The University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) hopes to extend its aid offered to students living off campus and facing disputes with their landlords with the implementation of its new legal services program.
Last semester, UPUA President Gavin Keirans announced the start of a new program called
the Tenant-Landlord Mediation Center -- a campaign promise from his first presidential bid.
Through the program, students consult with UPUA advisers and receive free advice during a problem with their landlord.
Keirans (senior-business management) said the borough of State College pledged $2,500 toward the program last January.
While it remains fully operational, it has not been as successful as UPUA had hoped.
"We had major issues in getting landlords to take part in mediation," Keirans said. "They had the financial gains to take issues to court."
Keirans said UPUA plans to alleviate the burden of potentially heavy court fees by giving students the ability to use a proposed Penn State legal services program along with the Tenant-Landlord Mediation Center.
This will allow them access to free legal services, something Keirans hopes will make landlords more inclined towards mediation.
"Now that we're adding legal services, students will have a way to defend themselves -- they'll be armed with knowledge with their attorney," Keirans said.
UPUA Governmental Affairs Committee Chairwoman Colleen Smith said she hopes to see a "full-fledged" program running by spring semester. Smith plans to create a promotional advertising and outreach program so all students are aware of the center.
"I feel like we can create a really strong program," Smith (sophomore-biology) said. "I think it will gain a lot more legitimacy as it sees more cases."
State College Borough Council President Elizabeth Goreham supports the program and says she wants to see it succeed.
She doesn't think it's been publicized enough, but she's sure it will be both an educational and beneficial program for students in learning to deal with conflicts they are either afraid of or do not know how to confront.
"My philosophical view is that is difficult to face someone with whom you have a beef," Goreham said. "But you can learn how to not put up with things that you know are wrong."
