Code of Professional Conduct
Adopted Apr 8, 2024
Purpose
The Alliance for Texas History (ATxH) is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all.
The ATxH is committed to maintaining an environment that allows its participants and members to flourish by encouraging respectful, inclusive, and equitable treatment of all who participate in its activities. As a statement of principle, the ATxH rejects harassment, discrimination, and retaliation by any means, based on actual or perceived sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, race, ethnicity, nationality and/or immigration status, ability, socioeconomic status, veteran status, age, or religion.
Application of the Code
The following policy pertains to all ATxH activities, including events associated with ATxH conferences and any related business or activities occurring throughout the year. It encompasses interactions in person, by telephone, and by electronic communication. The policy applies to all members and participants as well as employees, contractors, vendors, volunteers, and guests.
Informal events or activities organized by participants in conjunction with any ATxH meetings or conferences are also covered by this policy. This includes off-site gatherings for coffee, meals, or after-hours activities.
This Code will be clearly and prominently displayed on the Alliance for Texas History (ATxH) website and will be incorporated into the organization’s bylaws. Members and participants in all ATxH activities will be required to acknowledge the policy when they join or renew their membership, when registering or attending any event, and when submitting proposals for conference presentations. The Code will be reviewed annually by the Board of Directors.
Unacceptable Behaviors
The kinds of behaviors prohibited by this policy may include but are not limited to:
Any activity that demeans any individual's sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, race, ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic, immigration status, age, or religion.
Intimidating, harassing, abusive, derogatory, or demeaning speech or actions by any participant in an officially sanctioned ATxH activity.
Discriminatory remarks or actions.
Prejudicial actions or comments that coerce others, foment broad hostility, or otherwise undermine professional equity or the principles of free academic exchange.
Intentionally misgendering someone, refusing to use a person's preferred pronouns, or making inappropriate remarks about a person's gender identity or sexual orientation.
Sustained disruption of presentations or other events, including yelling at or threatening speakers (verbally or physically).
Persistent and unwelcome solicitation of emotional or physical intimacy.
Persistent and unwelcome solicitation of emotional or physical intimacy accompanied by real or implied threat of professional harm.
Unwelcome touching or sexual advances.
Physical assault.
Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following.
Harassing photography or recording without permission
Real or implied threat of physical harm.
Retaliation against any person who makes a complaint, or against any witnesses to prohibited behavior.
Sexual harassment does not refer to occasional compliments of a socially acceptable nature or consensual personal and social relationships without discriminatory effect. It refers to behavior that reasonably situated persons would regard as not welcome and as personally intimidating, hostile, or offensive.
Reporting Violations of the Policy
If you witness or experience any unacceptable behavior, as described above, during an ATxH activity please report the incident to any member of the ATxH Board of Directors, any ATxH staff, or board-appointed committee member. If you witness potential harm to a participant, be diplomatically proactive in helping to mitigate or avoid that harm. If you see a situation in which someone might be in imminent physical danger, please alert any venue staff, security personnel, or law enforcement in addition to notifying a board member. No ATxH official can provide legal advice to those who make reports under this policy.
ATxH members and other conference attendees should be aware that their home institution’s policies (such as Title IX) may require the Alliance for Texas History to report allegations of sexual harassment or other forms of sexual misconduct involving people affiliated with their institution.
Actions Taken in Response to a Complaint
Upon receiving any complaint, a committee appointed by the Board of Directors will immediately implement an investigative review procedure approved by the Board of Directors. A copy of that internal review procedure is available on request and will be provided to both the complainant and the alleged offending party.
That committee will review each complaint and endeavor to respond fairly and promptly, while remaining respectful of the privacy and confidentiality of the process. Responses may range from informal resolutions agreed to by the parties, to removal of offending parties, to investigations conducted by trained external investigators at the expense of the ATxH.
The ATxH reserves the right to take interim steps during the investigative process, such as a request to the offender to desist from any offensive and unacceptable behavior, the issuance of a narrowly tailored “no contact” directive between the parties, or the immediate removal of the offending person or persons from the activity or event.
Upon completion of a review or investigation by the committee appointed to that role, a report will be made to the Board of Directors along with a recommendation for action to be taken. Names of the complainant, the offending party, and any witnesses will remain confidential to the members of the investigative committee except when necessary to communicate to the ATxH Executive Committee, any members of law enforcement, legal counsel, or to the offending party’s home institution.
Tracking of Allegations and Outcomes
The ATxH will securely and confidentially record allegations and decisions with access limited to the use of the Executive Committee. The record will include the allegations and relevant reports and decisions. Reports will be maintained for up to ten years to help address the issue of repeat offenders. The appointed investigative committee will compile a confidential summary report of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct cases to be made available to the ATxH Executive Committee annually.