Code of Conduct

The University of Virginia Library, (UVA Library) and the Fostering a Community of Practice (FCOP) project team believes in supporting an open, inclusive, and diverse community which respects the experience, expertise, and knowledge of all community members.

This belief is put into action as part of the stated values in the University of Virginia Code of Ethics , existing University policy, and the broader UVA Library strategic plan. The FCOP project team also shares the sentiments of the UVA Scholars’ Lab: that diversity and inclusion are not achievements: they are active and continuous strivings.

The UVA Library, and the FCOP project team is dedicated to providing a positive experience community for everyone, and welcomes individuals regardless of age, body size, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

To foster respectful collaborations this code of conduct applies to all of UVA Library’s FCOP project, includes, but is not limited to, in-person workshops and meeting spaces, GitHub, Gitlab, and social media platforms.

Anyone who violates this code of conduct may be sanctioned or expelled from workshops or these online spaces at the discretion of the UVA Library FCOP project team.

Our Standards

Examples of behavior that contributes to creating a positive environment include:

  • Using welcoming and inclusive language
  • Being respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences
  • Gracefully accepting constructive criticism
  • Respect and value the contributions of all members of the community, regardless of status or role
  • Focusing on what is best for the community
  • Showing empathy towards other community members

    • Examples of unacceptable behavior by participants include, but are not limited to:

  • The use of sexualized language or imagery and unwelcome sexual attention or advances
  • Public or private harassment
  • Trolling, insulting/derogatory comments, and personal or political attacks
  • Sustained disruption of discussion
  • Physical contact without consent or after a request to stop
  • Deliberate misgendering, ignoring pronouns, use of ‘dead’ or rejected names
  • Publishing others’ private information, such as a physical or electronic address, without explicit permission
  • Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting

    • Our Responsibilities

    Workshop participants are responsible for clarifying the standards of acceptable behavior and are expected to take appropriate and fair corrective action in response to any instances of unacceptable behavior.

    UVA Library and the FCOP project team have the right and responsibility to ban temporarily or permanently any workshop participants or contributors for behaviors not aligned with this Code of Conduct, or for other behaviors that they deem inappropriate, threatening, offensive, or harmful. For students, staff, and faculty that are part of the University of Virginia, the use of the Just Report It app may be an additional mechanism that is part of the Enforcement Protocol.

    Scope

    This Code of Conduct applies to our in-person workshop at the University of Virginia, as well as FCOP project spaces and in public spaces when an individual is representing the project or its community. Examples of representing a project or community include using an official project e-mail address, posting via an official social media account, or acting as an appointed representative at an online or offline event.

    Enforcement Protocol

    Participants asked, by anyone, to stop any unacceptable behavior are expected to comply immediately.

    We will follow the general enforcement and sanction guidelines outlined by the Conflict Resolution section of the CodeofConduct4Lib:

    1. Initial Incident

    If you are being subject to unacceptable behavior, notice that someone else is being subject to unacceptable behavior, or have any other concerns, and you feel comfortable speaking with the offender, please inform the offender that he/she/ze has affected you negatively. Oftentimes, the offending behavior is unintentional, and the accidental offender and offended will resolve the incident by having that initial discussion.

    2. Escalation

    If the offender insists that he/she/ze did not offend, if offender is actively engaging in unacceptable behavior toward you or others, or if direct engagement is not a good option for you at this time, then you will need a third party to step in. Instances of abusive or otherwise unacceptable behavior may be reported by contacting the project team at fcop@virginia.edu, or by notifying an FCOP project team member in person, who will be identifiable by their UVA Library nametag.

    3. Wider Community Response to the Incident

    If incident results in corrective action, the community should support the decision made by the Help in Step 2 if they choose corrective action, like ending a talk early or asking a participant to leave the venue, as well as support those harmed by the incident, either publicly or privately (whatever individuals are comfortable with).

    Workshop participants who do not follow or enforce the Code of Conduct in good faith may face temporary or permanent repercussions as determined by other members of the project’s leadership.

    Sanctions, including on the day of the workshop, can include but are not limited to:

  • warning the individual exhibiting unacceptable behavior to cease their behavior and that any further reports will result in other sanctions
  • requiring that the individual exhibiting unacceptable behavior avoid any interaction with, and physical proximity to, their victim for the remainder of the event
  • not publishing the video or slides of a talk that violated the policy
  • requiring that the individual exhibiting unacceptable behavior immediately leave the event and not return

    • Additional Resources and Contacts

    FCOP Project Team at UVa: fcop@virginia.edu

    University of Virginia Police: 434-924-7166 (non-emergency line) | For emergencies, call 9-911 from a campus phone or 911 from a cell phone

    Charlottesville Police: 434-970-3280 (non-emergency line) | Call 9-911 from a campus phone or 911 from a cell phone

    Charlottesville area crisis services: Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA) 24 hour hotline: 434-977-7273

    Charlottesville taxi options:

  • Charlottesville Transportation and Taxi: 434-466-8465
  • Yellow Cab: 434-295-4131

    • Attribution

    This Code of Conduct draws from the Contributor Covenant, version 1.4 , Code4Lib and DLF.