Secular Student Alliance 2023 National Conference
Conference Conduct Policies
Name Tags
Wear your given name tags at all times during the conference. This enables us to know who you are and if photographs of you can be publicly posted.
Note that a red lanyard means that the person wearing them has asked that their pictures not be used or posted online. Respect these people’s preferences and do not upload pictures of these individuals to the internet, Facebook, or other media.
Food and Beverage
No food is allowed in the conference rooms. Beverages are acceptable, but take care not to spill.
Keep It Clean
The conference center is a public facility. There are plenty of trash cans and recycle bins around the building to dispose of unwanted items. Please clean up after yourself.
Noise
Keep extraneous noise to a minimum while the conference is in session. Please set your phones, laptops, and other devices to silent mode.
Please keep in mind that some people are more sensitive to noise and other stimuli - allowing them some quiet time will allow them to participate and enjoy the conference more.
Harassment
The Secular Student Alliance is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of race, color, national origin, age, creed, worldview, disability, veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. We will not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form.
Harassment, bigotry, and violence create feelings of fear, uneasiness, humiliation, and discomfort. It is an expression of perceived power and superiority by the harasser over another person. Sometimes, even when our actions are not intentionally hurtful, what we say and do can hurt others or make them feel uncomfortable.
Sexual harassment is a form of sexual violence. Sexual harassment and sexual violence is any unwanted attention of a sexual nature, including:
—Remarks about appearance or personal life
—Unwanted flirtations or advance
—Offensive written or visual depictions like graffiti or degrading pictures
—Touching someone without their permission (groping, grabbing, hugging, petting, biting)
—Sexual demands, pressure, propositions, or requests for sexual activity
—Graphic comments about an individual’s body or dress
—Verbal abuse, including sexual insults and name-calling
—Rewards for granting sexual favors or the withholding of rewards for refusing to grant sexual favors
—Sexual assault, rape, and sexual violence.
Residence Halls
If you are staying in the UMSL residence halls, read and follow all policies (provided with registration). This specifically includes the following:
- No alcohol is permitted anywhere on campus, including in the residence halls.
- Do not allow anyone not registered for your room to stay in your room, both for safety reasons and to avoid intruding on your roommates.
- Contact SSA staff if you have an issue with your room assignment
Physical Relationships
SSA staff and non-student conference leaders/speakers shall not enter into a sexual relationship with students at any time during the conference except in cases in which there is a prior intimate relationship.
If you choose to form a physical relationship with a fellow attendee, please keep in mind that such relationships should always be safe, consensual, and legal. Obtaining affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement from all parties before engaging in sexual activity constitutes consent. Passive consent, silence, and intoxicated consent are not consent!
Discipline
The Secular Student Alliance reserve the right to remove anyone from the conference and residence halls, without financial reimbursement, if any behavior is in violation of these policies.
Your cooperation in following these guidelines will ensure that our conference is a welcome and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Legal
Follow all Missouri State laws and policies regarding tobacco, alcohol, and other substances.
Emergencies
If you experience an emergency, please call 911.
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