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MSUB To Host Craig Wilson Symposium

Former Billings Mayor and Keynote Speaker Chuck Tooley
http://www.msubillings.edu/news/article.asp?id=19137
Former Billings Mayor and Keynote Speaker Chuck Tooley

Democracy and political participation is the theme of a three day symposium this week on the Montana State University Billings campus.

Political Science Professor Paul Pope says more people need to be involved in politics, from voting to asking questions of their representatives. He says civic participation is the foundation of our democracy.

“And that’s what really makes our whole system function and without it doesn’t function well. We’ve been struggling for the last many decades because of this. My hope is that it will help people care a little more about participating and see the value in that,” Pope says.

The Craig Wilson Symposium is named in honor of long-time political science professor and media political commentator Craig Wilson. It kicks off Wednesday afternoon with the release of the results of Mountain States Poll, a faculty led student telephone survey Wilson started nearly 30 years ago.

This week’s keynote speaker is former Billings Mayor Chuck Tooley, who will address political participation in Montana Thursday afternoon. His address will be followed by a panel of former and current legislators Jeff Essmann, Dave Wanzenreid and Kathy Kelker. A Thursday morning discussion on political participation in America will be with a panel of academics from MSUB and Rocky Mountain College.