NNIP Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy

Relationships are the foundation of the NNIP network, and we are dedicated to providing an environment for all participants that is free from discrimination and harassment, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, national origin, citizenship status, veteran status, race, age or religion. We do not tolerate discrimination against or harassment of any participants in any form in virtual or in-person settings. Participants who violate these rules may be asked to leave the event and may be banned from future network participation at the discretion of the NNIP co-directors at the Urban Institute (Urban) and the NNIP Executive Committee. 

This policy and NNIP’s code of conduct apply to all participants, whether network members or guests, at all NNIP Network activities and events, including, but not limited to:  

• In-person convenings; 
• Virtual webinars and meetings; 
• Online (digital) communications (email, Google Groups, NNIP website, social media, etc.); and  
• Social activities, virtual or in-person, convened by NNIP or adjacent to NNIP-convened events. 

Harassment includes, but is not limited to: 

• Offensive verbal or written comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, national origin, citizenship status, Veteran status, race, age, or religion; 
• Sexual images in public spaces; 
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following;  
• Harassing photography or recording individuals without their permission; 
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events; 
• Inappropriate or unwelcome physical contact; 
• Unwelcome sexual attention; 
• Inappropriate or unwelcome digital contact, including phone calls, emails, or text messages with any of the above behaviors; and  
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior. 

Enforcement 

Participants asked to stop any discriminatory or harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in discriminatory or harassing behavior, the NNIP staff at Urban retain the right to take any actions to keep the network a welcoming environment conducive to building relationships to facilitate peer learning for all participants. In enforcing this policy, Urban staff will center the safety of the person being harassed or discriminated against to reduce risk of further harm. This includes taking immediate actions such as warning or expelling the offender in the event of a serious violation from the specific event or activity, as well as expulsion from all future network activities. Urban staff may take action to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the network or making the environment hostile for any participants. We expect participants to follow these rules in all venues, virtual and in-person, and at network-related social activities.  

Warnings 

Any member of NNIP may issue a verbal warning to a participant that their behavior violates the conference's anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy (e.g., “Please stop [behavior]. It is inappropriate and is inconsistent with NNIP’s anti-harassment policy.”).  

Reporting 

If you witness or experience any discrimination or harassment, please report it to NNIP co-directors as soon as possible. Discrimination, harassment, and other code of conduct violations reduce the value of our network for everyone. You can make a report either personally or anonymously. 

Incidents that warranted a repeated verbal warning or involved any serious behaviors should definitely be reported, even if a warning was effective.  

Anonymous Report 

You can make an anonymous report to NNIP-Urban's co-directors here. We will be unable to follow up on an anonymous report with you directly, but we will investigate any allegations to the extent we can and take appropriate follow-up action. 

Personal Report 

You can make a personal report by: 

• Emailing or calling Kathy Pettit: [email protected] or 202-261-5670 or Leah Hendey: [email protected] or 202-261-5856. 
• At an in-person event, you may also pull aside NNIP’s co-directors on site. 

When taking a personal report, our staff will ensure you are safe and cannot be overheard. Once safe, we will ask you to tell us about what happened. This can be upsetting, but you have our commitment to handle the situation as respectfully as possible, and you can bring someone to support you.  

At an event, our team will be happy to help you contact hotel/venue security, local support services, provide escorts, or otherwise assist you to feel safer for the duration of the event. We value your attendance. 

Process for Investigation and Corrective Actions 

Once the relevant information has been received by the co-directors, they will investigate the allegations. An investigation will include interviewing the person reporting (if not anonymous), any witnesses, and the person accused of inappropriate behavior. The co-directors will determine the most appropriate time and setting to conduct these interviews. After reviewing the information, if the co-directors judge that it is likely discrimination or harassment occurred, they will determine appropriate actions, which may include a warning, dismissal from an event, or expulsion from the network and its activities. If the inappropriate behavior is deemed serious or threatens a person(s) immediate safety, the co-directors may take immediate action to remove the person accused of the behavior from the activity or event prior to concluding the investigation. The co-directors will aim to conduct the investigation expeditiously for the given circumstances, with a goal of conducting all interviews within a week of the incident.  

Expulsion from all network activities for serious violations of the anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy, including but not limited to: 

• Continuing to harass after any "No" or "Stop" instruction;  
• A pattern of harassing behavior, with or without warnings; or  
• A single serious intentional offense (e.g., punching or groping someone). 

In the case of expulsion from all network activities, the co-directors will share their findings from the investigation and make a recommendation to the NNIP Executive Committee, who will make the final determination by majority vote as to whether expulsion of the individual from NNIP is warranted. The co-directors would cast a vote to break a tie, if needed. In some cases, due to an individual’s position at an organization or the size of an organization, the expulsion of that individual may affect the ability of the whole organization to participate in NNIP activities. In these circumstances, the NNIP Executive Committee would also discuss whether it would be necessary to expel the organization from the network (if a member) or otherwise ban the organization from future participation in network activities.  

If expulsion is decided, the co-directors will notify the director of the NNIP partner organization that the individual is not permitted to participate in any NNIP network activities for violation of this policy and will only share a high-level description of the incident. If the individual is the director of the organization, the co-directors will notify the relevant entity or superior, such as the chairperson of the Board of Directors or the dean of the college. The individual will be removed from all staff lists and virtual communication channels.  

As the NNIP network thrives on the strength of its connections between members, the NNIP co-directors will communicate the results of the investigation back to the person who was harassed or discriminated against and the person who reported the incident to provide reassurance that the matter was taken seriously and encourage future reporting.  

Attribution 

This policy draws on the example anti-harassment policy from the Geek Feminism wiki, created by the Ada Initiative and other volunteers.