The mayor of State College borough will preside over a same-sex commitment ceremony for gay couples in long-term relationships.

Mayor Bill Welch said he was asked to perform the ceremony by a Penn State group supporting gay, bisexual and transgender students.

"It's not illegal or immoral," Welch said. "I'm pro-commitment. I favor love and I didn't see any reason not to do it."

Welch, who has been mayor for 15 years, said he has received mostly positive feedback from the public.

"There have been about 50 supportive phone calls, e-mails, and letters, and two negative, including one anonymous lengthy phone message that suggested I face a hard road in the afterlife," he said.

The commitment ceremony kicks off Pride Week, and Welch encouraged people to reach out to others.

"I would urge them that if they don't know an openly gay man or woman, they ought to do so. They're folks like everybody else," Welch said.

The ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Hub-Robeson Center on Penn State's campus on March 29.