[Lingtyp] ALT: code of conduct

Tue Nov 21 17:34:30 UTC 2017

For clarity: The on-going work of the ACL exec includes developing
sanctions but also
developing processes to follow so that the people charged with making
decisions
about whether to impose a sanction (or take other action) have guidance on
how to do
that.

Emily

On Tue, Nov 21, 2017 at 8:19 AM, William Croft <wcroft at unm.edu> wrote:

> 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
>
> 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), 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> 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
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org
>> http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/lingtyp
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Emily M. Bender
> Professor, Department of Linguistics
> Check out CLMS on facebook! http://www.facebook.com/uwclma
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>
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-- 
Emily M. Bender
Professor, Department of Linguistics
Check out CLMS on facebook! http://www.facebook.com/uwclma
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