Codesmith events

Code of Conduct

Policies to create a safe environment at Codesmith.

Introduction

Codesmith community events are structured to encourage professional standards of behavior. We expect attendees to be accountable to the Codesmith team, students, event facilitators, and peers to ensure a safe and respectful environment. Any conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting is in violation of our policy.

This document enumerates guidelines and examples for acceptable and unacceptable behavior at Codesmith events and applies to any and all interactions between attendees, students, contractors, and Codesmith team members at both official and unofficial Codesmith gatherings, in-person and remote. This includes but is not limited to classes, happy hours, peer coding projects, social media, online forums, and Zoom calls.

The Pledge: Commitment to a Safe Workplace

In the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, we pledge to make participation in our community a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

At Codesmith we are committed to maintaining a safe workplace for all. Event attendees are expected to follow our no tolerance harassment policy. Everyone at Codesmith has a responsibility to prevent and stop harassment - we expect every single attendee and team member to contribute to an inclusive and collaborative working environment and respect each other at all times.

Types of Harassment

The following are considered forms of harassment and will not be tolerated by Codesmith:

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is considered unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment encompasses a wide range of conduct. Examples of misconduct include, but may not be limited to, the following actions:

  1. Physical assaults or the attempt to commit an assault of a sexual nature. This physical conduct can include any touching, pinching, patting, grabbing, brushing against or poking another team member's body. An example would be an unnecessary or unwelcome massage of the shoulders, non-consensual hugs, or hanging around or blocking someone's body.
  2. Unwelcome sexual advances, propositions or other sexual comments, such as sexually oriented gestures, noises, remarks, jokes, or comments about a person's sexuality or sexual experience.
  3. Preferential treatment or promises of preferential treatment to a team member or student for submitting to sexual conduct, including soliciting or attempting to solicit any team member or student to engage in sexual activity for compensation or reward.
  4. Subjecting, or threats of subjecting a team member or student to unwelcome sexual attention or conduct. This includes comments on someone's physical appearance including choice of clothing or non-consensual flirting.
  5. Creating displays, communications, or publications that include content of a sexually offensive nature. This can include but is not limited to, inappropriate jokes, Memes, and GIFs.
  6. Purposely misgendering people, such as consistently referring to someone as 'he' after repeated requests to use 'she' or vice versa.

Sexual harassment is considered a form of misconduct and sanctions will be enforced against individuals engaging in sexual harassment per our enforcement policies.

Discrimination

Any form of discrimination towards an individual is strictly prohibited. Types of discrimination include:

  • Age
  • Mental and Physical Disability
  • Race; including color, nationality, ethnicity, immigration status or national origin
  • Political beliefs
  • Religious belief or lack of religious belief
  • Life expectancy
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation
  • Gender identity and expression
  • Physical appearance

Bullying / Violence

Codesmith does not tolerate violent acts or threats of violence both physical or verbal. The company will not tolerate fighting, bullying, coercion, or use of abusive or threatening words directed to, about, or against any attendee or team members. No individual should commit or threaten to commit any violent act or discuss committing such offenses, even in a joking manner.

Drug and Alcohol Policy

Codesmith prohibits the use, impairment, influence, abuse, possession, sale, purchase, distribution, and manufacture of illicit drugs while involved in Codesmith activities, on Company premises, and while attending Codesmith events, both in-person and remote. As used in this policy, "illicit drugs" means:

  • All drugs made illegal by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws.
  • All controlled substances as defined by the federal Controlled Substances Act and corresponding state laws, when used (a) without a prescription from an appropriate healthcare provider, and/or (b) for purposes or in amounts inconsistent with the instructions provided by the healthcare provider.
  • Any drug purchasable without a prescription (e.g., over-the-counter) when used for purposes or in amounts inconsistent with the instructions provided by the manufacturer and/or the healthcare provider.

Additionally, on-campus smoking of any kind is not allowed indoors (Medical marijuana and cigarettes, including e-cigarettes, are allowed outdoors only).

When consuming alcohol at Codesmith events, students are expected to conduct themselves responsibly and should limit their intake such that they remain able to respect the Code of Conduct and expectations of behavior set forth by this document. We encourage students to limit themselves to a two-drink maximum in order to ensure a safe and respectful environment.

Acceptable and Unacceptable Behaviors

Below are additional best practices to consider when engaging in the Codesmith community:

Acceptable Behaviors: Communication

  • Using welcoming and inclusive language.
  • Using emojis only in a positive context when communicating in writing.
  • Rereading written correspondence to ensure that the right message will be conveyed before sending the correspondence.

Unacceptable Behaviors: Communication

  • Offensive, abusive or disturbing language both verbal and in writing.
  • The usage of sexualized language or imagery and unwelcome sexual attention or advances.
  • Use of an aggressive or passive-aggressive tone that results in an uncomfortable work environment for others.
  • Use of offensive GIFs, memes, or emojis.
  • Tone policing: Responding to the emotion behind a comment instead of the content. (i.e. telling someone to calm down instead of addressing their concerns)
  • Any posts and/or content made with the intention of selling a product or service. (i.e. advertisements or solicitations)

Acceptable Behaviors: Diversity and Inclusion

  • Being respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences.
  • Referring to people by their preferred pronouns and using gender-neutral pronouns when uncertain.
  • Gracefully accepting objective, constructive criticism.
  • Seeking mutual understanding and embracing the most respectful interpretation.

Unacceptable Behaviors: Diversity and Inclusion

  • Treating others adversely based on areas identified in our anti-discrimination policy.
  • Insulting, defamatory, or derogatory comments, public or private harassment, and hate speech.
  • Microaggressions: Subtle and sometimes unconscious ways in which verbal and non-verbal language convey bias against a group of people. (i.e. being told to "man up").

Community Participation Guidelines

In addition to the behavioral expectations laid out in this Code of Conduct, attendees are also expected to meet minimum academic expectations while attending workshops. The following are considered to be the minimum requirements to remain in our workshops and events. Other requirements may also apply. Minimum Academic Requirements include:

  1. Pairing with a partner for a designated time or communicating clearly the inability to fully participate in pairing.
  2. Adhering to the Codesmith Code of Conduct, as stated above, and following all policies and procedures.
  3. Refraining from inappropriate behavior during lectures: sleeping, talking over the instructor, distracting cell phone usage, disruptive behavior, disengagement.
  4. Behaving in a manner that is not detrimental to the academic success of your classmates and of the ongoing constructive culture of the Codesmith community.

Additional Violations

The following items are also in direct violation of our code of conduct and may result in immediate dismissal:

  1. Bringing weapons of any kind onto the campus, including school parking.
  2. Publishing other's private information, such as a physical or electronic address, without explicit permission.
  3. Accessing the roof of the school buildings (Roof Access: Residents are not permitted to go on the roof).
  4. Leaving unattended personal items such as backpacks or bookbags anywhere on school property.
  5. Bringing dogs onto campus without prior approval from the Codesmith team. If the dog misbehaves Codesmith reserves the right to not allow the dog back.
  6. Any other conduct that could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting.

Process for Reporting an Incident

If you feel negatively impacted by a situation at Codesmith, or witness something that seems like it isn't aligned with this code, it is important to raise your concerns in a constructive way. We prefer that everyone involved can openly and honestly discuss incidents without fear and use them as learning experiences for the future.

Depending on your comfort level and severity of the incident, there are a few options you have to start this conversation. The following scenarios aim to outline common methods in which a situation can be reported and investigated.

Once the situation is investigated the alleged person in question may be subject to our Official Escalation process for Code of Conduct violations.

  1. Attendee directly confronts person in question

    * The goal of this conversation is to give feedback. It is important for both sides to refrain from being defensive and/or placing blame but instead focus on ways to do better in the future.

  2. Attendee reports a situation to event/workshop facilitator

Escalation Process for Violations

  1. Verbal or written warning
  2. Dismissal from the event & asked not to return for future events

    * The team reserves the right to bypass a warning and move immediately to dismissal if needed. ** Please be aware that any violations will be noted as you apply to enroll in Codesmith programs.

Permission to Use Likeness

Codesmith, at its discretion, may record audio and video from the community event. Codesmith may use these recordings in various ways, including, but not limited to, for promotional and educational purposes, at its sole discretion.

By actively participating in this community event, such as by displaying your name and/or likeness through pictures or video, or by speaking, typing, or otherwise participating during the community event, you grant to Codesmith the right to film video and record audio of you and your interactions in connection with the event. You further grant Codesmith an unrestricted right and permission to copyright and/or use, and/or publish these recordings, and the contents of the recordings, in which you may appear, in whole or in part, in any form or reproductions thereof, in any media for advertising or any other lawful purpose.

You relinquish any right you may have to examine or approve the finished product or products or the use for which such finished product may be applied. You waive any ownership and publication right you may be entitled of in connection with the recordings, and you release Codesmith and all other persons/entities involved in the community event from any and all claims and causes of action for any violation of any personal and proprietary right you may have in connection with the recording, including without limitation, any claims or causes of action with respect to invasion of privacy, trespass, right to publicity, and defamation, including any claims related to the negligence of Codesmith.

If you do not agree to the above, please do not actively participate in the community event.