After announcing the formation of their party and their intent to have three candidates run for State College Borough Council, organizers of the Student Party said they think the council is "patronizing" their proposed candidacies.

"They're not saying not to run, but they're giving the public the idea that there's no way we can do this," Martin Austermuhle, co-founder of Students for Accountability and Reform and one of the Student Party's organizers, said.

The council decides upon many ordinances that affect students, and the Student Party wants to be a part of the process, Austermuhle said.

However, Council member Elizabeth Goreham said many of the actions passed by council do not affect the students.

"Many issues we deal with do not impact student life," Goreham said.

But Goreham said she respects the high goals the new party has set.

"I admire their ambition to create something new," she said.

The Student Party hopes to create better living conditions for students living off-campus as well as reform parking ordinances, Austermuhle said.

"Students live in disgusting conditions right now, and the borough plays a large role in how they live," he said.

If students are elected to the council, then they can help determine new ordinances, Austermuhle said.

However, Goreham said the council has no direct control over living conditions.

"The students would be well-served to set up a tenants' rights organization that would serve as a place for students, as well as landlords to go and settle gripes," she said.

Students right now don't have anywhere to go regarding living conditions and this type of organization would supply them with someone, such as an attorney, to go to for advice, she added.

Another issue that the Student Party wants to address regards parking policies in State College, and Goreham said council members agree there is a problem.

"Parking is a pain in the butt for everyone," Goreham said.

While council is happy to listen to student concerns if students want to approach them, they must also be willing to compromise — even about parking, she said.

"We all want a high standard of living," Goreham added.

However, the Student Party organizers feel the council does not hold students in high enough regards.

"They don't consider us to be real residents," Austermuhle said.

He said the council sees them as people who are quickly in and out of State College.

But Goreham said she recognizes that students spend a good amount of time in the district.

"They (students) are the majority, and five years is not a short period of time," she said.

The council encourages student involvement in the community, she said.

"Come talk to us. Demand us to do things," Goreham said. "Council will listen if the students approach them."

Goreham questions whether students realize the commitment involved in being a council member.

To serve on the council is very time consuming and once elected you are required to commit four years to the council without pay, Goreham said.

Austermuhle maintained that the Student Party realizes the commitment of the council and hopes they will be taken more seriously after their candidates and platform are announced.

"We are confident that we can take all three council seats," Austermuhle said.

The Student Party will announce their candidates and platform at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow in 373 Willard, Sean Clark, an organizer of the new party, said.

"After our announcements we will be attending council meetings and work sessions," Clark said.