The conference organizers are dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, race, age, religion and other identities spelled out in the University of California Antidiscrimination policy.
Expectations of Behavior
All participants are expected to adhere to the following standards of behavior:
- Treat everyone with respect
- Conduct yourself in a professional manner
- Refrain from any form of harassment, including but not limited to:
- Sexual harassment: unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.
- Harassment based on identity: offensive or discriminatory comments or other harassing behaviors.
- Bullying, intimidation, or any behavior that creates a hostile environment.
This will ensure the unhindered exchange of scientific ideas and critiques, which are critical to all science conferences. We will not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form.
Reporting Violations
Please, report any violation of this Code of Conduct immediately. You may report code of conduct violations during the meeting, by contacting any member of the organizing committee, or at any time during or after the event by using a secure Qualtrics form.
Assessment of Allegations and Consequences for Violations
Upon receiving a report of code of conduct violation, the organizing committee will conduct a prompt, thorough investigation, which may include speaking with all parties with knowledge of the incident, including the reporting individual, the alleged victim (if different from the reporting individual), any witnesses and the alleged offender. The organizing committee will review all relevant information and evidence and take appropriate actions. Participants found to be in violation of this Code of Conduct will face immediate expulsion from the conference and prohibition from attending future conferences, and reporting to relevant authorities if the behavior violates legal standards. Allegations of discrimination or harassment on the basis of identity, sexual harassment, and sexual violence will also be reported to the UC Davis Harassment and Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program.
Additional Resources and External Reporting
- HHS Office for Civil Rights reporting: Individuals who have questions, concerns or complaints related to harassment are also encouraged to contact the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Information on how to file a complaint can be found at the OCR's webpage: Filing a Civil Rights Complaint.
Note that filing a complaint with the conference organizer is not required before filing a complaint of discrimination with HHS OCR, and that seeking assistance from the conference organizer in no way prohibits filing complaints with HHS OCR.
- NIH Reporting: Concerns about harassment or discrimination at NIH-supported conferences can be reported directly to NIH. More information can be found on the NIH's Find Help webpage.
Describe the strategy that will be used to communicate the Safety Plan to conference attendees and a plan to document allegations and resulting actions.
The above code of conduct and safety plan will be posted on the conference website and in the registration materials, and attendees will be asked to acknowledge the code of conduct during the registration process. It will also be communicated during the opening remarks of the conference. The code of conduct will be strictly enforced.Conference participants that are found in violation will be expelled from the conference, and will not be invited to attend in the future. The organizing committee will maintain confidential records of all reported allegations and the actions taken in response to them. We must balance the privacy interests of individuals involved in a report with the need to gather information, ensure a fair process, and address the behavior of concern. We will try to protect an individual's privacy to the extent permitted by law and University policies.
Provide information on the steps the organizers will take to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all attendees, free from discrimination and harassment.
Organizers and volunteers have received or will receive training on recognizing and responding to harassment and discrimination (offered by the UC Davis Learning Center and mandatory every two years for UC Davis employees). The Code of Conduct and reporting mechanisms will be prominently displayed on the conference website, registration materials, and during the opening remarks of the conference. We provide confidential and secure methods for reporting violations, both in-person and online, and commit to a timely and thorough investigation of all reported violations. We clearly outline the investigation process and potential consequences for violations. We will offer support services for those affected by harassment by sharing available resources on and off campus as appropriate, including but not limited to the ones listed here.