Code of Conduct for Field School
Code of Conduct for Field School
Read the VISP Code of Conduct
As part of the VISP Summer school, we will adhere to a strict code of conduct that will be applied to both participants and instructors. As scientists, educators, professionals, and/or students it is expected that we each strive to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct in our professional activities.
This summer school is unique (and exciting!) in that we will be spending large amounts of time in the outdoors and in relatively remote locations away from our homes and offices. However, this creates challenges professionally since we will be around each other for extended periods of time and will be sharing room accommodations, meals, breaks, and other social spaces. As such, we will follow University of Wisconsin-Madison and other professional organizational policies to help guide our conduct and reporting while working and living together during the summer school.
Below, we have both summarized and provided links to the relevant policies that the VISP summer school will follow and that each participant and instructor is expected to read and be familiar with prior to the field school.
University of Wisconsin, Department of Geoscience
Policies & Expectations
Treat others with professional courtesy, equity and fairness in working with others
● Department community members and collaborators will adhere to the UW-Madison Student Code of Conduct and Employee Code of Conduct regarding interpersonal behavior, harassment, and hazing.
● All communications from members of the department should be appropriate for a professional audience. Biased, harassing, racist or other disrespectful language and imagery is not appropriate.
● Department members and visitors should be treated fairly and standards for assessment of performance should be applied equally.
● Hostile working environments are not acceptable. All Department members should behave conscientiously regarding power dynamics between faculty, staff, and students.
Pursue science responsibly and ethically
● Research will be carried out ethically and with integrity, in adherence with UW-Madison Research Compliance and Ethics Policy.
● Individuals should be personally accountable for their actions.
Act in accordance with legal and institutional compliance
● All members of the Department are expected to follow University policies for proper workplace behavior, safety protocols, and ethical research practices.
● All members of the Department are expected to follow federal, state, and local laws.
● In keeping with the spirit of other policies (i.e., UW-Madison Whistleblower Law, UW-Madison Policy on Sexual Harassment ) that explicitly address anti-retaliation, we respect the right of individuals or groups to file complaints about the departmental climate or violations of this code without retaliation.
Promote and practice physical workplace safety
● Adherence to all UW-Madison safety policies is expected (e.g. driving/travel, lab/chemical, PPE, radiation safety).
● Safety culture and responsibility is a group effort, with each individual playing a key part. However, leaders in research group, field, or class settings should endeavor to model proactive behavior and are responsible for integrating safe work practices into their instructional and research plans and training new lab users.
Do not engage in sexual harassment & bullying
● The Department of Geoscience does not tolerate sexual harassment or bullying. All Department members and collaborators will comply with the UW-Madison Policy on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence which states a prohibition of “acts of sexual harassment and sexual violence (including sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking)”.
● All department members will comply with the UW-Madison Policy on Consensual Relationships between members of the university community where a conflict of interest or power differential between the parties exists.
● All Department members and collaborators will comply with UW-Madison Policy on Hostile and Intimidating Behavior which strictly prohibits behavior that creates a hostile and/or intimidating work environment (i.e., bullying).
● Practice allyship and bystander intervention by calling out inappropriate behavior towards others and help to mediate situations that arise using the “three D’s”: Direct, Distract, or Delegate.
Promote an inclusive working environment
● All department members and collaborators will refrain from participating in exclusionary behaviors and/or using exclusionary language.
● Exclusionary behaviors and language are actions and words (jokes included) that discriminate, intentionally or unintentionally, against an individual based on their:
○ national origin, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, or religion.
Practice and promote appropriate field conduct
Field experiences are a core part of many educational, research, and community building activities in the Department of Geoscience. Field settings present unique challenges, including remoteness, unfamiliar or challenging surroundings, and prolonged personal interactions. The field is an extension of our workplace, and all University and Departmental standards of conduct apply in the field as they do on campus. Notably, UW-Madison Policy on Alcohol and Controlled Substances applies to all off-campus trips.
To create a field environment conducive to the maintaining standards of conduct and safety for all participants, we encourage the following concrete preparations for field excursions:
● The group leader convenes a pre-trip meeting to address participant questions / concerns and discuss logistics such as:
○ Anticipated sleeping, bathroom, and eating arrangements, accounting for common concerns such as dietary restrictions and gender identity;
○ Physical and other environmental conditions requiring preparation, and expectations for and availability of equipment;
○ Potential challenges with local norms or laws at the field site;
○ Expectations for conduct and compliance among group members;
○ Discussion of concerns and questions raised by any of the field team members.
● Accommodations for individual needs. Confidential accommodations requests can be made to the group leader.
● Emergency and group communication plans should be made and shared with all participants. Group leaders should have confidential access to participant emergency contacts.
● All participants should have equitable access to communication devices when in the field for medical and non-medical emergencies.
● Up-to-date first aid experience or training for at least one participant per trip, preferably a group leader. A group medical kit should be made available to all participants.
Reporting & Remediation
It is the intent of the UW-Geoscience Community to address conduct that does adhere to the expectations detailed above for the benefit of the whole community. Inappropriate conduct may be addressed with corrective action and disciplinary measures using a combination of resources both within and beyond the Department. The Department of Geoscience highly encourages conflict resolution at the lowest level possible, consistent with Section A.5 of the Graduate Student Handbook. In the event that involved parties cannot resolve a conflict amongst themselves, confidential reporting (when mandatory reporting is not required) to the Department Chair is encouraged. The chair then decides how to address the conflict after discussing the complaint with all involved parties.
Possible consequences for inappropriate conduct by Faculty and Staff
● Conduct may be sanctioned pursuant to University policies and procedures:
o Faculty policies and procedures
o Academic staff policies and procedures
o Employee code of ethics (Board of Regents)
o Faculty and academic staff code of ethics (Wisconsin Legislature)
● As appropriate and as allowed within university policy (see above) consequences may include but are not limited to:
o Negative performance evaluations translating to loss of any merit raise and/or loss of access to endowments or discretionary funds (e.g. access to Weeks exercise funds), for a period of time;
o Loss of access to departmental funds for TA/RA for student recruitment for a period of time;
o Loss of ability to recruit new grad students or supervise undergraduate students for a period of time;
o Required training in relevant workshops or courses;
o Unpaid leave, or in severe cases, termination, following existing policies and procedures.
● For collaborators or visitors, sanctions may include a ban from access to the department or shared resources.
Possible consequences for inappropriate conduct for Students
● Conduct may be sanctioned pursuant to University policies and procedures:
o Student non academic misconduct policy + procedures
● Consequences may include actions similar to the following, as appropriate or allowed within University policy:
o Loss of access to departmental resources (e.g. travel funds, merit fellowships) for a period of time;
o Removal from a particular course or exercise, and associated academic consequences;
o Written reprimand, suspension or expulsion in accordance with policies and procedures of the UW System.