POLICIES
Code of Conduct
Registration for, access to, and participation in any society-sponsored event represents an agreement to abide by the policies below.
Registration for, access to, and participation in any society-sponsored event represents an agreement to abide by the policies below.
1) Policy on harassment and discrimination
Evolution Meetings (in-person and virtual) are intended to foster the respectful exchange of scientific ideas, providing participants with an opportunity to present research findings, establish/renew collaborations, recruit people to their laboratories, and learn, teach, and network with an international community of evolutionary biologists. The Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE), the American Society of Naturalists (ASN), and the Society of Systematic Biologists (SSB) (hereafter, “the Societies”) are committed to creating an environment where everyone can participate without experiencing harassment, discrimination, or similar unwelcome, exclusionary behavior. All meeting participants must treat others with respect and consideration. Registration for the meeting is considered an agreement to abide by this code of conduct.
Harassment of others by any participant (attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, staff member, service provider, organizer, moderator or meeting guest) will not be tolerated. Unacceptable treatment of others includes (but is not limited to) unwanted verbal attention, intimidation, stalking, shaming, or bullying. Discrimination or exclusion on the basis of gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, physical appearance, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or similar will not be tolerated. Critiques of scientific work are appropriate and important, but all forms of communication must be free of offensive, discriminatory or disrespectful elements, including (but not limited to) words and images that are derogatory or demeaning to individuals or groups [1]. Inappropriate comments presented in a joking manner constitute unacceptable behavior. Retaliation for reporting inappropriate behavior is also unacceptable, as is reporting an incident in bad faith.
People wishing to report a violation of this code of conduct should contact our Safety Officer. Incidents of inappropriate and uncivil behavior are taken extremely seriously. Confidentiality will be maintained unless disclosure is legally required.
Virtual event organizers, Society executive officers and designated event moderators reserve the right to enforce this code of conduct in any manner deemed appropriate. Anyone violating the code of conduct may be: (a) asked to stop, (b) subjected to limits on or revocation of any means of active participation in the event (i.e., muted microphone or blocked video access), (c) expelled from the event, and/or (d) prohibited from attending future meetings or events. Establishing and enforcing this code of conduct is intended to prevent incidents of harassment, discrimination, and incivility, and to maintain a high quality of scientific discourse.
Please refer to the Safe Evolution page on this site for detailed information about the Societies’ efforts to create a safe and inclusive environment at our meetings and events.
[1] Disagreements about science are normal and healthy parts of meetings. Civil and constructive criticism of someone’s work for a perceived methodological flaw or a misinterpretation of results is appropriate. Demeaning a scientist for being sloppy, misleading or stupid and other ad hominem attacks are inappropriate.
Harassment of others by any participant (attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, staff member, service provider, organizer, moderator or meeting guest) will not be tolerated. Unacceptable treatment of others includes (but is not limited to) unwanted verbal attention, intimidation, stalking, shaming, or bullying. Discrimination or exclusion on the basis of gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, physical appearance, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or similar will not be tolerated. Critiques of scientific work are appropriate and important, but all forms of communication must be free of offensive, discriminatory or disrespectful elements, including (but not limited to) words and images that are derogatory or demeaning to individuals or groups [1]. Inappropriate comments presented in a joking manner constitute unacceptable behavior. Retaliation for reporting inappropriate behavior is also unacceptable, as is reporting an incident in bad faith.
People wishing to report a violation of this code of conduct should contact our Safety Officer. Incidents of inappropriate and uncivil behavior are taken extremely seriously. Confidentiality will be maintained unless disclosure is legally required.
Virtual event organizers, Society executive officers and designated event moderators reserve the right to enforce this code of conduct in any manner deemed appropriate. Anyone violating the code of conduct may be: (a) asked to stop, (b) subjected to limits on or revocation of any means of active participation in the event (i.e., muted microphone or blocked video access), (c) expelled from the event, and/or (d) prohibited from attending future meetings or events. Establishing and enforcing this code of conduct is intended to prevent incidents of harassment, discrimination, and incivility, and to maintain a high quality of scientific discourse.
Please refer to the Safe Evolution page on this site for detailed information about the Societies’ efforts to create a safe and inclusive environment at our meetings and events.
[1] Disagreements about science are normal and healthy parts of meetings. Civil and constructive criticism of someone’s work for a perceived methodological flaw or a misinterpretation of results is appropriate. Demeaning a scientist for being sloppy, misleading or stupid and other ad hominem attacks are inappropriate.
2) Policy on liability
The Societies shall not be responsible for defamatory, offensive, or illegal conduct of any participants, and shall not be held liable for or damage of any kind suffered by participants at, or in connection with, the event. By registering for and attending the event, each participant acknowledges that they have read this Disclaimer, and expressly releases the Societies and its board members, directors, officers, employees, or agents from any and all liability in connection with such an event as provided herein.
3) Broadcasting policy
The Societies support communication and discussion of science. Information presented at the event may be reported and discussed by participants, as well as science writers via blogs, Twitter, or other formats. Registration constitutes consent to audio and visual recording (and use and alteration of the recording) by the Societies (or those it authorizes) for non-commercial purposes aligned with the Societies’ missions. However, we ask that recordings of events (in whole or in part) are not posted by participants unless explicit permission is granted by the Societies (note that we grant permission for presenters to record and distribute their own presentation as they wish). Events that are recorded will be announced in advance of their posting by the event organizers, Society executive officers, or their designates.
Procedures
Violations of the Code of Conduct are reportable to the meeting Safety Officer by email or phone. Procedures for reporting and investigating such reports will follow the approved procedures for the in-person Safe Evolution Code of Conduct. Sanctions for severe or repeated violations of the Code of Conduct during virtual events may include a ban from future in-person Evolution meetings.
- Anyone dropped from an event will be prevented from attending future online events sponsored by the societies until a resolution is reached by the Safe Evolution sanctioning committee based on the Safety Officer’s report.
- It is the responsibility of the person who has been dropped from an event to contact the Safety Officer to begin the resolution process.
- Any bans extending beyond this summer’s virtual meeting would be imposed by the Safe Evolution sanctioning committee based on the Safety Officer’s report. This policy lets moderators respond to issues quickly (e.g. removing someone who disrupts a virtual session without needing an investigation) while still using the existing procedure for severe or repeated issues.