Code of Conduct

Dijkstra Code of Conduct 1.0

The heart of Dijkstra is its students.. We put the students first and do our best to recognize, appreciate and respect the diversity of our global contributors.

The Dijkstra project welcomes contributions from everyone who shares our goals and wants to contribute in a healthy and constructive manner within our community. As such, we have adopted this code of conduct and require all those who participate to agree and adhere to these Community Participation Guidelines in order to help us create a safe and positive community experience for all.

These guidelines aim to support a community where all people should feel safe to participate, introduce new ideas and inspire others, regardless of:

Background
Family status
Gender
Gender identity or expression
Marital status
Sex
Sexual orientation
Native language
Age
Ability
Race and/or ethnicity
Caste
National origin
Socioeconomic status
Religion
Geographic location
Any other dimension of diversity

Openness, collaboration and participation are core aspects of our work — from from development within Dijkstra to collaboratively designing curriculum. We gain strength from diversity and actively seek participation from those who enhance it.

These guidelines exist to enable diverse individuals and groups to interact and collaborate to mutual advantage. This document outlines both expected and prohibited behavior.

Expected Behaviour

Being respectful

Value each other’s ideas, styles and viewpoints.
We may not always agree, but disagreement is no excuse for poor manners.
Be open to different possibilities and to being wrong.
Be respectful in all interactions and communications, especially when debating the merits of different options.
Be aware of your impact and how intense interactions may be affecting people.
Be direct, constructive and positive.
Take responsibility for your impact and your mistakes.
If someone says they have been harmed through your words or actions:
- Listen carefully.
- Apologize sincerely.
- Correct the behavior going forward.

Be inclusive

Seek diverse perspectives.
Diversity of views and of people on teams powers innovation, even if it is not always comfortable.
Encourage all voices.
Help new perspectives be heard and listen actively.
If you find yourself dominating a discussion:
- Step back.
- Encourage other voices to join in.
Be aware of how much time is taken up by dominant members of the group.
Provide alternative ways to contribute or participate when possible.

Be inclusive of all members in an interaction, respecting and facilitating people’s participation regardless of whether they are:

Remote (on video or phone)
Not native language speakers
Coming from a different culture
Living in a different time zone
Facing other challenges to participate

Think about how you might facilitate alternative ways to contribute or participate. If you find yourself dominating a discussion, step back. Make way for other voices and listen actively to them.

Be direct but professional

We are likely to have some discussions about if and when criticism is respectful and when it’s not.

We must be able to speak directly when we disagree and when we think we need to improve.
We cannot withhold hard truths.
Doing so respectfully is hard.
Doing so when others don’t seem to be listening is harder.
Hearing such comments when one is the recipient can be even harder still.
We need to be honest and direct, as well as respectful.

Lead by example

By matching your actions with your words, you become a person others want to follow.
Your actions influence others to behave and respond in ways that are valuable and appropriate for our organizational outcomes.
Design your community and your work for inclusion.
Hold yourself and others accountable for inclusive behaviors.
Make decisions based on the highest good for the Dijkstra project.

Behaviour that will not be entertained

Violence and threats of violence

Violence and threats of violence are not acceptable — online or offline.

This includes:

Incitement of violence toward any individual, including encouraging a person to commit self-harm.
Posting or threatening to post other people’s personally identifying information (“doxxing”) online.

Personal attacks

Conflicts will inevitably arise, but frustration should never turn into a personal attack.

It is not okay to insult, demean or belittle others.
Attacking someone for their opinions, beliefs and ideas is not acceptable.
It is important to speak directly when we disagree and when we think we need to improve, but such discussions must be conducted respectfully and professionally, remaining focused on the issue at hand.

Unwelcome sexual attention

Unwelcome sexual attention or unwelcome physical contact is not acceptable.

This includes:

Sexualized comments, jokes or imagery in interactions, communications or presentation materials.
Inappropriate touching, groping, or sexual advances.
Touching a person without permission, including sensitive areas such as:
- Their hair
- Pregnant stomach
- Mobility device (wheelchair, scooter, etc)
- Tattoos
Physically blocking or intimidating another person.
Physical contact or simulated physical contact (such as emojis like “kiss”) without affirmative consent.
The sharing or distribution of sexualized images or text.

Derogatory language

Hurtful or harmful language related to the following is not acceptable:

Background
Family status
Gender
Gender identity or expression
Marital status
Sex
Sexual orientation
Native language
Age
Ability
Race and/or ethnicity
Caste
National origin
Socioeconomic status
Religion
Geographic location
Other attributes

This includes:

Deliberately referring to someone by a gender that they do not identify with.
Questioning the legitimacy of an individual’s gender identity.

If you’re unsure if a word is derogatory, don’t use it.

This also includes repeated subtle and/or indirect discrimination; when asked to stop, stop the behavior in question.

Disruptive behaviour

Sustained disruption of events, forums, or meetings, including talks and presentations, will not be tolerated.

This includes:

“Talking over” or “heckling” speakers.
Drinking alcohol to excess or using recreational drugs to excess, or pushing others to do so.
Making derogatory comments about those who abstain from alcohol or other substances, pushing people to drink, talking about their abstinence or preferences to others, or pressuring them to drink — physically or through jeering.
Otherwise influencing crowd actions that cause hostility in the session.

Consequences of unacceptable behaviour

Bad behavior from any member of Dijkstra, including those with decision-making authority, will not be tolerated.
Reports of harassment/discrimination will be promptly and thoroughly investigated by the people responsible for the safety of the space, event or activity.
Appropriate measures will be taken to address the situation.
Anyone being asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.
Violation of these guidelines can result in anyone being asked to leave an event or online space:
- Temporarily, or
- For the duration of the event, or
- Being banned from participation in spaces, or future events and activities in perpetuity.
Dijkstra members in violation of these guidelines may be subject to further consequences, such as disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
For contractors or vendors, violation of these guidelines may affect continuation or renewal of contract.
Participants who abuse the reporting process will be considered to be in violation of these guidelines and subject to the same consequences.
False reporting, especially to retaliate or exclude, will not be accepted or tolerated.

Reporting

If you believe you’re experiencing unacceptable behavior that will not be tolerated as outlined above, please use [mail] to report.

After receiving a concise description of your situation, they will review and determine the next steps.

In addition to conducting any investigation, they can provide a range of resources, from a private consultation to other community resources. They will involve other colleagues or outside specialists (such as legal counsel), as needed to appropriately address each situation.

Please also report to us if you observe a potentially dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of these guidelines, even if the situation is not happening to you.

If you feel you have been unfairly accused of violating these guidelines, please follow the same reporting process.