When two state representatives didn't show up to Case Hall Tuesday night for what was supposed to be a debate on same-sex marriage, the evening turned into an open discussion on the issue.

Rep. Chris Kolb, D-Ann Arbor, and Rep. Jacob Hoogendyk, R-Kalamazoo, had been scheduled to facilitate a debate and informational session about same-sex marriage, but apparently were kept late at meetings. The forum is planned to be rescheduled.

More than 60 students, mostly from James Madison College, showed up for the event, but the missing legislators didn't stop the group from having a lively discussion on the issue.

Constance Hunt, assistant professor in James Madison College, facilitated the open dialog by reading facts and asking students to share their own knowledge.

"It's an incredibly interesting topic to study because it really does cut across a lot of issues," she said.

Hunt lead the students in addressing the various implications of same-sex marriage from a public affairs perspective. Some of the issues talked about included separation of powers, judicial review and constitutional law.

"There's so many people who haven't really thought about it," Hunt said after reading poll numbers on how Americans feel about same-sex marriage, in which more than 20 percent of Americans polled were unsure of their stance. "They aren't sure what the issues are, they aren't sure what the implications of the issues are.

"It's a complex problem."

Students were given handouts highlighting the same-sex marriage debate in Michigan and at a national level, as well as previous cases that relate to the issue. Much of the discussion was based around the marriage protection proposals currently in the Michigan Legislature.

Three weeks ago, the state House voted down a proposal that aimed to amend the Constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one women, but moved to reconsider the issue at a later date. A similar proposal is sitting in committee in the state Senate.

Nathan Triplett, a political theory and social relations sophomore, attended the forum because same-sex marriage is an issue he said he feels strongly about. He was a witness in the House hearings on the marriage proposal.

"It's really personal to me," he said, adding that his fathers are gay.

Triplett said he tries to attend many of the forums presented by James Madison College because of their educational value.

"It adds a great deal to the issue," he said. "It gets you really involved in the matter as opposed to having professors lecture about it."

While Triplett said he had been looking forward to the evening for awhile, he wasn't too disappointed that the representatives weren't able to come.

"They're doing their job and I respect that," he said. "Hopefully, they'll be rescheduled - but I don't think this issue is going anywhere."