You have two primary responsibilities:
- Promote an inclusive, collaborative learning environment.
- Take action when others do not.
Professionally, we adhere to ACM’s Code of Ethics. More broadly, a course like INSERT COURSE NAME involves reflection, collaboration, and communication. Computer science has a checkered history with respect to inclusion – in corporate environments, in our classrooms, and in the products we create. We strive to promote characteristics of transparency and inclusivity that reflect what we hope our field becomes (and not necessarily what it has been or is now).
We reject behavior that strays into harassment, no matter how mild. Harassment refers to offensive verbal or written comments in reference to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, or religion; sexual images in public spaces; deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of class meetings, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.
If you feel someone is violating these principles (for example, with a joke that could be interpreted as sexist, racist, or exclusionary), it is your responsibility to speak up! If the behavior persists, send a private email to your instructor to explain the situation. We will preserve your anonymity.
(Portions of this code of conduct are adapted from Dr. Lorena A. Barba)