SVPCA Code of Conduct

The SVPCA and SPPC meetings welcome all those who are interested in vertebrate palaeontology, comparative anatomy, and care of fossil collections. Symposium organisers and the steering group are committed to maintaining a meeting environment that encourages the free expression and exchange of scientific ideas through open and respectful dialogues at oral and poster presentations, workshops, fieldtrips, and associated social events. Diversity in all its forms is celebrated and meeting attendees are expected to be respectful and considerate of fellow attendees, meeting organisers, and facility staff.

Behavioural expectations

Throughout the meeting and associated events, attendees are expected to behave in a courteous, collegial, and respectful manner to each other, volunteers, exhibitors, and facility staff. Attendees should respect common sense rules for professional and personal interactions, public behaviour (including behaviour in public electronic communications), common courtesy, respect for private property, and respect for the intellectual property of presenters. Demeaning, abusive, discriminatory, harassing, or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated, in either personal or electronic interactions.

Social media and digital images

At the time of the meeting, open discussion on social media and other outlets is encouraged. While the default assumption is to allow discussion of presentations on social media, attendees are asked to respect any request by an author to not disseminate the contents of their talk or poster. Authors should use the icons available on the Palaeontological Association website to clearly express when content from their talks/posters should not be recorded, photographed, or posted online.

Complaints procedure

Any attendee who believes that an incident of scientific or ethical misconduct has taken place, or who experiences/witnesses any form of harassment is encouraged to contact a member of the organisational commitee or the Steering Group. Reports of such incidents will treated in the strictest confidence and will be investigated by the Symposium organiser with support from the Steering Group and, if a complaint is upheld, appropriate action will be taken. This action may include, in the most severe cases, the banning of individuals found to have behaved inappropriately from presenting at or attending SVPCA and SPPC meetings in the future.