Several students began forming a new Republican student group after they became disconcerted with the College Republicans in light of recent events.

Controversial pictures posted on the Web site of College Republican chair Brian Battaglia have led Bryan McKinney (senior-health policy administration) and Nomi Deutch (junior-political science) to form the Penn State Young Republicans.

Both are former members of the College Republicans and are working to establish an alternate group for Republican students who disagree with the current organization.

The group already has about 40 or 50 students supporting it, McKinney said.

Deutch said the support comes from students who were not comfortable with College Republicans.

"Under the current leadership of College Republicans, the other Republicans on campus are being isolated," she said.

Melinda Kuritzky (sophomore-international politics and Spanish) was one student who felt isolated, so she said she wants to join the new group.

"Their group is representative of conservative groups, but they're doing a terrible job because they're offensive," she said. "As a Republican, I want to be involved, but I don't want to be ridiculed."

Deutch said the new group would offer an alternative venue for politically interested students, especially those who want to be involved with coming elections.

She said students pursuing the group would maintain a level of professionalism that was lacking among members of College Republicans.

McKinney said the group will focus more on typical political activities, including forming re-election committees, organizing protests and advertising themselves professionally so they will garner membership from students who want to become active in politics, rather than social activities.

He said the new group would not have meetings every week, and they would limit the number of activities they schedule in order to avoid losing focus.

"Meetings are every week with the College Republicans," he said. "They deviated from their task and became too much about activism. We will not be about liberal bashing or conservative activism."

McKinney said it is unfortunate that the active members and leaders who were involved with Battaglia's party tarnished the views of all campus Republicans.

"I've heard negative feelings from as high as state leadership, even as high as those on re-election committees," he said. "It hurts me that the most powerful Republicans in the country feel that Republicans at Penn State aren't mature and responsible enough."

Several attempts to reach for comment Battaglia were unsuccessful.

McKinney said the new group would focus on mending differences between Republicans and other campus organizations.

"We are going to work hard to heal tension between Republicans and groups like the Black Caucus and Greek organizations," he said. "We want to address all those who have been hurt."

Penn State President Graham Spanier thanked Deutch and McKinney for their efforts in an e-mail message that said, "I admire your statement and appreciate very much your offer of support."