To make the RCN a productive, positive environment for individuals to work, collaborate, and share ideas, all participants are expected to:
We encourage Working Group leaders, and others organizing RCN events, to remind participants that this Code of Conduct exists at the start of each event, and that participants are expected to adhere to it.
The RCN is dedicated to providing a welcoming environment for all participants. A welcoming environment includes addressing issues of individual harassment and discrimination and creating conditions in which all contributors are valued and included. We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment, both in-person and virtually, for all participants, regardless of gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, visible or hidden disability status, physical appearance, body size or shape, race, ethnicity, country of origin, languages spoken, age, career stage, institutional affiliation, or religion.
Harassment includes, but is not limited to: verbal or written comments that reinforce social structures of domination related to the classes described above; sexual language or imagery; deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following; harassing photography or recording; sustained disruption of events or deliberate interruptions; inappropriate physical contact; unwelcome sexual attention; advocating for, encouraging, or condoning any of the above behavior.
Discrimination includes, but is not limited to, prejudicial treatment of an individual or group of individuals based on the classes described above, including unfavorable treatment, derogatory name calling or insulting behavior, bullying, discriminatory jokes, provocative behavior or actions such as displaying offensive insignia, patronizing remarks, or exclusion from professional or social activities. .
Exclusionary behavior includes actions which may not target specific individuals but nevertheless contribute to an unwelcoming environment, and includes but is not limited to: preferential treatment of people based on markers of status or belonging in dominant social groups, dominating discussion or allowing specific individuals to dominate or talk-over discussion, making statements or taking actions that contribute to the marginalization or ‘othering’ of groups of people. Exclusionary behavior can also manifest in scientific practice or policy development, and includes implicit or explicit endorsement of conservation or environmental actions that do harm to people living in those spaces, or exploitative extraction of data, labor or resources.
We do not tolerate exclusionary behavior in any form, including (but not limited to) verbal, visual, or written. This includes images presented at meetings, discussions, emails related to RCN activities, and any other form of verbal or non-verbal communication.
If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it to RCN leadership as soon as possible. RCN participants who experience or witness harassment or discrimination (including as a bystander) should, if they feel comfortable and in a position to do so, point out the behavior and ask the perpetrator to stop.
During or after the incident, participants should contact RCN leadership to report the issue. Participants may report the incident to any member of the RCN leadership they feel most comfortable communicating with, however, the designated contacts for issues are Christie Bahlai (cbahlai@kent.edu) and Chris Elphick (chris.elphick@uconn.edu). If you are uncomfortable reaching out to one of the co-PIs, you can also contact our colleague who is not a PI on the grant, Ento-Ally founder Gwen Pearson, (membracid@gmail.com). When reporting an incident, keep in mind that most academic emails at public universities in the United States are subject to the US Freedom of Information Act and, as such, can legally be requested to be made public. If a participant wishes to avoid this issue, we have set up a form for reporting concerns which does not collect identifying information unless the participant chooses to provide that information for follow-up on the incident.
When reporting an incident, participants are encouraged to name the involved parties so that appropriate actions can be taken. In all cases, the name of the reporter(s) and victim(s) will never be disclosed, however, RCN leadership will follow-up with all parties who are named. Fully anonymized reports (including the perpetrator) can be submitted, however, RCN leadership is unable to take action based on these types of reports other than to consider measures that might prevent such behavior at future events.
Reports may be made regarding RCN participant behavior at related professional events, such as conferences, other working group meetings, or departmental events, and reports do not necessarily need to be made by a current RCN participant.
At in-person and live virtual events, there will be a designated person to contact for reports. RCN leadership will also provide participants with information specific to the location of the event that may be useful in cases of conduct violations that are also legal violations, such as local law enforcement, venue security, sexual assault hot lines, and emergency and non-emergency medical care. We encourage all RCN participants to be mindful when contacting law enforcement in cases of conduct violations and to consider the potential unintended consequences of contacting law enforcement, particularly in cases when the victim(s) of harassment or discrimination are also the subject of discriminatory policing, depending on the location of the event.
RCN participants who violate the code of conduct may be removed from the network and barred from participation in RCN activities, including (but not limited to) in-person and online meetings, workshops, training events, and publications stemming from such activities, at the discretion of the RCN leadership team. This code of conduct applies not only to in-person and virtual events directly related to RCN activities, but to all professional events involving RCN participants; individuals found to be in violation of this code of conduct at a related event will receive the same sanctions as if the action, comment, or behavior took place at an RCN event.
We recognize that in some situations, individuals may not realize that their behavior or actions constitute harassment or are offensive (e.g. gaffes or minor issues due to cultural or generational differences, lack of self-awareness or unaddressed internal biases). We do not excuse ignorance of what constitutes harassment, however, in cases where an individuals’ actions or behavior stem from ignorance or different cultural norms (as deemed by their peers), they will be given the chance to apologize and make amends for past behavior. This option should not be seen as a loophole to excuse bad behavior, and it will only apply in cases where individuals genuinely did not know a behavior, statement, or action was inappropriate and they are willing to correct it. Repeated offenses will not be tolerated.
This document is adapted from the Ada Initiative template. This content is released to the public domain under the terms of the Creative Commons Universal License (CC0); you are free to reuse, adapt, and repurpose this code of conduct without attribution, including for commercial purposes.
To report incidents or concerns about exclusionary behavior or breaches of the code of conduct, please use this anonymous reporting form.
