Panel addresses insider’s view on politics

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Current and former elected officials are expected to discuss “How Politics Really Works: An Insider’s View” on Oct. 20 at Rochester Institute of Technology, sponsored by RIT’s Center for Statesmanship, Law and Liberty.

The panelists will meet at 10 a.m. in RIT’s Ingle Auditorium for a panel discussion and to answer questions. They are:

• Rich Funke, Republican state senator representing portions of Monroe and Ontario counties.
• Brian Kolb, Republican state assembly minority leader representing Ontario County and northern Seneca County.
• Bob Duffy, a Democrat who was formerly Rochester police chief, mayor and state lieutenant governor. He now is CEO of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce.
• Thomas Richards, a Democrat and former Rochester mayor.

More than 200 Advanced Placement government and U.S. history students from high schools in Rochester and surrounding counties are expected to attend and will be able to ask questions of the panelists.

The event is intended to provide insight into the real world of politics from those who are or have been directly involved in the political process.

“Our mission is to enhance the theory and practice of statesmanship, and this will provide students with an opportunity to see how politics work from the inside, rather than from textbooks,” said Joseph Fornieri, director of RIT’s Center for Statesmanship, Law and Liberty and professor of political science. “They’ll get an insider’s view from experienced leaders who will share some of their personal insights of the governing process.”

After a lunch break, the event continues at 1-2:15 p.m. with a lecture from Lee Chen, vice president of sales at Rochester Midland Corp., on “A Comparison and Contrast between Skills Needed for Salesmanship & Statesmanship.” Sean Sutton, head of RIT’s Department of Political Science, will also attend.

For more information, call 585-475-2057.