WisLUG Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct

Members must agree to comply with the following guidelines. Failure to do so can result in warnings or revocation of membership. Membership revocation is at the discretion of LUG leadership, who will review the facts before making a determination of the appropriate action to take against a member believed to have violated the Code of Conduct. Revocation of membership requires a simple majority vote by the WisLUG Committee.

• A positive attitude should be on display when interacting with the public during display events. Members should be engaged with the audience and willing to talk about their work.
• Profane, sexual, politically controversial, or discriminatory content are not allowed in public display settings.
• The AFOL community draws from individuals with a wide range of backgrounds. Members will respect the personal views and beliefs of others, even if they may not personally agree with them.
• Discrimination, violence, or other forms of aggression towards another member or those visiting public events will not be tolerated and are grounds for being banned from the LUG.
• WisLUG frequently interacts with minor children, who are often present at both public and private events. Any individual with legal restrictions that prevent them from having unsupervised contact with minors shall be denied WisLUG membership and will be asked to leave any WisLUG events or meetings they may try to attend.

Who This Applies To

This Code of Conduct applies to WisLUG members, probationary members, teen members, guests, volunteers, event participants, and leadership when participating in WisLUG activities.

This includes WisLUG meetings, public display events, private group activities, online group spaces, planning discussions, and other settings where someone is participating as part of WisLUG.

Behavioral Expectations

WisLUG members and participants are expected to support a respectful, inclusive, welcoming, and family-friendly community.

• Treat members, guests, venue staff, exhibitors, volunteers, and the public with courtesy and respect.
• Respect people from a wide range of backgrounds, experience levels, identities, beliefs, and viewpoints.
• Use respectful language in meetings, public displays, online spaces, and group activities.
• Represent WisLUG positively when interacting with the public.
• Follow event rules, venue rules, and reasonable directions from event coordinators or WisLUG leadership.
• Bring concerns to leadership rather than escalating conflict or handling disputes through confrontation.

Prohibited Conduct

The Code of Conduct prohibits behavior that is inconsistent with a respectful, welcoming, and safe community. Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Discrimination, harassment, intimidation, bullying, threats, or abusive behavior.
• Violence, threats of violence, or other forms of aggression toward members, guests, visitors, volunteers, venue staff, or event participants.
• Profane, sexual, politically controversial, or discriminatory content in public display settings.
• Conduct that creates a hostile, unsafe, or unwelcoming environment.
• Retaliation against someone for raising a concern, making a report, participating in a review, or supporting another person who raised a concern.
• Repeated disruption of meetings, events, displays, or online discussions.
• Refusal to follow reasonable directions from WisLUG leadership, event coordinators, or venue staff.

What to Include in a Report

A report does not need to be perfect or complete. Share what you know and what you are comfortable providing. Helpful information may include:

• The date, time, and location of the concern.
• The names of the people involved, if known.
• A description of what happened.
• Whether there were witnesses.
• Whether there are screenshots, messages, photos, or other relevant information.
• Whether there is an immediate safety concern.

Review Process

When a possible Code of Conduct violation is reported, LUG leadership will review the facts before making a determination about the appropriate action. Reports will be handled as respectfully and discreetly as possible.

• Leadership may speak with the person making the report, the person whose conduct is being reported, and any relevant witnesses.
• Information may need to be shared with appropriate members of leadership so the concern can be reviewed and addressed.
• Leadership will consider the nature of the conduct, the available information, the impact on the community, and any prior concerns if applicable.
• WisLUG will make reasonable efforts to enforce the Code of Conduct consistently and fairly.
• Reports involving immediate safety concerns may require immediate action, including removal from an event or contacting venue staff or appropriate authorities.

Consequences for Violations

Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct can result in consequences. Consequences will depend on the seriousness of the behavior, the circumstances, whether the conduct is repeated, and the impact on members, guests, or the community.

• A private conversation with leadership.
• A verbal or written warning.
• A request to stop or correct the behavior.
• Removal of inappropriate public display content.
• Removal from a meeting, event, activity, online space, or public display.
• Temporary restriction from participating in meetings, events, activities, online spaces, or public displays.
• Revocation of membership.
• Being banned from future WisLUG events or activities.

Revocation of membership requires a simple majority vote by the WisLUG Committee.

No Retaliation

WisLUG prohibits retaliation against anyone who raises a concern, makes a report, participates in a review, or supports another person who raised a concern. Retaliation may itself be treated as a Code of Conduct violation.