Questions, concerns, or comments can be emailed directly to the Digital Frontiers Program Committee. At the Conference, you may also approach any member of the Program Committee directly to make a verbal complaint. Please provide contact information and as much detail about the violation as possible, including the name of the offender. Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.* If you feel your immediate safety is at risk, please notify event security immediately and follow up with a Committee or Board member when you feel safe.
Procedures
- Upon receiving a complaint, the Digital Frontiers Conference Committee will designate an Investigator from the Committee. The Investigator will be a member of the committee who was not party to or a witness of the precipitating incident.
- If the committee determines that the precipitating incident involves a risk to the safety of the complainant or others, they will notify a member of the Board (see step 5). If this risk is deemed to be immediate, they will notify event or campus security, or the police (see step 7). Safety concerns preempt all other procedures.
- The Investigator will contact the complainant to get details of the precipitating incident and will document the complainant’s statement. The complainant will receive a copy of this documentation.
- After speaking to the complainant, the Investigator will contact the violator to discuss the violation, and provide a copy of the complaint documentation.
- If warranted, the Investigator will issue a verbal warning.
- If the Investigator determines that the violator does not intend to correct their behavior, or if the Investigator determines that the safety of any member of the community is at risk, they will notify a member of the Board immediately.
- If an additional violation by any individual is reported by the original complainant or any other member of the community, the Board will be notified by the Program Committee, which will communicate with all parties to determine if further action is required. The Board may choose to pursue further action depending on the nature of the offence, and the interests of all concerned parties including:
- Moderated conversation to address issues between two individuals,
- Written admonition detailing the violation, with a copy sent to the violator’s immediate supervisor,
- Ejection from the conference or other event,
- Permanent disbarment from all Community events and forums.
- In instances where the safety of any member of the community is considered at risk, the Board will ask the violator to leave the conference or other event and not return. The Board may notify event or campus security if necessary to facilitate this removal. No refunds will be issued if a violator is ejected from the conference. Violations that risk the safety of the community risk permanent barring from the conference community.
- If an individual is barred from the conference community due to egregious or persistent documented violations of the Code of Conduct, they will be notified in writing of the Board’s decision, with a copy going to their immediate supervisor or similar authority at their home institution.
- Violators may appeal any action by the Committee or the Board in writing within five business days of the action. Appeals of Board actions will be reviewed by the Committee; and the Board will review the actions of the Committee. Written notification of the final decision will be given within ten business days of the appeal. Appeal decisions are final.
- If a violator is barred from the Community, they may appeal in writing to the Board for readmittance after two years. This appeal should directly address the nature of the original violation, how they have corrected their conduct to prevent further violations, and why readmittance would be beneficial to them and the community.
Resources
*Since many Program Committee members are mandatory reporters under Clery Act and Title IX, we may be required to follow the policies of host institutions for documenting and reporting instances of harassment that occur in host facilities.