October 1, 2004

Public Forum at Boise State to Address Security, Economy

The Associated Students of Boise State University and The Idaho Statesman will cosponsor two panel discussions Wednesday, Oct. 20, in the Student Union Jordan Ballroom. The panels, at 6 and 7:30 p.m., are free and open to the public. The goal of the nonpartisan forum is to help Boise-area voters learn more about two major issues — national security and the economy — before they cast their ballots in the upcoming election. The first panel, on national security, will begin at 6 p.m. Panelists include: Richard Slaughter, economist and director of the Boise Committee on Foreign Relations; Rand Lewis, director of the Martin Institute for Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution at the University of Idaho; and Stephen Trott, a federal judge in Boise and a former U.S. Justice Department official who worked on intelligence and antiterrorism issues. Stephanie Witt, associate vice president for academic affairs at Boise State, will moderate. The second panel, on the economy, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Panelists include: Nancy Vanorsdel, president and CEO of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce; Alice Mondragon Whitney, board secretary of the Hispanic Business Association; and John Church, a Boise economist and visiting assistant professor of economics at Boise State. Kevin Learned, president and CEO of The Network Group and former president of Albertson College, will moderate. For more information, call 426-1223. -30- Contact: Rob Meyer, Student Union and Activities, (208) 426-1224, rmeyer@boisestate.edu                                                                Media Contact: Kathleen Craven, communications and marketing, (208) 426-3275, kcraven@boisestate.edu