AOCA Code of Conduct

AOCA is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants, faculty and staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, AOCA staff members, service providers, and all others are expected to abide by this  AOCA Code of Conduct. This Policy applies to all AOCA meeting-related events, including lecture sessions, exhibitor hall and social networking activities.

AOCA has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at our meetings. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, AOCA asks that you inform either Julie Kahlfeldt, Executive Director at jkahlfeldt@aocaonline.org or call 859-514-9195, so that we can take the appropriate action.

Unacceptable Behavior is defined as:

  • Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.
  • Verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, AOCA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
    • Examples of verbal abuse include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, AOCA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
  • Disruption of presentations during sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by AOCA throughout the meeting. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any AOCA event staff.
  • Presentations, postings, and messages should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services. AOCA reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially ban sources of those solicitations.
  • AOCA reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and AOCA reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting, virtually or in person.