CODE OF CONDUCT
The purpose of this policy is to address the conduct expected of PAS Meeting participants and to outline steps that may be taken when conduct does not align with expectations. For purposes of this policy, “participant” is defined as any individual registered attendee, speaker, organizer, staff, sponsor, guest, or exhibitor associated with any official PAS events. The PAS Code of Conduct applies to all PAS Meeting activities. A PAS Meeting activity includes but is not limited to activities throughout the year preparing for the PAS Meeting or activities published in the PAS Program guide or activities taking place in PAS-contracted venues, including social events, or taking place online or via social media (i.e., postings to PAS Meeting facebook, twitter and similar pages, including meeting hashtags).
Expected Conduct
The PAS is committed to fostering a welcoming environment that is safe, collaborative, and productive for dialogue and discovery for all participants. All who register to participate, attend, speak, sponsor or exhibit at a PAS event agree to comply with this policy.
PAS expects all participants associated with any official PAS events will adhere to the
following principles:
- Respect common sense rules for public behavior, personal interaction, courtesy, and respect for private property.
- Be considerate and respectful of differing perspectives during the meeting.
- Respect the rules and policies of participating societies, the meeting venues, and hotels.
- Comply with all local, state and federal laws.
PAS prohibits any form of harassment, sexual or otherwise. Accordingly, some behaviors,
including but not limited to the following, are specifically prohibited:
- Intimidation, stalking, harassment, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, or discrimination
- Abusive, harassing, or threatening behavior
- Yelling at, threatening, or personal insults by verbal or physical means
Participants asked by anyone to stop engaging in hostile or harassing behaviors are expected to comply immediately. This behavior will not be tolerated and may result in immediate expulsion from a session, event, or the PAS Meeting, including future PAS Meetings.
Reporting A Violation
Violations of this Code of Conduct Policy should be reported immediately.
All participants are expected to alert venue security personnel or PAS staff of any dangerous situations, violations of this Conduct Policy, or of anyone in distress as detailed below.
Participants who feel physically unsafe or believe a crime has been committed, should contact local police immediately.
To report a Code of Conduct violation, participants may:
- Visit Room 306 of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, May 1-4, 2020, 7:00am-6:30pm and May 5, 2020, 7:00am-12:30pm
- Visit the designated link on the PAS Meeting website, which will collect and promptly
relay information in a confidential and sensitive manner, and/or - Call PAS at 346.980.9717.
Complaints may be raised during or after the PAS Meeting. Allegations regarding misconduct by participants are taken very seriously. PAS encourages prompt reporting of violations so immediate action can be taken to address the concern. Reports may not be submitted anonymously as that would preclude adequate follow up action.
Procedures Regarding Reported Violations:
During the PAS Meeting
- Once an allegation is received, the incident will be reviewed promptly by the PAS Executive Director, PAS Meeting Director, and members of a PAS Advisory Group, a subset of the Board of Directors.
- Based on this initial information, the complainant will be interviewed either in person or by telephone promptly by the PAS Executive Director and the PAS Meeting Director together. The complainant will be asked to provide his/her preferred resolution.
- Note: if any of the above individuals are named in an allegation, they may be excluded from any review actions.
- Based on the sole assessment of the PAS Executive Director, PAS Meeting Director and PAS Advisory Group, in consultation with legal counsel, as needed, PAS may enact a range of next steps, up to and including immediate expulsion from a session, event, or the PAS Meeting, without prior warning or refund. PAS reserves the right to remove any participant whose social attentions become unwelcome to another and who persists in such attentions after their unwelcome nature has been communicated. PAS also reserves the right to remove any participant who appears inebriated or who engages in conduct that interferes with the ability of other participants to participate in and enjoy the meeting.
After the PAS Meeting
- If PAS, in its sole determination, concludes the allegation requires further review or scrutiny, the PAS Executive Director, Meeting Director and Advisory Group member will raise the complaint with the alleged offender, who will be given a chance to respond.
- Other individuals may be contacted to provide information. Participants are expected to cooperate with PAS information gathering related to a reported violation of this Code of Conduct Policy by providing information requested by PAS that is relevant.
- Action will be taken by the PAS Board based on its assessment of the level of misconduct.
- PAS may, in its reasonable judgement, refer the allegation to venue security or to the alleged offender’s home institution (Office of Research Integrity or similar), employer, licensing board, or law enforcement for investigation and decision.
- If PAS, in its reasonable judgment, determines an individual has violated this Code of Conduct Policy, PAS may bar the individual from participation in future PAS events.
- PAS will report on the outcome of any investigation to individuals who have reported a violation of this Code of Conduct Policy.