Code of Conduct

Updated 2024-Jan-10

Philosophy at the Center for the Watershed Sciences:

We are dedicated to providing a welcoming and supportive environment for all people. We are committed to creating a warm and inclusive workplace with room for different people, ideas, and perspectives.

We recognize that people are still subject to historical and ongoing discrimination. We commit to provide access, opportunities, and support to underrepresented groups in higher education and research. We confront and reject all manifestations of discrimination1 .  When people are subjected to bias2 , stereotyping, prejudice, and exclusionary practices, it impacts all of us in our community; we share the responsibility to address these issues.

Discrimination includes actions based on:

  • race,
  • ethnicity,
  • gender and gender expression,
  • sexual orientation,
  • age,
  • visible and non-visible disability,
  • nationality,
  • citizenship status,
  • veteran status,
  • religious/non-religious beliefs,
  • spiritual beliefs,
  • political beliefs,
  • socio-economic class,
  • status within or outside the university,
  • or any of the other differences among people that have been excuses for misunderstanding, dissension, or hatred.

Community Code of Conduct and resources to implement our philosophy:

We have adopted a community code of conduct to better define boundaries and behavior that we value, and we recognize that unacceptable conduct has an impact, regardless of intent. At CWS, we will:

  • Use inclusive written and verbal communication so as not to exclude people on the basis of membership of a group or groups,
  • Create and maintain a safe and inclusive work environment,
  • Use behavior and interactions which are always appropriate, welcomed, and professional both online and in person,
  • Be gracious and open to new or different ideas,
  • Recognize and provide resources to those in need,
  • Be respectful of the wishes and requests of others,
  • Follow the tenets above with added emphasis on safety and respect when in the field, where work can be isolating, dangerous, and stressful.

Recourse and Shared Responsibility

The above tenets are a guide to help hold ourselves and our community accountable. We want to empower folks to speak up. If you or a colleague experienced or observed interactions or behaviors that do not meet the above expectations, please communicate this information in any of the following ways:

  • Speak to your supervisor, any CWS Principal Investigator (see list below), or a trusted peer for help understanding and addressing the issue,
  • Address the issue by speaking to the person directly about their behavior (see resources below) and/or,
  • Contact the OMBUDS office on campus: https://ombuds.ucdavis.edu/ (530-754-7233).

Expectations and Role of PI/Supervisors

When any an issue is brought to a supervisor's attention, they will:

Most permanent staff at CWS are Responsible Employees3 , who are required to report any potential violation of the University's Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment (SVSH) Policy to campus resources.

List of CWS personnel that people can come to:

Current

Carson Jeffres
John Durand
Rachel Johnson
Rob Lusardi
Rusty Holleman
Sarah Yarnell
Cathryn Lawrence
Jay Lund
Andrew Rypel

Past

Ann Willis
Ryan Peek

​Thank you for helping make this a welcoming, friendly community for all.

Resources/References

Confidential Resources

Inclusive Language Resources

  • 1Adapted from the Principles of Community: https://diversity.ucdavis.edu/principles-community
  • 2Test implicit bias with Project Implicit: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
  • 3https://sexualviolence.ucdavis.edu/responsible-employees-0