Expected Behavior
We expect all participants to abide by this policy in all venues, including ancillary events and unofficial social gatherings. This policy includes:
- Exercising consideration and respect in your speech and actions;
- Refraining from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech;
- Being mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants;
- Alerting community leaders if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of this policy, even if they seem inconsequential.
Unacceptable Behavior
Unacceptable at any WEIS activity is:
- Abuse: Any action directed at an individual that (a) interferes substantially with that person’s participation; or (b) causes that person to fear for his/her personal safety. This includes threats, intimidation, bullying, stalking, or other types of abuse.
- Discriminatory Harassment: Any conduct that discriminates or denigrates an individual on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, citizenship, nationality, age, sexual or gender identity, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law in the location where the WEIS activity takes place.
- Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal/physical conduct of a sexual nature. This includes:
- unwelcome advances or propositions, particularly when one individual has authority over the other;
- inappropriate touching of an individual’s body;
- degrading or humiliating comments about an individual’s appearance;
- using an activity-related communication channel to display or distribute sexually explicit images or messages;
Alert community leaders if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of this policy, even if they seem inconsequential.
Harassment can occur when there is no deliberate intention to offend. Be careful in the words that you choose. Harassment committed in a joking manner or disguised as a compliment still constitutes unacceptable behavior. Remember that sexist, racist, and other exclusionary jokes can be offensive to those around you.
Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior
If a participant in an WEIS activity engages in prohibited behavior, the WEIS program chairs reserve the right to take any action the WEIS program chairs deem appropriate such as to:
- remove an individual from any WEIS activity without warning or refund;
- prohibit an individual from participating in future WEIS activities;
- exclude an individual from WEIS leadership positions;
- exclude any individual from deriving other benefits from WEIS activities.
Appropriate sanctions also will be taken toward any individual who knowingly makes a false allegation of harassment.
How to Report Unacceptable Behavior
Any individual who experiences harassment (as described above) at any WEIS activity should contact a program chair or program committee member.
Addressing Grievances
If you feel you have been falsely or unfairly accused of violating this Policy Against Harassment at WEIS activities you should notify a program chair or program committee member with a concise description of your grievance.
Warnings and Disclaimers
This Policy Against Harassment at WEIS activities is not intended to limit open discussion of the merits of particular work or issues presented at WEIS events. It applies only to behavior at WEIS events and activities.
WEIS assumes no liability or responsibility for the actions of any member or other activity participant.
WEIS is not responsible for protecting the safety of members or participants in WEIS activities. Any individual who feels his/her safety is at risk due to harassment or for any other reason is encouraged to take appropriate steps to ensure personal safety.
There may be situations (such as those involving Title IX issues in the United States and venue- or employer-specific policies) where an on-site person who is informed of harassment will be under an obligation to file a report with an individual or organization outside of WEIS.
(based on the ACM Code of Conduct: https://www.acm.org/special-interest-groups/volunteer-resources/officers-manual/policy-against-discrimination-and-harassment)