Value Statement
SPA is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all individuals who participate in its meetings, events, and programs, based on the full range of dimensions of diversity, including but not limited to: ability, age, body size, educational status, ethnicity, family responsibilities, gender identity, gender expression, immigrant status, marital status, national origin, place of residence or business, political affiliation, race, traits historically associated with race religion, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and veteran status (“personal characteristics”).
Policy Statement
SPA events and programs are meant to allow for the collegial exchange of ideas and discussion of issues related to the SPA community. Civil discourse that includes and acknowledges a diversity of opinions and experiences is vital. SPA prohibits discrimination and harassment at any time, including during its events, programs, governance activities, and within publications and online learning communities.
All participants in SPA meetings, events, and programs are expected to:
- Be respectful
- Listen actively
- Be collaborative
- Respect diversity, including communication differences
- Respect privacy of participants
- Ask for consent for audio-visual recordings, quotes, or photography
- Act with honesty in their professional relationships and refrain from taking credit for the work of others without specific acknowledgement and authorization;
- Be aware of language diversity
- Handle disagreement constructively
- Act fairly, honestly, and in good faith with other participants
Abiding by these guidelines helps ensure that all individuals have a positive experience.
Discrimination, harassment, and efforts that harm, intimidate, or coerce people (i.e. bullying) are prohibited, as is the promoting or encouraging of such behavior in any SPA or SPA-managed meeting or activity, including the annual convention, workshops, SPA publications, and social media. Harassment also includes deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, unwelcome physical contact or sexual attention, or any other conduct that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. It is a violation of this policy to retaliate against an individual for reporting bullying, discrimination or harassment or to intentionally file a false report of bullying, discrimination, or harassment.
If you are being subjected to, or notice that someone else is being subjected to, behavior that violates this code of conduct, please contact the SPA Executive Director.
For the full policy, please visit here.
All reports are confidential.