Conference and Online Event Policies

Updated December 2022

Code of Conduct

The Genetics Society of America Code of Conduct covers in-person conferences, online conferences, and other online events hosted by GSA. GSA conferences include keynote presentations, concurrent sessions, live poster Q&A, workshops, conference-related Slack channels, and Q&A via Zoom chat.

The GSA Conferences foster an international community of geneticists and provide an opportunity to discuss scientific advances and form new collaborations.

GSA values your attendance and wants to make your experience productive and inspiring by fostering an open exchange of ideas in a professional setting. Our Code of Conduct was established to communicate a transparent set of standards and guidelines for acceptable behavior at GSA Conferences and to provide a positive, safe, and welcoming environment for all attendees, vendors, volunteers, and staff.

All conference participants (regardless of their role) are expected to follow the Code of Conduct while attending any portion of the conference, including but not limited to keynote presentations, concurrent sessions, live poster Q&A sessions, workshops, and all conference Slack channels. Because there is also a virtual nature to the conference, our Code of Conduct extends to communications related to the meeting and its attendees, presenters, exhibitors, sponsors, staff, and vendors. These types of communications include Zoom chat, Zoom Q&A window, live poster Q&A, Slack, email, social media, and texts.

Unacceptable Behaviors

Unacceptable behaviors include, but are not limited to:

• Intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory, or demeaning speech or actions by any participant and at all related events
• Harmful or prejudicial verbal or written comments or visual images related to gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, race, religion, political orientation, socioeconomic, disability or ability status, or other personal characteristics, including those protected by law
• Inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images (including presentation slides, posters, Slack channels, or Zoom chat)
• Deliberate intimidation or stalking
• Violating the rules and regulations of the online provider, Zoom
• Sustained disruption of scientific sessions or other events
• Unwelcome and uninvited attention or contact
• Real or implied threat of physical harm
• Real or implied threat of professional or financial damage or harm
• Photographing or reproducing slides of oral presentations and posters without permission
• Recording of scientific and other sessions without permission

Taking action or making a report

To confidentially report a Code of Conduct violation or to file a complaint, including a complaint about a GSA volunteer or GSA staff member, please visit genetics-gsa.ethicspoint.com. To contact our Ethics Committee directly, please email E. Jane Hubbard, Chair, at jane.hubbard@nyulangone.org. GSA staff is available to assist participants in making a report. Please email Tracey DePellegrin, GSA Executive Director, at tracey.depellegrin@genetics-gsa.org.

Consequences of non-compliance

Anyone asked by GSA staff, Organizer, Session Chair, Workshop Leader, Moderator, Presenter, or Zoom representative to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. Retaliation toward GSA or toward someone reporting an incident or after experiencing any of the following consequences will not be tolerated and may result in additional sanctions.

The consequences of non-compliance with GSA’s Code of Conduct may include:

• Immediate removal from in-person meeting
• Immediate removal from accessing the online meeting
• Immediate removal from Slack channels and meeting app without warning
• Restrictions from future GSA meeting attendance
• Termination of GSA membership or positions on GSA Boards or Committees
• Incidents may be reported to the proper authorities

Social Media/Photo/Video Policy

Attendees are permitted to live tweet during presentations, unless the speaker explicitly opts out by stating so at the start of their talk. Taking or sharing photos, videos, or reproductions of posters is not permitted unless you have the presenter’s consent. By attending a GSA conference, you grant GSA the right to use your name and likeness for use in GSA educational, news, or promotional materials. All keynote, award, plenary, and platform sessions will be recorded and available for on-demand viewing for a limited time to registered attendees.

Posters

When you view poster materials at the conference, whether in person or via the Conference App, remember that posters are typically works in progress. Please do not cite or reproduce any part of posters without the presenter’s permission.