[Lingtyp] ALT: code of conduct

Tue Nov 21 16:19:49 UTC 2017

I have a question about the various proposed codes of conduct presented here.

The codes of conduct from the Australian Linguistics Society and the Australian National University (which Hedvig provided a link to) describe good conduct and provide a means for reporting violations of good conduct. The codes of conduct proposed by ALT and from UNM (my home university) describe violations of good conduct and describe sanctions against violators. I wonder if these differences have something to do with legal, not just cultural (or political) differences between Australia and the US.

The code of conduct of ACL describes good conduct, describes violations of good conduct, and provides a means for reporting violations of good conduct. Emily’s comment indicates that the ACL exec is developing sanctions against violators (if I understand it correctly). In other words, it covers all of the points of both the Australian and US codes described above.

Bill

> On Nov 21, 2017, at 7:07 AM, Emily M. Bender <ebender at uw.edu> wrote:
> 
> Dear all,
> 
> In case it is helpful for this discussion, here is a link to the anti-harassment policy recently adopted by the Association for Computational Linguistics, another international scholarly organization:
> 
> https://aclweb.org/adminwiki/index.php?title=Anti-Harassment_Policy <https://aclweb.org/adminwiki/index.php?title=Anti-Harassment_Policy>
> 
> We (the ACL exec) are presently in the process of developing procedures to follow in case of  complaints raised under the policy.  These cases are never easy, and of course none of this is pleasant to think about.  However, it is clear that despite the fact that most people attend academic conferences in good faith and without wishing to make the atmosphere unwelcoming to anyone, cases of harassment do occur, and that therefore the status quo is unacceptable.  Furthermore, it is a helpful, positive thing for professional organizations to set expectations.  That expectation setting in and of itself can help underrepresented groups feel more welcome and supported (and more likely to stick around in the field).  The "worst case" consequences in policies such as this are there to give them teeth, but are never automatic consequences of a complaint being raised.  
> 
> Emily
> 
> p.s. Here's the text of the ACL policy:
> 
> ===
> 
> Anti-Harassment Policy
> The open exchange of ideas, the freedom of thought and expression, and respectful scientific debate are central to the aims and goals of the ACL. These require a community and an environment that recognizes the inherent worth of every person and group, that fosters dignity, understanding, and mutual respect, and that embraces diversity. For these reasons, ACL is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for all the members, as well as participants at our events and in our programs.
> 
> Harassment and hostile behavior are unwelcome at any ACL conference, associated event, or in ACL-affiliated on-line discussions. This includes: speech or behavior that intimidates, creates discomfort, or interferes with a person's participation or opportunity for participation in a conference or an event. We aim for ACL-related activities to be an environment where harassment in any form does not happen, including but not limited to: harassment based on race, gender, religion, age, color, appearance, national origin, ancestry, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Harassment includes degrading verbal comments, deliberate intimidation, stalking, harassing photography or recording, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. The policy is not intended to inhibit challenging scientific debate, but rather to promote it through ensuring that all are welcome to participate in shared spirit of scientific inquiry.
> 
> It is the responsibility of the community as a whole to promote an inclusive and positive environment for our scholarly activities. In addition, anyone who experiences harassment or hostile behavior may contact any current member of the ACL Executive Committee ([1]) or contact Priscilla Rasmussen (acl at aclweb.org <mailto:acl at aclweb.org>), who is usually available at the registration desk during ACL conferences. Members of the executive committee will be instructed to keep any such contact in strict confidence, and those who approach the committee will be consulted before any actions are taken.
> 
> Implementation
> This policy should be posted prominently on all ACL conference and workshop webpages, with a notice of a list of people who can be contacted by community members with concerns. In case of a formal complaint, the contacted ACL representative(s) will first speak to all parties involved to try to resolve the issue without presupposition of guilt.
> 
> Approved by ACL Executive Committee, 2016
> 
> ===
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Nov 21, 2017 at 5:13 AM, Good, Jeff <jcgood at buffalo.edu <mailto:jcgood at buffalo.edu>> wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> In light of the ongoing debate about the proposed code of conduct, I would like to send a brief message on behalf of the ALT Executive Committee.
> 
> The ALT Executive Committee recognizes the importance of allowing open debates on topics of relevance to the association and encourages members with an opinion on the proposed code of conduct to voice their views publicly on as they see fit. Regardless of the outcome of the vote, we welcome further discussion of this topic at the upcoming biennial meeting.
> 
> We also encourage members to vote on the code (whether for or against) as presently proposed, and we do not plan to propose a revised code before the biennial meeting. Based on the discussion at the meeting, a revision to the code can be developed if the present code is passed or a new code can be proposed if the present proposal does not pass.
> 
> Best,
> Jeff Good
> President, Association for Linguistic Typology
> _______________________________________________
> Lingtyp mailing list
> Lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org <mailto:Lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org>
> http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/lingtyp <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/lingtyp>
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Emily M. Bender
> Professor, Department of Linguistics
> Check out CLMS on facebook! http://www.facebook.com/uwclma <http://www.facebook.com/uwclma>
> _______________________________________________
> Lingtyp mailing list
> Lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org
> http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/lingtyp

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lingtyp/attachments/20171121/22d075bf/attachment.htm>