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NEPSA ANTI-HARASSMENT POLICY AND CODE OF CONDUCT

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INTRODUCTION

 

The New England Political Science Association, which exists solely to put on an annual conference, prioritizes the fostering of a spirit of collegiality, professionalism, and inclusiveness at its Annual Meeting.  As an organization, NEPSA’s mission is to put on an Annual Meeting in which all registrants feel that the conference is a comfortable place where they may

 

  • present scholarship (from diverse perspectives, using any methodological approach);

  • exchange ideas in a spirit of academic freedom and free inquiry; and

  • engage in professional development and networking.

 

NEPSA considers harassment and unprofessional behavior directed at colleagues, students, or other conference attendees, to be serious forms of professional misconduct.  Individuals who engage in such behavior – either at the NEPSA Annual Meeting or at another academic conference – undermine the collegial atmosphere that NEPSA emphasizes and is entitled to preserve.

 

To those who are concerned about the prevalence of harassing behavior in the field – and, especially, to those who previously have been the target of harassing behavior – NEPSA particularly wishes to communicate a message of welcome, and to highlight the following set of commitments:

 

  • NEPSA strives to prevent harassing behavior;
     

  • NEPSA will respectfully listen to anyone who reports being the target of harassing behavior;
     

  • NEPSA encourages all conference participants to report instances of such behavior;
     

  • NEPSA strives to hold accountable anyone who is found to engage in harassing behavior, with the aim of creating a conference environment that is harassment-free; and
     

  • NEPSA will vigorously sanction anyone who is found to engage in harassing behavior.

 

This Anti-Harassment Policy and Professional Code of Conduct (herein, “Code of Conduct) outlines expectations for all participants at the NEPSA Annual Meeting. These guidelines and procedures closely model those that govern the American Political Science Association and other regional political science association meetings, and they remind us that NEPSA is governed by professional academic ethics and norms that apply as standards of behavior and interaction at our Annual Meeting.

 

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PURPOSE
 

NEPSA is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, respectful, and welcoming conference environment for all conference participants, regardless of actual or perceived gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, socioeconomic status, age, religion, or belief.  “Participant” in this policy refers to registrants for the Annual Meeting, as well as staff, contractors, vendors, exhibitors, venue staff, and all other conference attendees.

 

 

EXPECTED BEHAVIOR
 

All participants at the NEPSA Annual Meeting are expected to abide by this Code of Conduct in all meeting venues, including official and unofficial social gatherings. All participants are expected to comply by:

 

  • Abiding by the norms of professional respect that are required for free academic interchange;

  • Being proactive in helping to mitigate or avoid harm in situations of potential harm to conference participants;

  • Agreeing to alert relevant NEPSA staff or security personnel if a situation arises in which an individual may be in imminent danger.

 

In addition, registrants for the Annual Meeting will be required to read this Code of Conduct, and will be required to sign a statement attesting that they have read it before they will be allowed to register.  A signature can be provided in two ways: digitally, on the NEPSA website on a screen that will lead to the page set up for conference pre-registration; or in written form, at the registration desk on-site at the Annual Meeting.

 

 

UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR
 

Behavior that violates this Code of Conduct includes, but is not limited to:

 

  • Sustained, unprofessional disruption of talks or other events

  • Threats or actions that cause or threaten personal harm

  • Threats or actions that cause or threaten professional harm, punishment or retaliation

  • Intimidating, harassing, abusive, derogatory or demeaning speech or action

  • Prejudicial actions or comments that coerce others, foment broad hostility or otherwise undermine professional equity or the principles of free academic exchange

  • Prejudicial actions or comments related to gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, socioeconomic status, age, or religion

  • Unwelcome solicitation of emotional or physical intimacy

  • Deliberate intimidation, stalking or following

  • Harassing photography or recording

  • Emailing presenters (either before or after their presentation) using intimidating, harassing, abusive, derogatory or demeaning language

  • Other intentionally disruptive behavior

 

NEPSA recognizes that it is possible for such behavior to occur during a formal panel presentation (and can be committed by presenters, panelists, or audience members), as well as elsewhere at the Annual Meeting outside of formal panel presentations.  It is NEPSA’s policy to regard an incident of such behavior as a serious matter whether it occurs within or outside of a formal panel presentation.

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