U.S. government officials weren't the only ones in the midst of mixed review yesterday as the Senate swore in Judge Samuel Alito as the 110th Supreme Court justice -- Penn State students and professors were as well.

After a failed filibuster by Democrats to postpone a Senate decision, plus a very close vote, Alito won out with a 58-42 vote, which was almost completely divided by party lines.

President Bush nominated Alito, 55, to fill the seat of retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor -- a move that may push the court in a more right-winged direction.

"Finally, the invisible pendulum is tipping over to the right side," said Vicky Cangelosi, chairwoman of the College Republicans.

Cangelosi also said that although liberals are trying to paint Alito as an extreme conservative, he is in the center of many issues and is a quality candidate who deserves the position.

"It's a great day, not only for Republicans, but for all Americans," she added.

Meghan Ochs, president of the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, said she was disappointed by Alito's confirmation because it was Bush's second justice named to the court during his presidency. But, she said, all hope is not lost.

"The best thing we can do now is be optimistic and hope for the best," Ochs said. "But we need to keep in mind that a tilt to the right will have an unforeseen impact on our future."

Michael Comiskey, Fayette Campus associate professor of political science and author of Seeking Justices: The Judging of Supreme Court Nominees, also said Alito's selection, with last fall's appointment of known conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, will certainly affect the balance of the court.

"Alito replaced O'Connor, who was a key swing voter on several major issues," Comiskey said. "Now, the liberals can still prevail on some cases, but not as many as they used to."

Some of the issues in which O'Connor played the role of the fifth, deciding vote, to which Comiskey was referring, dealt with cases of affirmative action, abortion and the limit of executive power during war, he said.

And, other than differences in party affiliation, these are the issues -- specifically a woman's right to choose -- that are getting the spotlight.

While Cangelosi said she isn't completely sure whether Alito will use his new position to overturn some older Supreme Court rulings, Ryan Kasun, president of conservative organization Students for Life, said it is at least a "step in the right direction."

"It's definitely an exciting thing," Kasun said. "Now, there's a better chance to overturn Roe v. Wade, and that's what we're praying for."

But even Kasun said he knows that if the case is overturned, it will certainly not be the end of abortion in the United States.

"If overturned, it then becomes a state battle; so from one big battle, it becomes 50 smaller ones," he said.