POLICY
CARL is committed to providing a welcoming, safe, and harassment-free environment for its staff, membership, committees and working groups, as well as for participants, speakers, and organizers of CARL meetings and events.
We do not tolerate harassment* of any kind.
Disrespectful or discriminatory actions, language, or imagery with regard to race, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, disability, or genetic characteristics are not appropriate.
We expect our participants to:
- Promote a safe environment for everyone that is free from harassment*;
- Be respectful of different dimensions, perspectives and lived experiences among participants and to be sensitive to the impact their communications and behaviors have on others.
All CARL staff, committee and working group chairs and members, and CARL event participants and organizers, are subject to the code of conduct. Individuals violating the Code of Conduct may be sanctioned.
*What is harassment?
For the purpose of this Code of Conduct, harassment includes (but is not limited to):
- Offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, age, language spoken, race, ethnicity, citizenship status, or religion,
- Sustained disruption of meetings, talks or other events,
- Sexual language and imagery in event spaces, including talks, social events, and online media,
- Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following,
- Unwelcome photography or recording without permission,
- Inappropriate physical contact, and
- Unwelcome sexual attention.
Harassment does not include constructive disagreement and the Code of Conduct should not discourage vigorous debate, but rather derogatory and/or disrespectful comments or behaviour. Targeted and disruptive behavior does not qualify as an exercise of academic freedom.
PROCEDURE
Individuals who witness or experience unacceptable behaviour or have any other concerns are encouraged to come forward immediately by contacting the CARL Executive Director, the applicable Committee/Working Group/Event Chair, or (if in place), a member of the event’s Code of Conduct Committee. Each report of unacceptable conduct will be taken seriously and treated confidentially. CARL may gather additional information to the extent possible, and may take any action deemed appropriate, including warning or sanctioning the offender. All efforts will be taken to preserve the privacy of the individuals affected.
In the case of CARL events, planners will utilize appropriate text from this policy as the event’s published Code of Conduct. CARL events may designate a Code of Conduct Committee, in which case its members will be announced in advance. When an event-specific Code of Conduct Committee is not formed, the default committee membership is described below.
The action(s) to be taken will be decided by a committee as follows:
- For incidents relating to CARL directors (e.g. during CARL General Meetings), the
Committee would be composed of CARL’s President, the Vice-President, and the
Executive Director. - For incidents occurring in a CARL committee meeting, or within the context of
committee work, the Committee would be composed of CARL’s President, the
Committee’s Chair, and the Executive Director. - For incidents occurring at a sub-committee meeting, the committee would be
composed of CARL’s President, the Committee’s Chair, the Sub-Committee’s Chair,
and the Executive Director. - For incidents occurring at a CARL event with a Code of Conduct Committee, that
committee is delegated to act on CARL’s behalf. - For incidents occurring at a CARL event without a pre-announced Code of Conduct
Committee, the ad hoc committee would be comprised of two of the event’s
organizers and the CARL Executive Director or designate.
Individuals asked to cease a behaviour are expected to comply immediately.
Serious or repeated contraventions of this Code could result in expulsion from the meeting, event, working group, or committee. If needed, security or local law enforcement may be involved.
