top of page

Code of Conduct

Table of Contents

Expectations

Unacceptable Behaviors

Affirmative Consent

Reporting Options

What Happens After a Report is Made

Potential Actions

What to Do if Someone Discloses to You

What to Do if You Have Been Sexually Assaulted, or Targeted by any Power- or Identity-Based Misconduct

What to Do if You See Something Inappropriate

Contact Information

Resources Used in the Creation of This Policy

 

Expectations

The Computational Archaeology and Seafaring Theory (CAST) workshop values the attendance, contributions, and presentations of scientists from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences and aims to create an inclusive, accessible environment that is free from discriminatory, bullying, harassing, or threatening behavior for all attendees. Everyone at the CAST workshop has the right to be free from power- and identity-based discrimination and harassment (which may be unlawful), sexual misconduct, and violence. Title IX is a federal law that gives everyone the right to equal access to education and employment in the absence of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. During your attendance at CAST you are expected to follow the law, as well as specific guidelines laid out in this Code of Conduct. You are also expected to follow the code of conduct of your home institution. Workshop attendees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that does not infringe upon the rights of others. Violations can result in sanctions. Acknowledgement and agreement to abide by the CAST Code of Conduct is required at registration for this workshop.

 

Unacceptable Behaviors

The following list of behaviors are considered violations of the CAST Code of Conduct (but is not meant to be comprehensive):

  • Sexual harassment or contact in the absence of affirmative consent violates this code of conduct. It can include any sexual act perpetrated against someone’s will or any conduct of a sexual nature without consent, including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, graphic, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, and offensive comments related to gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, physical appearance, race, ethnicity, and body size.

  • Quid pro quo sexual harassment can occur whether a person resists and suffers threatened harm, or the person submits and avoids threatened harm (i.e., submission to, or rejection of, such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a condition of an individual’s employment or standing, or is used as the basis for employment decisions or for evaluation, grades, or advancement). 

  • Sexual misconduct can interfere with or limit a person’s ability to participate in, or benefit from, the workshop by creating a hostile environment. A hostile environment can be created by persistent or pervasive conduct or by a single episode. Sexual Misconduct​ can include rape, sexual assault, inappropriate touching, sexual battery, sexual exploitation, coercion, and other forms of non-consensual sexual activity.

  • Stalking​ is repeatedly following, harassing, threatening, or intimidating including by telephone, mail, electronic communication, or social media.

  • Patterns​ of inappropriate social contact, such as requesting/assuming inappropriate levels of intimacy with others.

  • Dating and Domestic Violence​ includes emotional, verbal, and economic abuse with or without the presence of physical abuse.

  • Retaliation ​is adverse employment, academic or other actions against anyone reporting a violation of this policy (including reporting to any planning committee member, management team member, law enforcement, or Title IX office).

  • Title IX Violation​ is the collective term used for incidents involving discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or retaliation.

  • Power-based personal violence​ occurs when an individual asserts power, control, or intimidation in order to harm another.

  • Deliberately mis-characterizing a person's gender identity, including through the use of a name or pronoun that the person has rejected.

  • Gratuitous or off-topic sexual images or behavior in spaces where they're not appropriate.

  • Harassment based on gender and sexual orientation is verbal, nonverbal, graphic, or physical aggression, intimidation, or hostile conduct based on gender identity or expression, gender-stereotyping, or sexual orientation when such conduct is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it interferes with or limits a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the workshop. 

  • Abusive or intimidating behavior (power-based harassment) by individuals who hold authority over other attendees, when such conduct interferes with or limits a person’s ability to participate in, or benefit from the workshop is prohibited.

  • Harassment and discrimination against fellow attendees (in written or virtual format, or in person) on the basis of race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, medical conditions, personal appearance, HIV antibody status, genetic information, national origin, citizenship, linguistic identity and accents, ancestry, age, veteran status, military service, class and class background, source of income, familial status/responsibilities, physical or mental disability, political beliefs, arrest record/prior conviction of a crime, or membership in other protected status under state, federal, or local law.

  • Knowingly violating copyright, or copying presenter information without obtaining permission, if necessary. The content of presentations must not be shared unless permission has been granted by the author. Requests not to disseminate content must always be respected.

 

CAST 2022 requires that all potential presenters and attendees certify that they have never been the subject of a negative finding in a Title IX, Title VII, or code of conduct investigation pertaining to discriminatory conduct and are not the subject of a current or pending investigation.

​

Upon registration, all attendees must confirm the following statement: “I certify that I have never been the subject of a negative finding in a Title IX, Title VII, or code of conduct investigation pertaining to discriminatory conduct of any form. I certify that I will conduct myself in a professional manner at all times. I certify that I will not engage in any discrimination based on protected class as defined in the code of conduct”.

​

Affirmative Consent

Consent is an affirmative and willing agreement to engage in specific forms of mutually agreed upon sexual contact with another person. Consent requires an outward demonstration, through mutually understandable words or actions, indicating that an individual has freely chosen to engage in sexual contact. Consent cannot be obtained through:

​

  • the use of threat, coercion, or force, whether physical or mental; or

  • by taking advantage of the incapacitation of another individual; or

  • the absence of a “no”.

 

Silence, passivity, or the absence of resistance does not imply consent. A sleeping or unconscious person cannot give consent. It is important not to make assumptions; if confusion or ambiguity arises during a sexual interaction, it is essential that each participant stop and clarify the other’s willingness to continue.

​

Consent can be withdrawn or modified at any time. When consent is withdrawn and outwardly communicated as such, sexual activity must cease. Consent to one form of sexual activity does not imply consent to other forms of sexual activity. Prior consent does not imply current or future consent; even in the context of an ongoing relationship, consent must be sought and freely given for each instance of sexual contact.

​

An essential element of consent is that it be freely given. Freely given consent might not be present, or may not even be possible, in relationships of a sexual or intimate nature between individuals where one individual has power, supervision or authority over another. The use of alcohol or drugs does not justify or excuse sexual- or gender-based misconduct and never makes someone at fault for experiencing sexual- or gender-based misconduct.

​

Reporting Options

Individuals attending the CAST workshop have multiple reporting avenues if an instance occurs. No matter your home institution or affiliation, you can report an incident that you experienced, observed, or were told about, in the following ways (contact information listed under Important Contacts​ below):

​

  • Disclosure to any of the planning committee members

  • Disclosure to an ombudsperson at your home institution

  • Disclosure to the Stanford Title IX Office for instances that fall under their jurisdiction

  • Disclosure to the Stanford Ombudsman

  • Disclosure to law enforcement

  • Confidential reporting and support resources are listed under Important Contacts​ below.

 

A report can be informal or formal. An informal report can look like a conversation, an email, a phone call, etc. and you can disclose as much or as little information as you desire. Informal reports are a good first step and can be escalated to a formal report if the person who experienced harm desires. A formal report is necessary if you would like an investigation to occur. This report should contain details of the alleged breach(es) of the Code of Conduct (as described below) and should be submitted to the CAST workshop planning committee (castseafaring@gmail.com). For appropriate instances, a formal report would be filed with Title IX instead. If an allegation relates to someone on the planning committee, the formal report should be submitted to another member (or members) of the committee (individual emails at the bottom of this document). Please let a member of the committee know if you require any assistance with this report, we are happy to help.

 

Written reports relating to any alleged violations of the Code of Conduct can be submitted at any time after the incident has occurred or an informal report has been made. We would recommend that you do this as soon as you feel comfortable so that information can be preserved and that memories do not fade.

 

A written report should include the following information as available:

  • Names and affiliations of all parties allegedly involved, including any witnesses. If not known, then any possible identifying information should be provided.

  • A description of the alleged misconduct, including the date it occurred.

  • Any documents relevant to the alleged misconduct (e.g. written or digital correspondence).

  • A statement explaining any conflicts of interest between the parties involved and/or with any committee members. Declaring a conflict of interest will not affect the investigation.

 

A report can also be made anonymously (e.g., through a friend or colleague). 

  • An anonymous report means that the complainant’s name is not recorded anywhere and may not even be known by the planning committee

  • A confidential report means that the committee and anyone else involved in the situation will do their best to protect the identities of all parties but cannot guarantee anonymity; e.g., someone accused of inappropriate behavior may already know or may infer the identity of an accuser, or an incident may have happened in a public space

 

What Happens After a Report is Made

Reporting to any of the listed options above can result in disclosure to the CAST workshop planning committee who will work with the individual who was harmed to determine next steps. 

​

Title IX Incidents

If the incident is a Title IX violation, the planning committee and the Stanford Title IX office will work together alongside the individual who was harmed to determine a course of action. In the case that a CAST planning committee member is the person who has caused harm, they would not be included in the determination of recourse. It is important to note that all Stanford staff and employees are "responsible employees." This means they are required to report anything they experience, see, or hear about to Stanford's Title IX office, even if it is between non-Stanford affiliates. The next step in the Title IX process is that an employee from their office will conduct outreach to the target of the inappropriate behavior, which includes providing resources for support. They will then ask this individual if they want the office to move forward with an investigation. The person who experienced harm is in control of the process at this point. If they do not want an investigation to move forward, it will not. The only way that an investigation will move forward without the support of the targeted individual is if:

  1. The incident was part of a larger pattern at Stanford (one example is if multiple individuals reported the same person for comments that constituted sexual harassment or discrimination);

  2. The accused individual has a history of violence, sexual violence, arrest, or the incident was committed by multiple perpetrators;

  3. The incident was perpetrated with a weapon, included physical violence (such as hitting, restraint, pushing, or kicking), or the threat of violence;

  4. The affected individual is a minor;

In the event of an investigation, if the individual causing harm is from an institution other than Stanford, the Stanford Title IX office may coordinate with the Title IX office at the individual's home institution. Stanford is a grantee institution of the National Science Foundation (NSF). As such, information about any findings of sexual or other type of harassment and actions taken by Stanford will be provided to the NSF. See NSF Important Notice No. 144 (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/issuances/in144.jsp) for additional information.

​

The targeted individual will always be included and informed of the results of their disclosure, any action that is taken, and the results of an investigation.

​

Confidentiality in Title IX Incidents

From the Stanford Title IX FAQ:
“If a Complainant requests to remain confidential, the University will give serious consideration to that request. Only in rare circumstances will the University proceed to a Title IX investigation against the wishes of the Complainant. Generally, the University will seek to honor the request of the Complainant not to proceed to a Title IX investigation and to remain confidential and will not proceed to a formal Title IX investigation without the consent of the Complainant. The Title IX Coordinator will consider a number of factors in deciding whether the request can be honored, including the age of the Complainant, whether there is evidence of a pattern of misconduct, the severity of the misconduct, and whether there is a safety risk to the Complainant or the Stanford community. Should the University, in weighing such factors, determine it must proceed, the University will explain its rationale to the Complainant and make sure that the Complainant is offered a support person throughout the process. The Complainant will not be required to participate in the process as a prerequisite to the University proceeding.”

 

We note here that Stanford faculty members, supervisors, and managers are mandatory reporters under Title IX. Mandatory Reporters must report information to the Title IX Office as soon as they become aware of alleged discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex or gender. 

​

Non-Title IX Incidents

If the incident reported does not fall under the Stanford Title IX jurisdiction and an investigation is desired, a formal report can be submitted to the CAST planning committee chairs as described above. 

​

A group of 2 - 5 members of the CAST planning committee will review the allegation. A committee member with conflicts of interest will not be part of this group. The group will determine whether or not there has been a breach of the code of conduct and will communicate their decision, including reasons, to the person making the allegation.

​

If the group decides that the allegation is a breach of the Code, all parties identified in the written report will be notified once the group has checked in with the person who experienced harm. The individual(s) who is/are alleged to have breached the code of conduct will be given the opportunity to respond to the allegations in writing and present any relevant documentation. If you require any assistance in preparing your response please let the planning committee know so that any reasonable adjustments can be made. The group will respond to all parties in writing, detailing a summary of their investigations, the findings of these investigations, and their recommended action. 

 

The person who makes the report has the right to stop participating in the investigation process at any time. An investigation will only be carried on if the situation is determined to be a threat to community safety. False claims made in bad faith will be deemed a breach of the code of conduct.

You may also report to the Stanford University Ombudsman to be directed to an office that deals with non-Title IX harassment and discrimination at the university.

 

Confidentiality in Non-Title IX Incidents

Details of any allegation will be treated confidentially within the investigating group unless, due to the seriousness of the complaint, it is deemed necessary to involve a third party. A copy of all written reports will be retained by one member of the investigating group. These documents will only be accessible by the investigating group and will only be used to keep track of potential repeat offenses.

​

Confidentiality is of utmost importance and will be maintained following these guidelines:

  • confidentiality is key in minimizing the potential for retaliation and damage to the reputation or career of all parties

  • anonymous reports of incidents made by third parties on behalf of a victim cannot be formally investigated or sanctioned, but they will be reported and considered in aspects of meeting planning and development of procedures for handling incidents (i.e., used in attempts to prevent such incidents from happening)

  • investigations of Code of Conduct violations cannot be anonymous to the investigating group because they require interviews and because repeat offenses must be noted, but reports and investigations will remain confidential unless:

    • disclosure of identities is legally required

    • in the judgment of the investigating group, withholding identities impedes a fair and thorough investigation (e.g., they may require help to from other planning committee members find a witness, complainant or accused person at the meeting; the specific identity of a witness, complainant or accused may be relevant to the documentation or assessment of evidence)

    • all reports will be encrypted and taken on local computers for cybersecurity purposes.

 

Potential Actions

The CAST planning committee has the ability to take immediate and long-term actions to ensure the safety of workshop attendees. Immediate action generally occurs before a formal investigation is carried out and could include changes in workshop session attendance privileges and other options up to removal from the workshop of any attendee (including CAST planning committee members). Long-term actions (e.g., barring attendance from future workshops) occur once an investigation is completed. Depending upon the finding, the CAST planning committee may choose to change the immediate action that was taken, and/or implement longer term actions and sanctions. 

​

After an incident is brought to our attention, the CAST planning committee will include the target of harm in their discussion about how to make the workshop environment safe again. Multiple options are available. For example, if the targeted individual needs support in talking with someone about inappropriate behaviors, the CAST planning committee will either directly mediate, or find resources to support the mediation of the conversation. If the targeted individual says they do not feel safe being at a workshop session with another person, then the CAST planning committee will work with them to find an acceptable arrangement. It is important for the personal and professional growth of all workshop attendees that you feel safe. If you do not feel safe and need accommodation, please let us know.

​

What to Do if Someone Discloses to You

If a friend or colleague discloses that they have been targeted by power- or identity-based misconduct, there are a number of ways in which you can support them:

  • Tell them that you believe them, that you support them, that it is not their fault, that no one deserves to be targeted by such behavior.

  • Provide them with the list of contact information and resources included in this document.

  • Ask if they want your help in finding out what their options are.

  • Ask what else you can do to help.

  • Respect their decision not to talk with you if they don't want to.

 

It is common for survivors of sexual assault or other misconduct not to initially name what happened to them as rape or abuse although they may recognize harmful behavior. Over time, as they feel safer, they may try to understand the experience through talking about it. The support of a friend can be extremely beneficial in the healing process. Remember that the well-being of the person who was harmed must be prioritized. Reporting an incident to police or others without the support or knowledge of the person who was harmed could be more traumatic than helpful. 

 

If you are Stanford staff or faculty, you are a "responsible employee" and must report to the Stanford Title IX office. As described above, this means that the office will conduct outreach to the person harmed, and then it is still their decision whether to have an investigation move forward, or not. The individual who was harmed has the right to make the decision to have an investigation move forward or not.

​

What to Do if You Have Been Sexually Assaulted, or Targeted by any Power- or Identity-Based Misconduct

We support you. You have the right to:

  • Talk to anyone about your experience;

  • To not talk to anyone about your experience (silence can make the healing process more difficult, and we encourage you to reach out to a trusted friend or one of the resources listed below);

  • Change your mind about talking to anyone about your experience at any time;

  • Report to the CAST planning committee, law enforcement, or any of the other reporting options listed above;

  • Bring someone with you to provide support during reporting or any resulting discussions;

  • To seek reasonable accommodations to minimize the impact of the experience on your CAST attendance;

  • To seek medical assistance, including medical care and a medical forensic exam.

  • To contact the resources (within the workshop, local to Stanford, or national hotlines) listed in the contact information below.

 

This is not intended to be a comprehensive list.

​

What to Do if You See Something Inappropriate

  • An effective way we can prevent harm to any member of our community is by looking out for each other. All CAST workshop attendees are expected to share in the responsibility of creating a safe environment and to act if they witness behavior that could be harmful to others. Bystander intervention training programs provide tools to help bystanders act effectively in the way that works best for them. Active bystanders​ are individuals who take the responsibility to act when they see something or hear something that makes them uncomfortable.

  • Here are some suggestions to take an active role in the safety of our community:

    • Be aware of your surroundings and social situations.

    • If a situation makes you or others uncomfortable, or it looks like someone is being targeted, recognize that this is a problem and that you can be part of the solution to help.

    • Take action to diffuse the situation while staying safe; some ideas include checking in with the targeted individual, telling the CAST planning committee what is happening, recruiting help from friends, diffusing the situation by distracting those involved.

    • If you are uncertain if there is a problem, check in with the individuals involved to see if they are okay or need help.

    • Look out for your fellow attendees, but never put yourself at risk

 

Contact Information

 

Resources used in the creation of this policy

This code of conduct was primarily written by CAST planning committee member Marisa Borreggine (mborreggine@g.harvard.edu). Sections of this policy were modeled after the University of Alaska Fairbanks Toolik Field Station Title IX policy. Additional resources and language in the development of this policy include:

 

If you have any feedback on this policy or would like to see it changed in any way, feel free to email castseafaring@gmail.com. This is intended to be a living document that should evolve as language evolves, and may have left out important information. We strive to have a comprehensive and progressive code of conduct in order to make the CAST workshop attendees feel safe!

Expectations
Unacceptable Behaviors
Affirmative Consent
Reporting Options
What Happen Next
Potential Actions
What to do1
What to do 2
What to do 3
Contact Information
Resources
bottom of page