Commitment to Providing a Safe Environment

The North American Comparative Immunology (NACI) community is committed to ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all participants regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, skin color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, sexual preference, age, military or veteran status, marital status, or disability. NACI is strongly committed to promoting principles of integrity, civility, diversity, equity, inclusion and respect.

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Code of Conduct

NACI meetings should provide an effective forum to consider and debate scientific viewpoints in a respectful, civil, and fair manner. Conference participants are expected to uphold standards of scientific integrity and professional ethics and must comply with these standards of behavior.  To that end, all NACI attendees must comply with the following Code of Conduct.

 

The policies described in the NACI Code of Conduct apply to all attendees, speakers, volunteers, and guests attending the meeting and related activities and include engagement via online platforms.  These policies will be in effect during all oral and poster sessions as well as social and dining engagements.

 

Prohibited behaviors at NACI meetings include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

• Physical assault (including unwelcome touching or groping)

• Unwelcome or uninvited attention or contact

• Real or implied threat of physical, professional, or financial damage or harm

• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following

• Intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory, or demeaning speech or actions

• Harmful or prejudicial verbal or written comments or visual images related to, among other things, race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation/preference, age, or disability (including in presentation slides)

• Inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images (including in presentation slides)

• Photographing persons or presentations without permission

• Disruption of scientific sessions or other events

 

Reporting Misconduct

Any violations of the above code of conduct – either experienced or witnessed – should be reported to the local meeting organizer and/or to on-site security personnel.

 

Violations may also be reported anonymously using this form.  Complaints will be directed to the conference organizers via email and investigated with the same gravity as those reported in person.

 

Any person experiencing harassment is not required to discuss the incident with the offending party unless they feel comfortable doing so.  All complaints will be treated seriously and addressed promptly. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent that it does not compromise the rights of others or the need to conduct an adequate investigation and to the extent allowed by law.

 

Consequences of Harassment

The NACI organizers reserve the right to remove any attendee, without refund, who has violated the Code of Conduct and may request the assistance of on-site security and/or police if necessary. Violators of the Code of Conduct may be barred from future NACI meetings.