Public urination is a common problem that occurs in many cities. So much so that last month, the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association launched a $10,000 campaign to help curb bar patrons from mistaking the streets as toilets.

And even though State College isn't spending thousands on a public urination campaign, State College Police officer Anthony Lopinsky said it is a serious issue.

"How would you like to go to work in the morning downtown, open the door and find a puddle of urine?" Lopinsky said. "People who [urinate] in public are too lazy to wait in line for the bathroom and instead go on the street."

Lopinsky said that people urinate anywhere, and 85 to 95 percent of the cases he sees are alcohol-related and fall between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. He said the public urination is committed by both sexes but is a predominately male act.

"People have [urinated] in doorways of businesses, on churches and in Calder Way," Lopinsky said. "One time someone [urinated] on the police station at Fraser Street."

Lopinsky said that public urination at any time can cause either laughs or fear.

"How would you like to be walking down the street with your child, and there is a guy [urinating] in the corner?" he said. "The parent has to explain to the child, and then there is a fear faced with an intoxicated person."

Penn State Police supervisor Bill Moerschbacher said public urination on campus is not a big problem but definitely occurs.

Moerschbacher said that most of the time, public urination citations are given out during the night hours and to those who are intoxicated.

Police start to notice people walking around and looking for a bathroom after 2 a.m. when the downtown bars close, he said.

"You'll see someone looking around, then jump into a bush," Moerschbacher said.

"You can definitely tell when someone is getting ready to go. Sometimes though, people just plain [urinate] on themselves."

Moerschbacher said that public urination citations considered disorderly conduct can snowball into other charges, such as public drunkenness, open container or underage drinking citations.

"Most people who get caught [urinating] in public are public drunks," he said. "They just have been drinking and can't make it home to go to the bathroom."

Joe Puzycki, director of Judicial Affairs said that public urination is a violation of Penn State code of conduct and receives the same penalty as a disorderly conduct under the law.

Puzycki said that the university responds to the citations, and the action taken varies on a student's record. First-time offenders will likely receive a notice of complaint from Judicial Affairs, which will respond differently if there is a future violation.

"There is a range of sanctions for public urination," he said. "It can range from disciplinary warning to deferred expulsion."

Puzycki said all of the cases that come to Judicial Affairs are handled on an individual basis, and the location of the issued citation is taken into account.

"Every case is different; you could be standing and [urinating] during a football game at Beaver Stadium or off-campus behind a bush," he said.

Shawn Hussein (senior-political science and Spanish) said that when it comes to urinating in public, he is a "go when you got to go" kind of guy.

Hussein said he typically goes to the bathroom in public when coming home from the bar.

"If I'm walking home from the bar, and I have to [urinate] behind a dumpster, I will," Hussein said.

He said when he goes for the outdoor option, he does so in a concealed way. "When I really have to go, and it is outside, I try to hide behind a tree or something else," he said.