Animal Behavior and Cognition Code of Conduct
May 2021
All members of the lab (students, staff, and faculty) are expected to follow the code of conduct to help ensure a safe environment for everyone.
Our lab is dedicated to providing a harassment-free and bully-free experience for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural practices, language/accent, socioeconomic status, residency status, level of experience, gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, impairment, dis-/different ability, physical appearance, body size, or religion (or lack thereof). Any form of behavior to exclude, intimidate, or cause discomfort is a violation of the code of conduct.
In order to foster a positive and professional learning environment we encourage the following kinds of behaviors in our lab, at scientific conferences, and online platforms:
- Use welcoming and inclusive language
- Be respectful of different viewpoints and experiences
- Gracefully accept constructive criticism
- Practice active listening
Examples of unacceptable behavior by lab members include:
- written or verbal comments which have the effect of excluding people on the basis of membership of any specific group
- nonconsensual or unwelcome physical contact
- sustained disruption of one-on-one or group meetings
- sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or exclusionary jokes
- publication of private communication without consent
If you believe someone is violating the Code of Conduct, we ask that you report it immediately to the lab director, Dr. Kristina Horback. If you do not feel comfortable doing so, please report it immediately to another lab member serving as a trusted mentor or supervisor. You can also consult with the UC Davis Ombuds Office, which is a confidential, independent, impartial, and informal problem-solving and conflict management resource for all members of the UC Davis and UC Davis Health campus communities. They invite students, staff, and faculty, with university-related issues and concerns, to visit their office. The Ombuds can assist by listening to concerns, clarifying issues, identifying policies and resources, and providing coaching and communication strategies.
To report an incident of harassment & discrimination, you can also file a complaint with UC Davis’ Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program. HDAPP is available to receive complaints of harassment and discrimination against anyone affiliated with UC Davis.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at UC Davis also provides a variety of Resources for Racial Trauma, including links to various support networks, resources for mental well-being and to engage in self-care, and resources for preventing and addressing police abuse, among others.
This code of conduct was adapted from the B3 Lab, The Carpentries and the Lab for Data Intensive Biology at UC Davis