The following is a Code of Conduct for reviewers and participants of Sinn un Bedeutung 27 (SuB 27), which is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all its participants. It describes expected behavior and outlines ways in which the organizers will address problems that arise.
All conference participants must maintain professional integrity in their relationships and interactions with one another. “Participant” in this policy refers to anyone attending the conference (in in-person, hybrid, or online iterations) or present at the conference, including staff, contractors, and vendors. All conference participants are subject to the LSA’s Civility Policy which, among other things, prohibits harassment and prejudice.
Harassment includes, but is not limited to:
The expression or the critique of a contested academic viewpoint does not in itself constitute harassment, as long as it is done in a professional and respectful way. By contrast, aggressive discussion styles (including ad hominem comments) that are aimed to intimidate, marginalize, belittle, or disparage others (or their research area) are unacceptable.
SuB 27 aims to create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for all participants. Every participant is welcome and respected. By the same token, all participants are expected to treat each other with respect and tolerance. To accomplish this, participants are asked to speak up and take action when these values are not adhered to, and recognize that power differences and hierarchies inherent to academia and broader society may inhibit many participants (including students and junior scholars) from deciding to object to or report problematic behavior (details on reporting below).
SuB 27 encourages its participants to proactively engage in inclusive behavior, e.g.:
Harassment and other violations of this code reduce the value of our event for everyone. If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, or if you witness unacceptable behavior, please report it to the conference organizers as soon as possible.
You can report a violation:
SuB 27 organizers will do their best to address your report with as much confidentiality as the enforcement process allows.
Depending on the nature of the violation, in some jurisdictions organizers may also be required by law and/or university policy to inform authorities. For example, some US universities require faculty to report all instances of sexual harassment to university officials regardless of whether the target consents to the reporting.
SuB 27 organizers are committed to taking appropriate actions to prevent and/or stop any behavior designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants.
Participants who are reasonably and politely asked to comply with this code should do so immediately. Failure to do so could and should result in the filing of a violation report (see above).
If a participant has a report filed against them, the conference organizers will review the report and will contact the participant so they can consider their version of the incident. The organizers might also consult with the person who filed the report or other people involved in or with knowledge of the incident.
The organizers will decide, as quickly as possible, the extent to which the behavior reported constitutes a violation of the Code of Conduct. If the target consents, the organizers may choose to respond to the behavior reported. Possible responses include:
If any part of this code of conduct is in conflict with the applicable law in the jurisdiction of the conference, this shall not affect the validity of any other part.
If any part of this code of conduct is in conflict with the applicable law in the jurisdiction of the conference, this shall not affect the validity of any other part.
Source Gender Equity in Linguistics.
