On the eve of the GOP at Oakland University, several student organizations banded together to host a forum to allow students,staff and faculty the opportunity to listen to a panel of experts discus economic issues facing the United States.

“When it was announced that the GOP was going to be here, I really wanted to have an event where people could talk about the hard issues that are facing our economy, and nation” said Eric Tawney, the student moderator of the event.

“The Idea really came from the students. Eric Tawney wanted to do something to discus some of the issues, so I helped him put it together,” said School of Business Administration Dean Mohan Tanniru.

Speakers at the event included OU economics professors Sherman Folland and Ron Tracy.

The panel of six also included students Riley Andren, who is the vice president of the Economics Students Association, and Andrew Gustafsson, who is president of the Financial Management Organization.

Also speaking at the event was Lou Glazer, president and co-founder of Michigan Future, INC. Mark Bennett, senior counsel for the Miller Canfield company, also participates.

“Constructive dialog is very hard to come by these days, but we where able to achieve that here tonight,” said Kent Roberts, the co-moderator of the event. “The Purpose of tonight was really to raise a level of understanding about certain issues.”

He is the executive director and co-founder of the National Civility Center.

The topics brought up in the forum ranged from health care, to taxes, to education. The forum also included a 15-minute question and answer session between the audience and the panel.

“I think that the forum was a great success tonight, we were really able to get down to issues,” Tawney said.

There will be some sort of a follow up event that will take place later in the year.