The Republican primary season is underway as the United States heads toward the 2012 presidential election in November. To explain the primary process to students, a panel of five IUS professors held a lecture in the University Center on Jan. 31. The main topics discussed were primaries, caucuses and the general processes of public selection for political candidates. Within the rules decided by the Democratic and Republican Party committees, each state is free to choose their process of candidate selection. The two processes are primaries and caucuses.