? Why — and What To Do," with Ruth Sweetser, former president of the American Association of University Women.

— Sept. 23, "The future of online education," with Scott B. Johnson, program coordinator of Illinois Online Network.

— Sept. 30, "What do the state's fiscal crisis and deteriorating economic condition mean for the future of public education?" with Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability.

— Oct. 7, "How Local Schools are Advancing Social Justice," with Ellen Dahlke and Rachel Moyer of Urbana High School and Caleb Curtiss and Charles Weinberg of Centennial High School.

— Oct. 14, "Verticalization and Unionization: What's Better for Education?" with Harriet Murav, professor of Comparative Literature and Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Illinois.

— Oct. 21, "Collegiate Learning and Early Labor Market Outcomes: Findings from the Academically Adrift Study," with Richard Arum, professor of Sociology and Education at New York University.

— Oct. 28, "Educate to innovate — a national imperative," with Deba Dutta, associate provost and dean of the Graduate College at the University of Illinois.

— Nov. 4," Education: What Now?" with Mary Kalantzis, dean of the College of Education at the University of Illinois.

— Nov. 11, "The gridlock of public policy resulting from polarization," with Jim Edgar, former Illinois governor.

A sign language interpreter is available with a 72-hour notice; contact Carol Nunn at 337-1500. All forums are radio broadcast at 6 p.m. on WEFT 90.1 the Monday following the lecture.

For more information, visit http://www.universityymca.org/fridayforum/.