Skip to main content

  • Code of Conduct at Academy Meetings and Events

  • The purpose of this policy is to ensure a professional, collegial and safe environment for Academy meetings/events in which Academy members, staff, and other participants treat one another with mutual respect. This policy applies to anyone present and participating in any Academy meeting or Academy-related event, including, but not limited to, attendees, members, speakers, staff, contractors, vendors, exhibitors, and guests.

    Expected Behavior

    The Academy expects all participants at Academy meetings/events to behave responsibly and professionally; to abide by this Conduct Policy; and to comply with the following:

    Treatment of others. Participants must exercise professionalism, consideration, and respect in their speech and actions, and must refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, disruptive or harassing behavior and speech.

    Safety and security. Participants should alert Academy staff if they notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress.

    Responsible consumption of alcohol. At many Academy networking events both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are served. Academy expects participants at these events who choose to drink alcoholic beverages to do so responsibly. Academy and event staff have the right to deny participants service of alcohol for any reason and may require a participant to leave the event.

    Controlled substances. Participants should not be under the influence of illegal drugs or other unauthorized or mind-altering or intoxicating substances while attending Academy events.  Included within this prohibition are lawful controlled substances that have been illegally or improperly obtained.  This policy does not prohibit the possession and proper use of lawfully prescribed drugs taken as prescribed.

    Unacceptable Behavior

    Academy will not tolerate harassment on any basis by any participant at any Academy meeting/event. Unacceptable behaviors may include, but are not limited to:

    • Unwelcome and uninvited attention or contact with another participant;
    • Verbal or written comments, or visual images, that are sexually suggestive, offensive, or that denigrate or show hostility or aversion toward an individual, or group of individuals, that create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment, or that unreasonably interfere with an individual’s ability to participate in an Academy meeting/event;
    • Slurs, threatening or negative stereotyping, intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory or demeaning speech or actions by any participant in any Academy meeting/event, and in one-on-one communications carried out in the context of any meeting or event;
    • Verbal harassment or harmful or prejudicial verbal or written comments or visual images related to gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual activities, race, ethnicity, language, religion, disability, age, appearance or other personal characteristics (“Personal Characteristics”);
    • Deliberate intimidation, following or stalking;
    • Demands for sexual favors with explicit or implied threats related to job benefits or opportunities;
    • Posting, displaying, or circulating any electronic media currently available or created in the future including any written or graphic material that demeans or shows hostility or dislike towards a person or group based on their protected status or Personal Characteristics. This includes, but is not limited to, graffiti, cartoons, websites, any social media platform, or radio or television programming;
    • Conduct by registered attendee(s) or guests at any Academy meeting/event that is unlawful, in violation of the show rules or the convention center lease terms or convention hotel(s) policies/rules, in violation of/or is antithetical to the purposes and good order of the Academy meeting/event and its operation by Academy, such as, the use of an invalid or another’s name badge, failure to pay registration fees, or misrepresentation of comments made during symposium discussions or from the podium.

    Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior

    • The Academy reserves the right to revoke, without refund, exhibition space and/or registration credentials of any attendee not in compliance with this policy.
    • The Academy reserves the right to refuse the registration of any individual, as long as such refusal is consistent with applicable law and Academy policy.
    • The Academy reserves the right to revoke, without refund, an attendee(s)’ badge and to have Security remove them from the event premises at any time without prior notice.
    • The Academy has the right to remove any individual, without refund, who has transferred a badge to another individual, as well as the recipient of such badge, in order to gain access to an Academy meeting or event and to invoice the non-paying party for the event.
    • Members found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to any disciplinary action the Academy’s Board of Trustees deems appropriate after due consideration.

    Reporting Harassment

    If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, the Academy asks that you inform Michael Stevens, the Academy’s General Counsel, at generalcounsel@aao.org or +1 415.561.8541 so that we can take the appropriate action.