Download the entire Code of Conduct.
North American Regional Science Council
Code of Conduct
I. Background and Purpose
The North American Regional Science Council (NARSC) promotes the scholarly exchange of ideas and knowledge that apply to urban and regional phenomena in North America and across the globe. The association fosters exchange across academic disciplines and builds on the understanding that urban and regional issues are best addressed by utilizing tools, methods, and theoretical frameworks specifically designed for regional analysis, as well as concepts, procedures, and analytical techniques of the various social and other sciences. The association organizes an annual national conference that provides a forum for interaction and discussion and sponsors scholarly regional science journals for the dissemination of research and ideas. NARSC is an
objective, scientific body without political, social, financial, or nationalistic bias.
NARSC is committed to creating a welcoming environment where everyone can fully participate, regardless of any accessibility challenges they may face. Our goal is to host an inclusive conference that accommodates the needs of all individuals, including those with disabilities, allergies, or other specific requirements.
NARSC recognizes that building this environment requires proactive engagement from attendees. To help achieve NARSC’s mission, attendees are expected to interact in ways that demonstrate appropriate professional conduct, as defined in Section II.
All participants in NARSC events are responsible for adhering to the Code of Conduct.
NARSC event participants will be required to acknowledge their familiarity with the Code
of Conduct and to abide by its stipulations and sanctions.
II. Appropriate and Inappropriate Conduct and Behavior / Definition of
Inappropriate Conduct
Inappropriate conduct may include, but is not limited to, bullying, slurs, epithets, name-calling, deadnaming, physical assaults or threats, unwanted touching or persistent unwanted attention or invasion of personal space, inappropriate jokes, repeated, deliberate and inflammatory discussions of divisive issues such as religion, sex, politics, culture, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, and insults and put-downs.
Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is engaged in without clear affirmative consent.
These actions are prohibited both when they are directed at specific individuals and groups or when they create a hostile environment. All NARSC event participants agree not to engage in inappropriate conduct.
III. Reporting, Process, and Resolution
Reports of a potential code violation must be made to the Executive Director, or in the case of a potential conflict of interest to either the NARSC President or Chair. The NARSC Executive Director (or President or Chair) will receive the report and will notify the NARSC Executive Committee. The Executive Committee (excluding any persons with a perceived conflict of interest) will then determine if the matter needs to be referred to an ad hoc committee. The process for forming the ad hoc committee, the committee’s investigative responsibilities, potential sanctions, and appeals process is outlined in the Code of Conduct Committee Process Manual.
In situations in which risk of physical or emotional injury is probable, the Executive Director is empowered to take immediate and appropriate action.
If it is found that a violation has occurred, the Executive Committee will determine appropriate sanctions. The ad hoc Code of Conduct Committee Chair will provide a report and recommendation to the Executive Committee, who will then inform both parties of the findings and sanctions in writing.
IV. Policy Review
The Community Engagement Committee will review and propose any changes to the Code of Conduct policy and process manual every three years, starting upon approval of the NARSC Council.
V. Prohibition of Retaliation
Retaliating against a NARSC event participant who reports a violation of the Code of Conduct is itself a violation of the Code of Conduct.
Appendix:
Ad Hoc Code of Conduct Committee
Process Manual
A. Code of Conduct Committee
Upon approval of this Code by the NARSC Council, the NARSC Executive Council is empowered to form an ad hoc Code of Conduct Committee (CCC) in response to a report of a Code of Conduct violation. The CCC shall consist of five persons, generally including the Executive Director, President, Chair, who will then choose two at-large members with the understanding that the committee should reflect the diversity of NARSC event participants.
Members of this committee are required to disclose any conflicts of interest in particular activities undertaken. Members of this committee will recuse themselves if (a) they face any conflicts of interest in a particular investigation and (b) if they were witnesses to the act or acts that led to the complaint. In the case of a perceived conflict of interest with any of committee members, that person will be excluded from the committee and the remaining persons will choose the additional members such that the ad-hoc committee
has 5 members.
The CCC will elect a CCC Chair from the 5 persons listed above.
The Committee will receive reports from the Executive Council.
With council approval, NARSC may engage an external consultant, who is not a NARSC conference participant and is selected and approved by the CCC, if the CCC deems an outside party is necessary for investigation and deliberation. This consultant will have experience responding to and investigating inappropriate conduct claims within organizations.
NARSC may refer the situation to the employer of the parties, if appropriate or required by policy.
B. Confidentiality, Reporting, Process, and Resolution
NARSC recognizes the rights of both the complainant and the accused. Further, NARSC recognizes that an allegation of misconduct does not constitute proof of misconduct and that an allegation does have the potential to damage professional credibility. For that reason, NARSC representatives, the accused, and the complainant must maintain confidentiality during any pending proceedings or investigations. Neither the complainant nor the accused party is prohibited from discussing with others the events that gave rise to the complaint, however.
This process is intended to determine whether a violation of the Code of Conduct Policy has occurred and if so, to decide on appropriate sanctions. The decision to begin a formal investigation and report will be made in consultation with the person making the complaint.
a. Reporting
Reports of a potential code violation must be made to the Executive Director. The NARSC Executive Director (President or Chair should there be a conflict of interest) will receive the report and will notify the NARSC Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will then determine if the matter needs to be referred to an ad hoc committee.
In situations where risk of physical or emotional injury is probable, the Executive Director is empowered to take immediate and reasonable action until a formal investigation is conducted.
To qualify for Executive Committee consideration, the incident(s) must meet the following conditions:
● the alleged incident must have occurred after the Code of Conduct was enacted;
● the complainant’s initial report must be made within 60 days of the incident or its discovery, although exceptions may be made;
● The incident must have occurred at a NARSC event, since NARSC is not a membership organization.
Individuals who believe they have experienced a violation of the Code of Conduct will have the following options, though they need not decide which set of actions to pursue in advance:
● Request a confidential consultation with the Executive Director or member of the NARSC Executive Council. This involves seeking resources, information about reporting and resolution options, and requesting support. All reports of this nature will be held confidential to the extent allowed by law or employer policy.
● Make a confidential inquiry to the Executive Director or member of the NARSC Executive Committee. This involves requesting screening or review of the complaint and soliciting recommendations for resolution (e.g., through a mediated meeting). This would also provide the complainant with the option, but not the obligation, to file a formal report.
● Make a formal report to the Executive Director or member of the NARSC Executive Committee. This involves requesting an investigation or fact-finding inquiry, and accessing recourse, including possible sanction of the accused. All formal reports will result in a formal investigation by the CCC unless the report is withdrawn by the person alleging the code violation. While confidentiality will be a priority in investigations of formal reports, it is not possible to guarantee the confidentiality of the complainant from others involved in the proceeding.
b. Investigation
In the case of a formal report, the CCC will determine whether the reported incident(s) (a) occurred and (b) represent(s) a violation of the Code of Conduct. This decision will be based foremost on the standard of proof of preponderance of evidence.
All NARSC event participants—including those accused of violating the Code of Conduct—are expected to cooperate with any of the investigations. If the accused refuses to participate in or attempts to obstruct the investigation, this action itself may, at
the CCC’s judgment, be considered in the body of evidence used to decide (a) and (b) in the paragraph above
Formal reports containing the details noted above will be investigated by the CCC and, if necessary, an external consultant. The accused party will be notified of the charges and given an opportunity to respond. The accused may submit a written response to the complaint within 30 days after the date of the Executive Director’s notification. The response should be submitted to the Executive Director. The Executive Director will forward the response to the CCC.
Each party’s statement will be shared with the other. Both parties may provide contact information for individuals to serve as witnesses/references.
c. Sanctions
If the CCC finds that a violation has occurred, the CCC will provide a report and recommendations to the NARSC Executive Committee, which will determine appropriate sanctions. The NARSC Chair will inform both parties of the findings and sanctions in writing.
Based on a finding of inappropriate conduct, potential sanctions may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
● removing the party from a meeting or event without further advance notice or refund
● prohibiting participation in future NARSC events
● removal from current leadership positions
● barring future conference attendance or future leadership positions
● rescinding awards; and/or
● reporting to the appropriate legal authority
In determining sanctions, the CCC may consider many factors, including:
● The severity of the violations
● The context of the conduct
● The extent to which the conduct caused professional or personal harm to the person alleging the code violation
● The extent to which the conduct had the effect of damaging the reputation of NARSC
● Whether the person found in violation of the Code has a history of other complaints filed against them
● Other factors that the CCC deems appropriate
d. Appeal
Either party may appeal the findings of the investigation within 30 days of receiving the report. Appeals will be made to the Immediate Past-Chair of NARSC, i.e., the person who was Chair the year before the person who chaired NARSC during the investigation. The Immediate Past-Chair of NARSC will form an appeal committee, consisting of the Immediate Past-Chair of NARSC and two additional volunteers not on the CCC. Grounds for appeal include a claim of procedural error, substantive or significant new evidence that was not previously available, evidence of the use of impermissible criteria, or objective evidence of bias in the fact-finding and decision process. If the Immediate Past-Chair of NARSC is involved or needs to recuse him/herself then the appeal will be heard by a committee convened by the prior past Chair of NARSC, i.e., the person who was president the year before the past Chair.