Code of Conduct
Code of Conduct
The Geospace Environment Modeling (GEM) program is committed to providing a safe, free from harassment, productive and welcoming environment for all. This includes respectful treatment of everyone regardless of sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, age, body size, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, level of experience, political affiliation, as well as any other characteristic protected under state or federal law. This policy applies to all attendees at all GEM activities including scientists, students, guests, staff, and contractors participating in scientific sessions, auxiliary meetings, and social events associated with any GEM gathering or other activity.
Sections A and B, contain information where to find policy documentation including the prohibited and expected behaviors, definition of harassment, the procedure for reporting harassment, and the procedures and responsibilities of the GEM Meeting Organizer and Steering Committee in addressing harassment (including external harassment cases).
If you are the subject of unacceptable behavior or assault or may have witnessed such behavior that violates professional and respectful participant conduct, please immediately report the incident to the UNH Civil Rights and Equity Office (CREO). Please report the incident using the Incident Report Form or via email to UNH.CivilRights@unh.edu or phone to (603) 862-2930. You have the option to submit an anonymous report but please be aware that by doing so you may limit UNH’s ability to respond fully.
Whether or not an incident is reported to the grant holder’s institution, you may find a trusted GEM Steering Committee member to discuss an incident when immediate action is needed. That Steering Committee member will share anonymous details with the GEM Meeting Organizer. Disclosures of this nature will be kept confidential and will not be reported to the Steering Committee, family members or others involved in the workshop.
If there is a harassment complaint or investigation involving people covered by this policy that occurred in a setting external to GEM, such as at a home institution or another meeting, the GEM Meeting Organizer may take actions to preserve the security of the meeting and its participants. Whether previous or ongoing, attendance can be restricted or barred as deemed appropriate. The Meeting Organizer is responsible for the actions being carried out; if the Meeting Organizer is conflicted, the Chair is responsible for the actions being carried out.
All participants are required to abide by this Code of Conduct. If there has been a violation of this Code, consequences may include:
- Requiring the accused Participant to leave the GEM workshop at the Participant’s own cost, without refund;
- Prohibiting the accused Participant from attending future GEM Events;
- UNH may also contact a participant’s institution to report the conduct; and
- Any other actions deemed necessary and appropriate.
A. Prohibited and Expected Behaviors
GEM expects all Participants to comply with the letter and spirit of this Code. GEM steering committee members reserve the right to enforce this Code against any Participant found to have violated GEM’s commitment to a professional, respectful, inclusive environment even if a specific behavior is not listed below. This policy applies to all attendees at the GEM workshop, including scientists, students, guests, staff, and contractors participating in scientific sessions, auxiliary meetings and social events associated with any GEM gathering or other activity.
Anyone who doesn’t meet expected collaborative, respectful behavior can immediately be removed from the current online or physical workshop and may be banned from future GEM workshops.
1. Any sexual harassment and/or misconduct are prohibited. Section B provides sexual harassment and misconduct definitions. Also, definitions of sexual harassment, assault, violence and gender-based violence can be found on the NSF website at https://new.nsf.gov/stopping-harassment#prohibited-behaviors-and-definitions-e71
2. Any harassment is prohibited. Harassment is defined as any unwelcome verbal or physical conduct based on race, color, religion, sex, gender, disability, age, national origin, sexual orientation that is objectively hostile as to alter the ability of an individual to engage in GEM activities by creating a hostile environment (see Section B).
3. Retaliation is prohibited. “Retaliation” is defined as taking an adverse action against an individual, or subjecting an individual to conduct, with the purpose of unreasonably creating an environment that is hostile because of something that individual did to further this policy. This includes, but is not limited to, a person reporting an incident, any people who served as witnesses, and people supporting or opposing a complaint. Retaliation also includes interfering with the reporting of, or the investigation of, prohibited behavior. Examples include tampering with or destroying relevant evidence and intimidating, threatening or attempting to influence, in any way, the testimony or information of a complainant or witness. Retaliation is a serious violation of this policy and, like harassment or discrimination itself, is subject to disciplinary action as described in the previous section.
4. Concerns should be reported immediately to the appropriate person, channels, or entity, as described in Section B of this document, so that the GEM steering committee, legal office or Title IX office can act quickly to address and resolve issues (see section B below for details on how to report concerns).
5. Confidentiality of the identities of any individuals involved in a conduct concern should be respected while it is being reviewed and addressed.
6. Participants should treat everyone with respect and do not engage in conduct or make comments that are biased, demeaning, intimidating, coercive, or harassing/hostile.
7. Participants should not touch or make physical contact with anyone unless they know such contact is welcome.
8. Participants should maintain a professional behavior at the workshop venue.
9. Participants should act professionally and responsibly if they choose to drink when alcohol is available, or if they use other legal intoxicants.
10. Participants should not engage in violence or abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, staff member, service provider, or other guest, physically, verbally or through any other form.
11. Participants should respect the rules and policies of the workshop venue, hotels, online platform, or any other venue associated with the workshop.
12. Scientific participants, including students, should display scientific integrity in disseminating their research.
13. Scientific participants should recognize co-authors that have made bona fide contributions to their work provided they agree to be recognized. Scientific participants should not plagiarize the work of others.
14. During the GEM workshop, presentation materials will be available online for registered attendees to view. GEM members will respect the intellectual property rights of others and follow best practices.
B. Participant Notice
This workshop is partially supported by the National Science Foundation under an award to the University of New Hampshire (UNH). We are required by the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (Chapter II.E.7), effective February 25, 2019, to provide all event participants with information on the University’s policy on sexual and other forms of harassment or sexual assault as well as directions on how to report any violations of this policy. For purposes of this requirement, “other forms of harassment” is defined as “non-gender or non-sex-based harassment of individuals protected under federal civil rights laws, as set forth in organizational policies or codes of conduct, statutes, regulations, or executive orders.”
The University of New Hampshire (UNH) seeks excellence through diversity among its administrators, faculty, staff and students. We are committed to enhancing and sustaining an educational community that is inclusive and equitable, and cherish these values as being inextricably linked to our core mission. We are a public institution with a long-standing commitment to equal employment and educational opportunity for all qualified persons. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, genetic information, or pregnancy. This applies to admission to, access to, treatment within, or employment in UNH programs or activities.
It is National Science Foundation (NSF) policy to foster harassment-free environments wherever science is conducted, including at NSF-sponsored conferences, workshops, and symposia. This conference/workshop/symposium is supported all or in part by the NSF under Award No. 1800948.
In accordance with NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (Chapter II.E.7), effective February 25, 2019, UNH is providing all event participants with information on the University’s policies regarding sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, or sexual assault as well as directions on how to report any violations of these policies. The University has comprehensive policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment, including sexual violence and sexual harassment, which include complete descriptions of the prohibited conduct:
• Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Exploitation (the University’s standards of conduct, investigation process and resolutions of claims of prohibited conduct by students)
• Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Policy (the University’s standard of conduct, and process for investigating and adjudicating complaints of discrimination or discriminatory harassment by any employee: faculty, staff, or administrator)
Conference attendees wishing to report sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, or sexual assault should contact the UNH Civil Rights and Equity Office (CREO). Please report the incident using the Incident Report Form or via email to UNH.CivilRights@unh.edu or phone to (603) 862-2930. You have the option to submit an anonymous report but please be aware that by doing so you may limit UNH’s ability to respond fully.
UNH will respond promptly and effectively to reports of prohibited conduct and take appropriate action to prevent, correct, and when necessary and possible, to discipline behavior that violates these policies. UNH will make any required notifications to the NSF Office of Equity and Civil Rights, and other external agencies as appropriate. UNH may also contact a participant’s institution to report the conduct.
Privileged confidential support services are available for students, faculty and staff seeking medical or counseling support or general advice about their options, but do not want to make a report of the incident. Such support services are available on campus or off campus.
Dial 911 for emergency situations and/or immediate safety concerns. Conference attendees wishing to report a matter to law enforcement can contact UNH’s police department (UNHPD) for on-campus incidents or the local police department where the crime occurred. Reports to UNHPD can be made in person at 18 Waterworks Road, Durham, NH, or by phone through the non-emergency line at (603) 862-1427.