CASSS Meetings Code of Conduct
CASSS is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and CASSS staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, industry partners, exhibitors, CASSS staff members, service providers, and all others are expected to abide by this Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct applies to CASSS meetings and related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than CASSS but held in conjunction with CASSS events.
This Code of Conduct outlines CASSS’ expectations for participant behavior, as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior. CASSS promotes equal opportunities and treatment for all participants. All participants are expected to treat others with respect and consideration, follow venue rules, and alert staff to any violations of this Code of Conduct, dangerous situations, or any participant in distress.
Code of Ethical Conduct
- Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative.
- Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, threatening, or harassing behavior and speech.
- Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. Alert CASSS staff if you notice a dangerous or harassing situation or someone in distress.
Unacceptable Conduct
Unacceptable behavior includes:
- Intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory, threatening, or demeaning speech or actions by any participants at or in relation to the CASSS meeting or related events. All who participate in the CASSS meetingand related events deserve respectful treatment, regardless of the capacity in which they are attending or participating. Discussion of opposing or different viewpoints is appropriate but is expected to be conducted in a respectful tone and manner that avoids personal attacks.
- Verbal or physical abuse, intimidation, or threatening behavior, which in any way creates a disturbance that is disruptive or dangerous or creates reasonable apprehension in a person.
- Harassing behavior (including, but not limited to, offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in CASSS-sponsored spaces or in presentations, yelling at or threatening participants, stalking or unwelcome following, harassing photography or recording, or unwelcomed physical or verbal contact or sexual attention.)
- Disrupting a meeting or related event. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any CASSS staff.
Recording
In addition, the recording or sharing of any presentation or other aspects of a CASSS meeting or related event (including education sessions, presentations, demos, etc.) in any format is strictly prohibited.
What to do if you witness or experience conduct that violates this Code of Conduct
Conduct in violation of this Code of Conduct should be promptly brought to the attention of Dave Bergeson, Ph.D., CAE, Executive Director, dbergeson@casss.org, (510) 630-7573, so that we can take appropriate action.
Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior
- Unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated at CASSS meetings or related events.
- Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. CASSS reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting or event without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and CASSS reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting or event, virtually or in person.
- Participants must also cooperate with any CASSS investigation into reports of a violation of this Code of Conduct by providing information requested by CASSS that is relevant to CASSS’s investigation. CASSS will also report on the outcome of any investigation to individuals who have reported a violation of this Code of Conduct; the information provided to those individuals will be limited to whether CASSS found a violation of the Code, whether any sanctions or corrective actions were imposed, and, in CASSS’s discretion, the nature of those sanctions or corrective actions.