Is State College becoming ghetto fabulous? Apparently so, according to the State College Borough Council.

In recent meetings and discussions, council members and local residents have voiced serious concerns regarding the rundown nature of several downtown apartment complexes and houses where students reside.

Borough Council members have said that if an effort to spruce up the dilapidated downtown surroundings is not made, State College will find itself transforming into a ghetto, where students completely dominate the residential area.

The finger pointing between landlords and students -- a continuous battle that has raged back and forth since the inception of renting -- needs to end. Both parties are equally responsible for the maintenance of the properties.

Students have sometimes been labeled dirty and are too often unfairly thought of as unruly savages who leave trash and discarded beer cans in their wake.

However, the one-year leases that all apartment-dwelling students sign do not have the same binding effect that 30-year mortgages have.

The license to go wild in one year and only having to worry about coughing up a $250 security deposit is not a deterrent from behaving badly. Rather than hurling that empty keg off their balcony, students need to own up to their actions and work towards maintaining a clean, healthy living environment.

But landlords also have a responsibility to make students want to keep the properties tidy. Granted, landlords often are the brunt of unjust criticism when it comes to off-campus living. But in the case of keeping houses and apartments up to the standards of the borough, landlords play an intricate role.

Landlords need to inspect living areas more frequently. By performing regular checks, landlords will stay informed as to what the problems, if any, with their buildings are.

When tenants put in a request to have a leaky toilet fixed, landlords shouldn't wait four months. Both sides need to communicate. There is no use screaming and fighting when the solution simply requires dialogue.