[Board] Proposed text for an OSGeo Code of Conduct

Wed Feb 4 08:51:56 PST 2015

Venka et. al.

You might be interested in the OGC Principals of Conduct which is itself 
based on the IETF Code of Conduct.

http://www.opengeospatial.org/ogc/policies/conduct

Perhaps this might be helpful.

Regards

Carl Reed

-----Original Message----- 
From: Venkatesh Raghavan
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2015 6:03 AM
To: board at lists.osgeo.org
Subject: Re: [Board] Proposed text for an OSGeo Code of Conduct

On 2015/02/04 21:45, Jeff McKenna wrote:
> Yes I agree, which is why I believe the OSGeo Foundation needs a very 
> simple Diversity statement, that says everyone can expect an open and 
> respectful environment (see my original draft at 
> http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php?title=Diversity&oldid=81445). Notice how 
> there is no mention of policing etc in that version. Your discussions on a 
> Code of Conduct for FOSS4G are very separate in my opinion.  In any case, 
> the OSGeo Board will discuss this in tomorrow's meeting if you would like 
> to attend and share your thoughts, all are welcome 
> (http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_Meeting_2015-02-05).

I agree that any statement by OSGeo foundation in general and
statements pertaining to events produced/hosted/presented by
OSGeo Foundation should be kept separate.

Venka
>
> -jeff
>
>
>
> On 2015-02-04 6:28 AM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
>> I'm expanding this Code of Conduct thread to include the OSGeo Board,
>> who are proposing an alternative Code of Conduct:
>> http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Diversity
>>
>> I strongly suggest that we should try to have only one OSGeo Code of
>> Conduct / Diversity Statement as it reduces confusion and is easier to
>> implement. There is beauty in simplicity. Jeff are you suggesting that
>> we have two? (One for conferences, and another for OSGeo?)
>>
>> On 3/02/2015 7:09 am, Jeff McKenna wrote:
>>> I would like Board members to edit that wiki page directly over the
>>> next few days, and then we can discuss this at the Board meeting on
>>> Thursday.  My goal is to have a new "/diversity" page linked from the
>>> main osgeo.org site.
>>
>> Jeff, I assume that since you have proposed an alternative text, that
>> you have issue with the prior proposed text? (as in the bottom of this
>> email thread). What do you see to be the limitations of the prior
>> proposed text?
>>
>> Also, in your email, are you requesting that only board members edit the
>> Diversity statement, or is it open to other community members to edit as
>> well?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 4/02/2015 7:16 am, Bart van den Eijnden wrote:
>>> Interesting, MapZen will only sponsor events which have a strong COC
>>> in place:
>>>
>>> https://mapzen.com/blog/mapzen-code-of-conduct
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>> Bart
>>>
>>>> On 25 Jan 2015, at 22:10, Cameron Shorter <cameron.shorter at gmail.com
>>>> <mailto:cameron.shorter at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Thanks Eli,
>>>> I like your list of characteristics. I'd add:
>>>>
>>>> * Have a CoC in the first place, which breaks down to:
>>>> ** Ensure conferences remember / realise that a CoC should be in
>>>> place. (Add it to our cookbook [1]  and bid process)
>>>> ** Make it easy to apply a CoC by referencing an existing document.
>>>> (Complete this discussion and provide a best practice document that
>>>> can be referenced).
>>>>
>>>> I acknowledge your point re over-doing sexualized images discussion.
>>>>
>>>> I like the qgis CoC, and suggest that if we can make adding a CoC
>>>> easy (by providing generic text), then we should add having a CoC a
>>>> requirement for OSGeo graduation. I've added a placemarker into the
>>>> proposed text for the next OSGeo Project Graduation Checklist. [2]
>>>>
>>>> [1] http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4G_Handbook
>>>> [2] http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Project_Graduation_Checklist#processes.4
>>>>
>>>> On 26/01/2015 5:53 am, Eli Adam wrote:
>>>>> Code of Conduct specific wording is less important than these
>>>>> characteristics:
>>>>> * Being present (i.e. not implied but clearly stated)
>>>>> * Appearing sincere
>>>>> * Being sincere
>>>>> * Having reasonable people implementing it
>>>>>
>>>>> In that regard, the similar texts you listed were all fine.
>>>>>
>>>>> Generally, I think that we are spending too much time and emphasis on
>>>>> sexualized images.  We are in the open source geospatial software,
>>>>> geospatial standards, open data, education, and related fields; 95%+
>>>>> of all presentations and other content can be done entirely
>>>>> successfully without images of people at all.  For the 5% of cases
>>>>> that images of people substantively contribute to the presentation,
>>>>> err on the side of caution, "If in doubt, leave it out".
>>>>>
>>>>> I like the idea of the conference committee starting with a CoC for
>>>>> conferences and the Board possibly modifying and expanding it to other
>>>>> areas of OSGeo or projects establishing their own (see QGIS,
>>>>> http://qgis.org/en/site/getinvolved/governance/codeofconduct/codeofconduct.html)
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't think that 2015 FOSS4G needs any input, they already seem to
>>>>> have it under control, http://2015.foss4g.org/about/codeofconduct/,
>>>>> and there was nothing about a CoC in the bid.  We should be focusing
>>>>> 2016 and beyond.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for working on guiding this process Cameron.
>>>>>
>>>>> Best regards, Eli
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Jan 24, 2015 at 3:12 AM, Cameron Shorter
>>>>> <cameron.shorter at gmail.com <mailto:cameron.shorter at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>>>> Hi David,
>>>>>> Thanks for starting this discussion. When you opened the
>>>>>> discussion, you
>>>>>> very kindly offered to help set a Code of Conduct in place. How do 
>>>>>> you
>>>>>> suggest we move toward concluding the discussion and getting a Code 
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> Conduct in place?
>>>>>> Do you have a timeframe in mind for this? I assume we should try to
>>>>>> make a
>>>>>> CoC available for FOSS4G 2015 if they wish to make use of one?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Peter, thanks for you comments on proposed text.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Is there anyone else with an interest in influencing the final
>>>>>> text? If so,
>>>>>> please speak up.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Which is the better version of a CoC?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 1. Prior foss4g: https://2015.foss4g-na.org/code-conduct
>>>>>> 2. OReilly: http://www.oreilly.com/conferences/code-of-conduct.html
>>>>>> (copied
>>>>>> below)
>>>>>> 3. My revised version (copied below)
>>>>>> 4. Something else
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 19/01/2015 9:16 am, Cameron Shorter wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi David,
>>>>>> I'm happy to move proposed CoC text across to a wiki. If requested,
>>>>>> I'll
>>>>>> copy across now (within 48 hours), or can wait till there has been
>>>>>> further
>>>>>> discussion.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Also happy to expand the discussion to other lists, although I
>>>>>> expect the
>>>>>> conference committee is probably the logical primary point for
>>>>>> discussion,
>>>>>> as a CoC is most applicable to conferences. The board would need to
>>>>>> sign off
>>>>>> on a CoC and should be invited to comment.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Re identifying what should be in a code of conduct. I've attempted
>>>>>> to start
>>>>>> on that in the list of items I've attempted to address, listed below.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have presented the draft CoC (below), as I find it is often easier 
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> start with a "straw man" which can be picked apart, rather than 
>>>>>> talking
>>>>>> vaguely in conceptual levels. However, I'm not wedded to the text,
>>>>>> and hope
>>>>>> to see constructive criticism of the ideas, text and structure.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 19/01/2015 3:46 am, David William Bitner wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I really want to thank everyone here for engaging in this issue. I do
>>>>>> appreciate all the different voices that have contributed to this
>>>>>> conversation -- they all certainly speak to the diversity of
>>>>>> thoughts and
>>>>>> experiences that we already have in this community.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Cameron -- thank you very much for putting forward a first draft of a
>>>>>> potential CoC for us to use. Before drafting and wordsmithing a CoC
>>>>>> I want
>>>>>> to step back and make sure we answer a few questions that would
>>>>>> certainly
>>>>>> impact how a CoC gets written. When we get to the point of drafting, 
>>>>>> we
>>>>>> should certainly do so on the wiki (or other trackable
>>>>>> collaborative medium)
>>>>>> rather than in an email thread.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> With some of the wording in this draft as well as seeing the
>>>>>> discussion from
>>>>>> the last Board Meeting, is the conference committee the correct
>>>>>> venue for
>>>>>> this discussion or should this be at the Board level so that this
>>>>>> applies to
>>>>>> all OSGeo activities (mailing lists, events, etc)? I am certain
>>>>>> that many of
>>>>>> the same people would remain engaged in helping draft a Code of 
>>>>>> Conduct
>>>>>> either for the foundation as a whole or just for our events, but this
>>>>>> certainly impacts the scope and wording required in a draft.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Many of the comments that I read as against having a CoC seem to
>>>>>> stem from
>>>>>> people wondering what does a CoC solve. Sadly, having a CoC does
>>>>>> not "solve"
>>>>>> anything. There will still be issues. A CoC simply provides one
>>>>>> tool for us
>>>>>> to help resolve those issues when they come up as well as providing a
>>>>>> proactive statement that we aim to be a welcoming and diverse
>>>>>> community to
>>>>>> hopefully prevent some of those issues in the first place. A CoC is
>>>>>> not the
>>>>>> end point of diversity initiatives, but it is a very low hanging
>>>>>> fruit to
>>>>>> start with. Other initiatives that I know have been tried that we
>>>>>> should
>>>>>> continue to look at their effectiveness include author blind public
>>>>>> program
>>>>>> review, scholarship initiatives, proactively seeking out diversity
>>>>>> in key
>>>>>> notes, and many more things that we haven't tried.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 18/01/2015 2:33 pm, Cameron Shorter wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Following on from this email thread, I've drafted a proposed Code of
>>>>>> Conduct, where I've aimed to address:
>>>>>> * Be concise (concise words get read more)
>>>>>> * Cover key messages
>>>>>> * Include an escalation process for dealing with both minor and
>>>>>> major issues
>>>>>> * Ensure key terms are understood (in particular reference to
>>>>>> definition of
>>>>>> sexualised images)
>>>>>> * Couch in positive language
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  Tickbox version:
>>>>>> * I agree to act respectfully toward others in line with the OSGeo
>>>>>> Code of
>>>>>> Conduct.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> OSGeo Code of Conduct:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This Code of Conduct collates the collective values adopted by our
>>>>>> OSGeo
>>>>>> community which baselines the behaviour we do and don’t support to
>>>>>> ensure
>>>>>> OSGeo is a safe and productive environment for all.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We invite everyone to be respectful to all, regardless of race,
>>>>>> gender, age,
>>>>>> sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, national origin,
>>>>>> ethnicity, religion, or ideas. We do not tolerate harassment of
>>>>>> others in
>>>>>> any form. Examples of harassment include offensive comments, verbal
>>>>>> threats
>>>>>> or demands, sexualized images in public spaces, intimidation, 
>>>>>> stalking,
>>>>>> harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of events, 
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> unwelcome physical contact or sexual attention. [1]
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We expect all participants to follow the Code of Conduct when
>>>>>> involved in
>>>>>> OSGeo activities. This includes conferences, related social events, 
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> online forums. Participants violating this Code of Conduct will be
>>>>>> asked to
>>>>>> desist and/or make amends. For gross or continual violations,
>>>>>> offenders may
>>>>>> be expelled from the event or forum without a refund, and/or banned
>>>>>> from
>>>>>> future events or other forums.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Participants are encouraged to bring any concerns to the attention
>>>>>> of event
>>>>>> staff, the forum, forum leader, or OSGeo Board. We thank all for
>>>>>> helping
>>>>>> keep OSGeo welcoming, respectful, and friendly for all.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [1] Examples of inappropriate sexualised environments are described
>>>>>> here:
>>>>>> https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/sexual-harassment-code-practice-what-sexual-harassment
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 10/01/2015 9:59 pm, Cameron Shorter wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Looking around at various Conference "Codes of Conduct", I found the
>>>>>> O'Reilly definition to be eloquently worded, and less threatening to
>>>>>> potential attendees. (Although I still can't find a clear definition 
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> "sexual images".)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://www.oreilly.com/conferences/code-of-conduct.html
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Code of Conduct
>>>>>>
>>>>>> At O'Reilly, we assume that most people are intelligent and
>>>>>> well-intended,
>>>>>> and we're not inclined to tell people what to do. However, we want
>>>>>> every
>>>>>> O'Reilly conference to be a safe and productive environment for
>>>>>> everyone. To
>>>>>> that end, this code of conduct spells out the behavior we support
>>>>>> and don't
>>>>>> support at conferences. The core of our approach is this:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We don't condone harassment or offensive behavior, at our
>>>>>> conference venues
>>>>>> or anywhere. It's counter to our company values. More importantly, 
>>>>>> it's
>>>>>> counter to our values as human beings.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We're voicing our strong, unequivocal support of appropriate
>>>>>> behavior by all
>>>>>> participants at technical events, including all O'Reilly
>>>>>> conferences. We
>>>>>> invite you to help us make each O'Reilly conference a place that is
>>>>>> welcoming and respectful to all participants, regardless of race,
>>>>>> gender,
>>>>>> age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, national
>>>>>> origin,
>>>>>> ethnicity, or religion. So that everyone can focus on the
>>>>>> conference itself,
>>>>>> and the great networking and community richness that happens when
>>>>>> we get
>>>>>> together in person, we will not tolerate harassment of conference
>>>>>> participants in any form—in person or online.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Examples of harassment include offensive comments, verbal threats or
>>>>>> demands, sexualized images in public spaces, intimidation, stalking,
>>>>>> harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of sessions 
>>>>>> or
>>>>>> events, and unwelcome physical contact or sexual attention.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We expect all participants—attendees, speakers, sponsors, and
>>>>>> volunteers—to
>>>>>> follow the Code of Conduct during the conference. This includes
>>>>>> conference-related social events at off-site locations, and in 
>>>>>> related
>>>>>> online communities and social media. Participants asked to stop any
>>>>>> harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. Conference
>>>>>> participants violating this Code of Conduct may be expelled from the
>>>>>> conference without a refund, and/or banned from future O'Reilly
>>>>>> events, at
>>>>>> the discretion of O'Reilly Media.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Please bring any concerns to the immediate attention of the event
>>>>>> staff, or
>>>>>> contact our VP of Conferences, Gina Blaber at gina at oreilly.com. We
>>>>>> thank our
>>>>>> participants for your help in keeping the event welcoming,
>>>>>> respectful, and
>>>>>> friendly to all participants.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Read the blog post by Tim O'Reilly that is the basis of our
>>>>>> functional code
>>>>>> of conduct for all O'Reilly conferences.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks to the Lean Startup folks and the jsconf.us folks, whose
>>>>>> Codes of
>>>>>> Conduct inspired some changes to our own.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>> Cameron Shorter,
>>>>>> Software and Data Solutions Manager
>>>>>> LISAsoft
>>>>>> Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,
>>>>>> 26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009
>>>>>>
>>>>>> P +61 2 9009 5000,  W www.lisasoft.com,  F +61 2 9009 5099
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>> Cameron Shorter,
>>>>>> Software and Data Solutions Manager
>>>>>> LISAsoft
>>>>>> Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,
>>>>>> 26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009
>>>>>>
>>>>>> P +61 2 9009 5000,  W www.lisasoft.com,  F +61 2 9009 5099
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>> Cameron Shorter,
>>>>>> Software and Data Solutions Manager
>>>>>> LISAsoft
>>>>>> Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,
>>>>>> 26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009
>>>>>>
>>>>>> P +61 2 9009 5000,  W www.lisasoft.com,  F +61 2 9009 5099
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> Conference_dev mailing list
>>>>>> Conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org
>>>>>> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev
>>>>
>>>> -- 
>>>> Cameron Shorter,
>>>> Software and Data Solutions Manager
>>>> LISAsoft
>>>> Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,
>>>> 26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009
>>>>
>>>> P +61 2 9009 5000,  W www.lisasoft.com <http://www.lisasoft.com>,  F
>>>> +61 2 9009 5099
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Conference_dev mailing list
>>>> Conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org <mailto:Conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org>
>>>> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev
>>>
>>
>>
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