The MERITS project is an inclusive space. All contributors are welcome to participate and we value contributions from everyone regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and religion (or lack thereof). As such, we invite all participants to help create a safe, respectful, and positive environment for everyone involved.
This code of conduct outlines our expectations for participants in the MERITS community, including but not limited to Slack, Zoom, GitHub, and other communication channels. It also includes steps for reporting unacceptable behaviour. Anyone who violates this code of conduct may be banned from participating in community activities.
We ask all participants to:
- Participate in an authentic and active way. In doing so, you contribute to the health and longevity of this community.
- Exercise consideration and respect in your speech and actions. A community where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive one.
- Attempt collaboration before conflict. Disagreements, both social and technical, happen all the time. It is important that we resolve disagreements and differing views constructively.
- Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech.
- Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. Alert community leaders if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of this Code of Conduct, even if they seem inconsequential.
The following behaviours will not be tolerated in the community online, at all related events, and in one-on-one communications carried out in the context of community business:
- Intimidation or harassment of any individuals or groups, including members of the public who may also be using our project spaces. This behaviour includes:
- harmful or prejudicial verbal or written comments related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability;
- inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images (including presentation slides);
- inappropriate depictions of violence (including presentation slides);
- deliberate intimidation, stalking or following; harassing photography or recording;
- sustained disruption of talks or other events;
- inappropriate physical contact;
- unwelcome sexual attention
- Abusive, discriminatory, derogatory, or demeaning speech or actions
Unacceptable behaviour from any community member will not be tolerated. Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behaviour is expected to comply immediately.
If a community member engages in unacceptable behaviour, the project leads may take any action they deem appropriate, up to and including a temporary ban or permanent expulsion from the project and its community without warning.
If you experience or witness unacceptable behaviour, or have any other concerns, please report it by contacting the project leads: Cooper Smout / Dawn Holford / Paola Masuzzo
If you feel you have been falsely or unfairly accused of violating this Code of Conduct, you should notify one of the project leads with a concise description of your grievance.
This code of conduct is based on codes of conduct from various sources: VCMS | Berlin Code of Conduct | PDX Ruby | Open Life Science