A living document: This Code of Conduct should be seen as a living document that can and should change and improve in parallel with the group. This is your group and you should feel ownership of its growth and evolution. If you have any suggestions or questions for improvement, you should contact any of the group management (see below).

Basics: The overarching goal of this group is to provide a supportive community for early-career petrologists and high-temperature geochemists. This goal is centered in antiracism and inclusivity, such that all may feel welcome. All interaction in this group should align with these ideals. As such:

• Be kind and respectful. Do not insult or put down other group members.
• All communication must be considerate of people of different cultures and identities, including (but not limited to): race, religion, sexuality, gender, body size, and ability. 
• Behave professionally.
• Contribute to discussions online and in meetings with a constructive, positive approach. 
• Help out other members of the community.
• Be mindful of talking over others when discussing in groups, and be willing to hear out the ideas of others. 

Privacy: This group is open to all who want to join and contribute to the community. No one with genuine interest will be turned away. However, this is not a public community. No screen capturing or recording is permitted without the permission of those involved. Posts and conversations in the chat should not be shared outside of the group without the permission of everyone involved. 

Intellectual property: Scientific discussions will occur in the group. At times, someone might share a new project idea or preliminary data, in search of help, feedback, or advice. All group members must respect such ideas and data as intellectual property owned by the person sharing. They are not to discuss or share this information outside of the group, even anecdotally, without the permission of the owner.

Permissible conversation: All conversation should contribute to the group’s goal of increasing diversity and equity in our field through creation of an inclusive and supportive community. For example, a graduate student beginning to use a new analytical technique or seeking advice on an aspect of their work is encouraged to use this space to learn from their peers (and allied faculty). However, a professor should not use this space to solicit papers on a new topic they are beginning to research, ask about the best lab supplies to buy, or to advertise a conference session they are hosting. The former centers student growth and community building; the latter centers a professor’s research and is redundant with resources/ societies/ listservs that are already available elsewhere. Any of the group management (next paragraph) has the right to remove any content from the slack that is deemed inappropriate or not consistent with the group’s intention.

Conversations about racism and exclusion in Earth science: We recognize that our scientific community is not separate from broader society and a health professional network needs to address societal issues as they affect our community. In this group we will have open conversations about racism and exclusion in Earth Science (with a focus in the fields of petrology and high-temperature geochemistry) and how to counter them with intentional antiracist and inclusive action. During these conversations, it is highly likely that someone will unintentionally say something incorrect or offensive, or at least partly so. These are not currently normal topics for discussion in our science and it is only through practice that we can become proficient and fluent. During such conversations, we ask that you adhere to the following community standards for discussion:

• Speak from your own experience instead of generalizing.
• If someone shares a personal experience, do not invalidate it with your own interpretation and do not minimize it by centering your own story or experience in response.
• If you see a person speaking or posting something that might be offensive and/or harmful, respectfully challenge them, but refrain from personal attacks. Focus on the ideas and problems in your challenge, not the person.
• If you are challenged by someone for something you do or say, resist the natural urge to be defensive. Personal growth requires listening and self-reflection.
• Assume everyone’s good intentions, but also acknowledge the impact of saying something that hurts someone else, even if unintended.
• The goal is not to always agree, it is to gain a deeper understanding.

Reporting and response policies for harassment, exclusion, and misuse of the group: If you are harassed*, discriminated against, or offended by anything in the group, please contact any of the members of the group management, listed at the end of this page. Anything you say to them will be confidential unless you specifically give permission for that information to be shared. If the person you contact feels that they need to discuss the incident with other members of the group management, they will ask your permission first, so that only people approved by you are brought in to help. [However, be aware of the boundaries of faculty responsibilities as “mandatory reporters” within their own universities. For example, if there is an incident among University of Michigan students that is brought to Robert Holder, who is assistant professor at the University of Michigan, he will have to report it at the University of Michigan].

Cases of harassment or attacks on other group members will result in immediate removal of the offending person from the group. In cases of milder personal offense: (1) If it is intentional, the offending person will still be removed from the group. Personal attacks are not permitted, no matter how mild. (2) If it is not intentional, decisions about how to respond will be made in conjunction with the person reporting and/or the person(s) offended. The severity of a personal offense or attack will be defined by the offended person, not the offender.

For more nebulous disagreement or discomfort caused by anyone or anything in the group, you can contact any of the members of the group management. Anything you say to them will be confidential unless you specifically give permission for that information to be shared (see above). Decisions about how to address these issues will be made with you, as the person reporting. The goal of this group cannot be achieved if people do not feel comfortable to be themselves, scientifically and personally; you are therefore encouraged to contact group management with any issues you see or experience, even if they are small.

*Harassment includes anything verbal, physical, or implied action that is offensive or excluding to anyone in the group. 

Decision making: Currently, all decisions about the direction of the group will be made by consensus of the group management. If not all members of group management are able to be contacted for a decision or do not respond within a reasonable time (at least 1 week), decisions will be made by consensus of the available group management. 

Decisions about meeting times, events organized among group members, or new initiatives within the group can be made by whomever is hosting / initiating the meeting. We recommend that majority vote be used in such situations, or as near to majority as possible.

Current group management: Adrian Castro, Annie Bauer, Besim Dragovic, Cailey Condit, Emily Cooperdock, Erika Rader, Jessica Warren, Madison Myers, Robert Holder, Victor Guevara.