Penn State Safe & Aware

Responsible Action Protocol

Penn State’s Responsible Action Protocol and several Pennsylvania Laws protect students from prosecution for consumption or possession of alcohol or drugs when they seek medical assistance for another person.

Pennsylvania Laws

Underage drinking:

The Pennsylvania Medical Amnesty Law provides immunity from prosecution for a person under 21 who possesses or consumes alcoholic beverages when they seek medical assistance for a peer who is passed out, unconscious, or unresponsive as the result of over-consumption. The law applies to and protects both the person who calls and the person who is in need of medical attention.

Drug overdose:

Pennsylvania law provides immunity for drug overdoses. It applies to the person experiencing the drug overdose as well as the person initiating a request for help when witnessing a drug overdose.

Penn State's Responsible Action Protocol

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 use or possession of alcohol or drugs. However, the student will be required to attend an approved alcohol or drug education program such as Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) or Cannabis Screening and Education for College Students (CASECS); 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:

  • Students seeking medical assistance for themselves when experiencing an alcohol or drug overdose or related problem.
  • A student seeking 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.

Hazing

A student who takes the initiative to get assistance by notifying the appropriate authorities (e.g., calling 911, alerting a resident assistant, or contacting police) AND meets the criteria below, will typically not be subject to student conduct action for Hazing. The student, will however, be required to complete appropriate educational interventions to prevent the recurrence of the reported behavior. This protocol may be appropriate when:

  • A student seeks medical assistance for a peer based on a reasonable belief that the person was in need of immediate medical attention to prevent death or serious injury;
  • The student provides their name; and
  • The student remains with that peer until the appropriate authorities arrive

At all times, students are encouraged to notify the university as soon as possible when they become aware that hazing has, or may, occur. Reports can be filed with the Office of Student Accountability & Conflict Response, or submitted anonymously to the Office of Ethics and Compliance.

Reporting Sexual Misconduct Protocol

A student who makes a report to the University or other appropriate authority (e.g., law enforcement) about experiencing sexual misconduct, or is reporting the experience of another, will typically not be subject to student conduct action related to their own possession or consumption of alcohol or other drugs in connection with the reported incident. As appropriate, involved students may be required to complete an educational intervention to address concerns about the student’s substance use; any associated fees will be waived.

At all times, students are encouraged to notify the university as soon as possible when they become aware that sexual misconduct has, or may, occur. Reports can be filed with the Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention & Response, or submitted anonymously to the Office of Ethics and Compliance.

When student exhibits a pattern of problematic and/or high-risk behavior, or when the behavior involves other serious alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct, the university may determine it is appropriate to initiate formal student conduct action in lieu of, or in addition to, these protocols.

View the legislation to learn more about each law:

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