With hopes of creating a solution to please both community and students, the State College Borough Council addressed the increase of students on campus and the bad reputation many students are receiving at Friday's meeting.

Council member Craig Humphrey said he believes with the increased problems in the downtown region, students are receiving a bad name.

"When the borough talks about students, they talk about drinking, shutting down the frats, public drunkenness and disturbances," Humphrey said. "They don't talk about how cool these kids are. And they aren't kids, they are adults."

Humphrey said he hopes to discuss this issue at future meetings with council and a university liaison on Nov. 7, and hopes to come up with a positive solution for both the community and the students.

"We need to start to recognize these students for what they do," Humphrey said. "And I hope to accomplish this during the meeting. Hopefully, they can give me some ideas on how to do this."

Council member Elizabeth Goreham said she believes the increased number of freshmen has added to some of the negative discussion about students.

"Freshman are the students that are fresh out of confinement of home and are just sort of finding their way and testing the limits," Goreham said. "This year there are 2,000 more freshman. I don't think it is coincidental that we have seen an increase in noise, especially in the fraternity district."

Goreham said the borough is concerned about the increase in students and is looking for a way to decrease excessive noise and parties in the residential areas.

Council also discussed the construction of the proposed stage to be built on the HUB-Robeson Center lawn.

The proposed stage would face the downtown region, causing some residents to be concerned about the increase of noise.

"The borough feels that if the band stage will face downtown, there will be unintended consequences in our neighborhoods," Goreham said.

She said council will encourage the stage to be built facing toward the HUB or toward Beaver Stadium to alleviate some of the excess noise in residential areas.

However, other council members do not feel the stage will cause any noise problems.

"I am completely in favor of this," Humphrey said. "This is an event that will happen six times a year. The chances of noise are not that great. It is once again emphasizing the negativity of student activity on campus."

Borough Council manager Tom Fountaine said the stage will be used for both a patio and also for performances. However, construction of the stage has been delayed due to financial reasons.