Resources for Students Who Have Experienced Sexual Misconduct

Penn State is committed to providing support for students who have been victims of behaviors that would be considered Title IX Violations. Below is a brief description of resources available. For more information or to request an accommodation which may not be listed, please contact the Title IX Resource Person, Rebecca Pennington at (814) 375-4766 or [email protected].  

Confidential Counseling and Support

  • Counseling and psychological Services (814) 375-4765: By calling health services at this number, you can request an appointment with our licensed counselor, or Passages counselor, both of whom have offices and hours on campus.
  • Passages, Inc. (Prevention And Service for Sexual Assault through Guidance, Empowerment, and Support) (814) 371-9677 - Passages was founded in 1980 as the Rape Crisis Center, and is dedicated to th provision of free and confidential services to the victims/survivors of sexual assault throughout Clarion, Clearfield, Jefferson Counties. These services are available locally.

Confidential Medical Services

  • For Emergency Medical care, please call 911 or go directly to DuBois Regional Medical Center's Emergency Room. Emergency Department (814) 375-3470 or DRMC (814) 371-2200. Sexual assault evidence collection is available. Costs for the initial evaluation of sexual assault at DRMC will be covered through PA Victims Compensation Program.
  • For Non-Emergency Medical care - contact Health Services (814) 375-4765 to speak to Jill Benton

Academic and Housing Accommodations

  • If you are concerned about your housing because the person of concern lives nearby, you may contact the Office of Student Affairs at (814) 375-4766 for assistance.
  • If you have missed class/assignments or need to do so, Health Services and Student Affairs may be able to assist in notifying faculty. Student Affairs may also help with dropping a class retroactively without penalty, when the request is a result of an experienced incident.
  • If the person of concern is in the same class or is scheduled to be in the future, contact the Office of Student Conduct (814) 375-4766 for assistance.

Holding the Respondent Accountable

  • If the person of concern is a Penn State student, the Office of Student Conduct (814) 375-4766 can discuss options for holding the person accountable. It is possible to initiate an informal or formal process. You will not be forced to participate in the conduct process against your will, and you can change your mind about your involvement at any time.
  • If there is interest in pursuing the legal system, the Penn State Police (814) 375-4734 or the local police (814) 765-9911 - non emergency number, can provide support whether the perpetrator is a student or not. The police can also assist with a PFA.

Preventing Contact With the Respondent

  • If the respondent is a student, you may request a directive from the Office of Student Conduct for non contact, which would advise the perpetrator s/he can have no direct or indirect contact with you. We may also inform you of the perpetrator's class schedule so you may be able to avoid contact.
  • You may be able to obtain a PFA or Protection from Abuse Order with assistance from the police. A PFA order from a court gives protective "relief" for a victim (and sometimes children) for up to three years. A PFA order describes certain things the abuser must do or is forbidden to do in regard to a victim, and can include many kinds of protection. For example, a PFA order can make it illegal for the abuser to contact, harass and abuse the victim and the victim's children.

Hiding Personal Information

  • Individuals can have all directory information that is usually available through campus information made confidential through the Registrar's office.

For more information or questions regarding any of the above information, please contact Rebecca Pennington at (814) 375-4766 or [email protected] Victims of Title IX violations are encouraged to seek services and support from Penn State University resources. If a victim wished, a claim may also be made outside of the University to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission at (717) 787-9780.