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20th Annual
Southern California Geobiology Symposium
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Code of Conduct

The Southern California Geobiology Symposium is committed to being a welcoming, collegial, and positive environment for civil discussion and sharing of knowledge for all participants.

Please read through our full policies prior to registration for this conference.

The following behaviors are expected of attendees of the 20th Annual SoCal Geobiology Symposium (modified from UC Santa Barbara's 19th Annual SoCal Geobiology Symposium):

  1. Attendees will treat others with dignity and respect, regardless of their own or another's race, color, national or ethnic origin, immigration status, religion, age, marital status, parental status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic background, educational background, disability, or military service or veteran status.
  2. Attendees will communicate with civility.
  3. Attendees will give fair and equitable consideration to all students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, professionals, and amateurs, regardless of their race, color, national or ethnic origin, immigration status, religion, age, marital status, parental status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic background, educational background, disability, or military service or veteran status.
  4. Attendees engaged in student mentoring will encourage all students in a respectful manner that is inclusive of diverse backgrounds and experiences and recognizes that education is fundamental for the promotion of student learning and professional development.
  5. Attendees will observe the guidelines for the reporting of prohibited behavior (see "Reporting prohibited behaviors" below), and recognize that such guidelines are in effect at all times during the meeting.
  6. Attendees will not attempt to injure the reputation or professional opportunities of others by false, biased, or undocumented claims.
  7. Attendees will not practice, incite, encourage, or condone prohibited behavior (see "Prohibited Behaviors" below), including but not limited to harassment in any form.

Prohibited Behaviors Section: The following behaviors are prohibited during the Southern California Geobiology Symposium.

  1. Harassment in any form, including denigrating jokes, stereotyping, or a recurring pattern of microinvalidations, microassaults, microaggressions, and microinsults. Sexual harassment includes ‎without limitation unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexual assault and other unwelcome verbal or physical ‎conduct of a sexual nature.
  2. Physical abuse or intimidation, including disregard for another's safety.
  3. Verbal or written abuse or intimidation, including but not limited to: harmful or negative comments related to race, color, national or ethnic origin, immigration status, religion, age, marital status, parental status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic background, level of education, disability, or veteran status.
  4. Violating the previously communicated (verbally or nonverbally) physical, emotional, and sexual boundaries of others through the continuation of otherwise prohibited behaviors, or through verbal or written comments founded on any personal aspect of another individual.
  5. Photographing, recording, or video-taping of others and/or the dissemination or distribution of photographs, recordings, or video-tapings of others without their consent.
  6. Photographing, recording, or video-taping of any scientific material presented (including posters and talks) without the express permission of the author(s).
  7. Intentional, unwelcomed physical behaviors including but not limited to: stalking, physical contact, and aggressive or intimidating displays and/or body language.
  8. Threats (implied or real) of physical, emotional, professional, or financial harm
  9. Any other behaviors that may reasonably be assumed to have the effect of creating, contributing to, or maintaining an environment that is hostile toward or damaging to a person or group.

Consequences of Prohibited Behaviors:

Prior to the Conference: (Adapted from GRC's Policy)
It is the policy of the 20th SoCal Geobiology Symposium that if an attendee's primary employer, or an institution or other authority affiliated with the individual's primary employer, formally makes or declares a verifiable finding that the individual has previously engaged in Prohibited Behavior, then SoCal Geobio Committee reserves the right to exclude said individual from attending the symposium.

Prohibited behavior includes but is not limited to findings of harassment or harassing behavior as outlined in SoCal Geobiology's Prohibited Behaviors Section of the Code of Conduct. Verifiable findings include but are not limited to Title IX reports, police reports, and other formal reports.

This policy also recognizes that the SoCal Geobiology Symposium Committee lacks investigatory authority sufficient to address mere allegations of Prohibited Behavior at another institution in the absence of a verifiable determination by that institution.
Each conferee applicant shall, as part of his, her or their registration to attend SoCal Geobiology Symposium, certify that he, she or they have not been found by an institution of appropriate authority to have engaged in any Prohibited Behavior.

During the Conference:

  • Anyone requested to stop prohibited behavior will be expected to immediately cease that behavior.
  • Meeting organizers may institute disciplinary actions, including immediate and permanent removal from the Symposium.
  • Additional officials will be brought in as needed.

Reporting prohibited behaviors:

Please report any real or reasonably perceived prohibited current or past behaviors to the meeting organizers (The meeting organizers will be at the check in booth and introducing speakers). You can also reach out to: socalgeobio2024@gmail.com

For anonymous reporting, you can use this google form. No information is collected excepted that provided by you in the form. You do have to be signed into a google account to access, but your email is not recorded. https://forms.gle/7eoxfBuwG7oy1q4D8

Anyone subject to or witnessing behavior that constitutes an immediate or serious threat to public or individual safety or a criminal act should contact local law enforcement. Those witnessing a potential criminal act should also take actions necessary to maintain their own personal safety.