Resources for Reporting Wrongdoing

All members of the Penn State community are asked to remain mindful of their individual commitment to the Penn State Values by helping to keep the University a safe and ethical institution. In addition, as members of this community, everyone should be responsible stewards of University funds, whether generated from state, federal, student or other sources. The University does not condone wrongful conduct by any member of the Penn State community, no matter what position he or she may hold. Penn State University encourages the reporting of misconduct. If you see something, say something. If you report misconduct, be assured that the University will protect you from retaliation. See AD67 (https://policy.psu.edu/policies/ad67 ) or contact the Office of Ethics & Compliance for more information (http://www.universityethics.psu.edu/). The following resources are available for faculty, staff, students, and others:

TO MAKE A REPORT A summary of types of misconduct and how to report is available at http://reporting.psu.edu. If at any point you are unsure where to report a non-emergency, you may contact:

  • The Office of Ethics and Compliance, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET: 814-867-5088
  • The Penn State Hotline, 24/7: 800-560-1637 or http://hotline.psu.edu.

Crime or Emergency Situation

  • Contact the campus police or security office
  • In an emergency, dial 911
  • Penn State has established a Responsible Action Protocol in response to the University Park Undergraduate Association's campaign for a medical amnesty policy. Effective January 2018, the Responsible Action Protocol was updated and now reflects the following:

    • A student who acts responsibly by notifying the appropriate authorities (e.g., calling 911, alerting a resident assistant, contacting police) AND meets one or more of the following criteria typically will not face University conduct action for his or her own use or possession of alcohol or drugs. However, the student will be required to attend an approved alcohol or drug education program, such as BASICS or the Marijuana Intervention Program (MIP); the fee will be waived. When the student's behavior involves other Code of Conduct violations (e.g., vandalism, assault, furnishing to minors), the additional behavior may be subject to disciplinary action. If a student exhibits a pattern of problematic behavior with alcohol or drugs, that student may be subject to formal disciplinary action.
    • The criteria which invoke the Protocol are:

      • A student seeks medical assistance for themselves when experiencing an alcohol or drug overdose or related problems
      • A student seeks medical assistance for a peer suffering from an alcohol or drug overdose or related problems and remains with the peer until appropriate authorities arrive
      • A student suffering from an alcohol or drug overdose or related problems, for whom another student seeks assistance and remains with the peer until appropriate authorities arrive, will also not be subject to disciplinary action for alcohol violations.

Suspected ethical or policy violation (including fraud, theft, conflict of interest, abusive or intimidating behavior, retaliation, athletics integrity, or NCAA compliance)

Child abuse, including child sexual abuse

Behavioral threat

  • Contact the Behavioral Threat Management Team at 855-863-BTMT (2868), 814-863-BTMT (2868), or http://btmt.psu.edu/

Bias or discrimination

  • To report behavior by an employee, contact the Affirmative Action Office at 814-863-0471
  • To report behavior by a student, contact the Office of Student Conduct at 814-863-0342
  • Visit the Report Bias website (for student reporting only): https://reportbias.psu.edu

Hazing

  • Contact the Office of Ethics and Compliance, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET: 814-867-5088 or email psoec@psu.edu
  • Report online 24/7 via the Penn State Hotline: 800-560-1637 or http://hotline.psu.edu
  • For concerns related to students and/or student organizations:

  • For concerns related to employees:

    • Contact Human Resources, Labor and Employee Relations at 814-867-0041

Sexual harassment and other forms of sexual misconduct**

  • Contact the University’s Title IX Coordinator at 814-863-0471 or titleix@psu.edu
  • To file an online report: Visit the Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response's website at http://titleix.psu.edu/filing-a-report/ to file an online report
  • To file an anonymous report: The Penn State Hotline is available 24/7 at 800-560-1637 or http://hotline.psu.edu . Both are anonymous and available 24/7
  • To file a discrimination or harassment complaint outside of the University:

    • The Office for Civil Rights (Philadelphia Office) at 215-656-8541 or email "a href="mailto:OCR.Philadelphia@ed.gov">OCR.Philadelphia@ed.gov
    • The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Philadelphia District Office) at 800-669-4000
    • The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (Harrisburg Regional Office) at 717-787-9780

**Additional information regarding information and resources available in relation to incidents of sexual harassment and/or misconduct (including a campus-specific list of victim support services and confidential reporting options) can be found at http://titleix.psu.edu/

Student Misconduct

 

Hazing by any student organization or individual is against Penn State's code of conduct, and also a violation of Pennsylvania law. To report instances of hazing within any student organization or group, including fraternities and sororities, contact the Office of Student Conduct (http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/conduct or 814-863-0342) or the Penn State Hotline at 800-560-1637 or http://hotline.psu.edu.

Research Related

  • Any research-related concerns should be directed to the Office for Research Protections at 814-865-1775 or orp@psu.edu
  • Research misconduct concerns should be directed to 814-865-1775

Resources

If it is not clear where to turn for assistance, any of these offices will guide the individual to someone who can help; you may contact them via their website or the phone number or email provided below:

 

TRAINING

Training for employees is available on many of the above topics through the Office of Human Resources' Learning Resource Network and the Affirmative Action Office at 814-863-0471.