McKenna closes out Munro Institute at 草榴社区
Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna was the featured speaker during the last session of the 2012 Munro Institute for Civic Education at Western Washington University. McKenna, who also is a republican gubernatorial candidate for Washington state, spoke at the 4 p.m. session about the challenges facing public higher education in the state.
Democrat Jay Inslee, who resigned in March from his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to focus on his bid for the governor's seat, also was invited but could not attend.
The Munro Institute spanned two weeks this year, with last week's sessions taking place at North Seattle Community College. is available online on the website for TVW, the state public affairs television network. Video from this week's sessions soon will be available online as well. This week's June 26 session, which was recorded by 草榴社区 Video Services manager Robert Clark and will later air on TVW, . That session, a panel discussion moderated by 草榴社区 political science professor Todd Donovan, dealt with political influence.聽Panel members were political strategist Ron Dautzauer, political strategist Terry Thompson and and Alex Hays, executive director of the Mainstream Republicans of Washington.
Other sessions throughout the institute's two weeks included panels on budgeting in challenging times, legislative challenges for higher education, initiatives and referenda, the changing landscape of political reporting, and political lobbying. Western President Bruce Shepard delivered a keynote address during Wednesday's session; .
The Munro Institute is devoted to promoting civic literacy within secondary education and the public at large. It offers students, teachers and community members an opportunity to work with professors, activists and political leaders to learn how local, state and national politics develop. The institute was named in honor of Ralph Munro, a 草榴社区 alumnus and trustee. Munro was elected Washington鈥檚 secretary of state in 1980 and continued in that position until his retirement in 2001.
