U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., is speaking about political integrity Sunday at Central Michigan University.

Levin is the first in a series of speakers for the Phillip A. Hart and William G. Milliken Endowed Speaker Series for Integrity in Politics. The event takes place at 7 p.m. in Moore Hall’s Bush Theatre and is free.

Bryan Thomas, Levin’s spokesman, said Levin is excited and honored to speak at CMU.

“Sen. Levin’s speech will discuss his thoughts on the duty of lawmakers in a democracy and how he approaches that duty, balancing the competing interests and pressures in politics,” Thomas said.

The decision to bring Levin as a speaker for the series was made because of his close personal and professional relationship with Hart and Milliken, said Pam Gates, interim dean of the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Charles Novitski, an adviser for the College Democrats and associate professor of biology, said he is pleased with the choice to bring Levin in as a speaker.

“I’ve been watching him over the years. He has worked very hard and done it all with lots of integrity,” Novitski said. “Integrity is an awfully important topic in regards to politics.”

Levin hopes the series will inspire and inform students interested in politics and prepare them for the future, Thomas said.

“He’ll also offer some lessons from his own career about how those interested in politics can best prepare themselves for such a career. For students interested in politics and public policy, he hopes the address will spark a conversation about how legislators can best serve their constituents,” Thomas said.

The series is hosted by the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Science.

“We hope that students attend from all disciplines. We are also hoping to see members of the community attend as well,” said Sarah Buckley, coordinator of marketing and events at CMU. “We want to reach people beyond just one specific major or department.”

E-mail the author: Seth Nietering