The following policy applies to the York U Libraries' Digital Scholarship Centre (including the Scott Library Media Creation Lab) and is in accord with the Libraries' existing rules of the house.
The Digital Scholarship Centre at York University Libraries is dedicated to providing a welcoming, accessible, and harassment-free space for everyone. We are committed to ensuring that all community members are encouraged to learn and create regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, age, language, body size, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic standing, or otherwise. Our community does not tolerate harassment, intimidation or abuse in any form. Anyone who violates this safer space policy may be sanctioned, expelled, or banned from our spaces and services.
This code of conduct applies to all Digital Scholarship Centre spaces, both online and off. Anyone who violates this code of conduct may be sanctioned or expelled from these spaces at the discretion of the Digital Scholarship Centre staff.
The goal of safer spaces is to encourage all participants to work together to prevent or reduce harm, particularly for those who are often the targets of violence and harassment. Oppressive behavior that makes others feel unsafe will not be tolerated.
Such behaviors include, but are not limited to:
- Offensive, derogatory, threatening, aggressive, or silencing comments (related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, age, language, body size, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic standing, or otherwise)
- Violence, intimidation, stalking, or unwanted following of a person
- Persistent, abusive, and non-constructive criticism with regard to any project(s) any participant may show during an event, space, or program
- Persistent micro-aggressions in the form of comments, jokes, material, or otherwise
- Harassing photography or recording
- Disruption of events, programs, or space functionality
- Inappropriate physical contact without consent
- Unwelcome sexual attention
- Sexually demeaning imagery
- Advocating or encouraging any of the above behavior
Some of our spaces and programs may have additional rules in place, which will be made available to participants. Participants are responsible for knowing and abiding by these rules of our safer space policy.
Reporting
Please do not hesitate to contact us, at any time, if you feel unsafe or you notice another person who feels or is being made to feel unsafe. Being made “unsafe” means that you are experiencing discomfort, harassment, or for reasons not necessarily listed caused by another individual or group of individuals.
You may report your experience by:
- Speaking on-site to an organizer, coordinator, or staff member
- Emailing the administration team at mmcl@yorku.ca
About this Policy
Many of our spaces and services are new, and this code is intend to evolve with the guidance of our users, leaders, and community. Feedback and suggestions are always welcome, and may be directed to any staff member or to mmcl@yorku.ca.
The current code has been adopted from Pixelles' safer space policy, which is in turn based on a framework created by Geek Feminism.