Code of Conduct:

The Global Amphibian and Reptile Disease (GARD) Conference embraces diversity and inclusivity and believes that all event participants deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and kindness. The GARD Conference organizers will not tolerate discrimination against anyone of any form, including discrimination based on age, cultural background, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, national origin, physical or mental difference, political affiliation, pregnancy or parental role, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socio-economic circumstance. The GARD Conference is committed to proactively promoting a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusivity through implementation of our standing rules, committee work, and by identifying and tackling barriers to participation of its members.

Expectations:

Event participants are expected to:

• Treat everyone with respect, dignity, and equity,
• Uphold the highest standards of scientific integrity and professional behavior,
• Respect the rules, property, and policies of the event venue, and
• Adhere to federal and local laws during the GARD Conference, field trips and other events.

Unacceptable behavior includes:

• Harassment or discrimination in any form (see definitions below),
• Physical or verbal abuse,
• Personal attacks directed toward others,
• Disruption of oral or poster sessions, including lines of questioning that are demeaning or are intended as personal attacks toward the presenter, and
• Oral or poster presentations that promote illegal behavior or scientific misconduct, or
• that include subject matter that is likely to be perceived as offensive or discriminatory.

For the purposes of this code of conduct, harassment and discrimination are defined as follows:

• Harassment is improper conduct by an individual that is offensive to others, and that the individual knew, or ought reasonably to have known, would cause offense or harm. Harassment may be based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, language, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, disability, or pardoned conviction. Harassment includes objectionable act(s), comment(s) or display(s) that demean, belittle, or cause personal humiliation or embarrassment, and any act of intimidation or threat. Harassment includes improper conduct towards any individual, even if the improper conduct is not based on discrimination (definition below). Generally, harassment is a behavior that persists over time, but serious one-time incidents can also sometimes be considered harassment.
• Discrimination is the act of treating people differently, negatively, or adversely based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, language, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, disability or pardoned conviction.

Reporting

• If an individual experiences or witnesses unacceptable behavior, they should inform one of the host organizers in person or by e-mail or phone (Matt Gray, +18653850772, mgray11@utk.edu; Deb Miller, +18658067598, dmille42@utk.edu; Mark Wilber, 505-321-5381, mwilber@utk.edu), provided the complainant or witness feels safe and comfortable doing so.

Procedures:

• It is recommended that the details of an incident be documented as soon as possible,

especially if immediate reporting is not possible.

• Anyone witnessing a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or any other immediate

or serious threat should report the situation to event security or local police (non-emergency contact for Knoxville Police Department: 865-215-7450), and then notify one of the host organizers listed above.

• All complaints will be treated seriously and responded to promptly. Confidentiality will be "maintained to the extent that it does not compromise the rights of those involved, or to the extent allowed by law.

Enforcement and Compliance

The GARD Conference is responsible for upholding and enforcing this code of conduct and may take any action deemed necessary and appropriate to do so, including but not limited to:

• Requesting that an individual cease behavior that is deemed unacceptable,
• Removing an individual from an event without refund,
• Prohibiting an individual from participating in future conference business, events or communications,
• Contacting law enforcement, if necessary.
• Anyone requested to end unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.

(Adapted from Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution and the Canadian Herpetological Society)

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT, CONTACT MATT GRAY, MGRAY11@UTK.EDU