Draft status: This initial policy must be reviewed by the organizing team and aligned with the host institution's reporting and event policies before registration opens.
Our commitment
Participants, organizers, speakers, collaborators, contractors, and volunteers are expected to help create an environment where people can learn, question, disagree, and collaborate without harassment, intimidation, or exclusion.
Expected behavior
- Treat people and their expertise with respect.
- Use welcoming and inclusive language.
- Listen actively, share airtime, and make room for different forms of participation.
- Critique ideas and evidence without attacking people.
- Respect privacy, consent, attribution, confidentiality, and intellectual-property boundaries.
- Follow accessibility, safety, venue, and activity guidance.
- Accept correction and take responsibility for impact.
Unacceptable behavior
Harassment, discrimination, threats, stalking, unwanted sexual attention, deliberate intimidation, repeated disruption, doxxing, unauthorized recording, retaliation, and sharing private or confidential information without consent are not acceptable.
Project and research conduct
Participants should be transparent about data permissions, tool limitations, attribution, generated content, uncertainty, and conflicts of interest. Team members must not pressure others to disclose data, identities, experiences, or institutional information they are not authorized or comfortable sharing.
Reporting and response
A confidential reporting route, named response team, escalation process, emergency guidance, and consequences will be published before the event. Until that process is approved, general policy questions may be directed to xincwei@umich.edu; do not use ordinary email for urgent safety matters or sensitive reports.
Scope
The final policy will apply to SPARK events, online spaces, project collaboration, communications, social activities, and conduct representing the community. Host institution and venue rules may also apply.