Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Please read our policies carefully, because they affect your right to fully participate in SLIG, UGA Summit of Excellence, or affiliated events. Moreover, during the registration process, participants will be required to provide written agreement to abide by this policy. To that end, we establish the following:

Respect: These programs serve, contract with, and interact with a diverse community, and it has always been our policy to provide a learning environment that is free of conflict, intimidation, and discrimination. All who participate must be treated with dignity and respect. We have delineated this policy in writing because even a single, isolated occurrence is unacceptable.

We will not tolerate discrimination or disrespect of any kind on the basis of economic status, sex, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, illness or ability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, religion, creed, or political affiliation or opinion. All are encouraged to use these same guidelines to temper the right to freedom of expression with common sense and courtesy.

We are committed to fostering a neutral, academic environment in which participants can learn and grow. Therefore comments and actions that contravene this anti-discrimination policy should be reported to the office of the Director or Conference Chair, and will be addressed. The penalty for a violation could include dismissal from an event or program, as well as forfeiture of unused tuition.

Copyright: All materials, including the syllabus, handouts, and presentation slides, are protected by copyright. Presentations should not be recorded nor slides photographed. Such materials are distributed for your personal use and are not to be shared or copied without written permission of the author. A photograph of the presenter with a title slide may be appropriate for social media posts, but should only be taken with the express consent of the presenter. For virtual programs, the words "screenshot" and "screen capture" should be considered synonymous with "photograph" and "recording."

Electronic Courtesy: It is important to avoid disruption caused by the use of electronic devices in public settings. Sound on laptops and other personal devices used for note-taking or labs should be muted. Phones and pagers should be set to vibrate or off. Committee members and designated assistants who use electronics for logistical facilitation and communication should re-direct sound to an earpiece if audible notification is required to ensure prompt service. Anyone who needs to place or receive a call should do so outside the room.

Publication Consent: Participation in any of the door prize drawings, contests, social media posts, or scholarship applications implies consent to the publication of your name, city/state, and photograph in related announcements. The privacy policy delineates your rights to control your information.

Social Media: We encourage the use of blogs and social media to share your experiences. A list of authorized hashtags will be provided with syllabus materials. Please exercise common courtesy and respect, including but not limited to—giving credit where due, requesting permission when needed, adhering to copyright law and usage guidelines, and citing or linking to sources.

Attendance at Functions: Tuition or registration fees cover the costs of educational and other services for each participant. Guests are not permitted to attend without express invitation. Guest tickets may be available for specific functions.

Acknowledgment of this policy, and agreement to abide by it, will be required in order to register for any program.