To all Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting attendees:
The Texas Master Naturalist Program has established a Conference Code of Conduct as a positive step towards a safe and equitable gathering. All who registered should agree to abide by this code, and we provide it below in full for your familiarity and reference. The code is also linked from the Annual Meeting webpage, and will be shared through the Annual Meeting app.
Thank you for being part of creating a safe, collaborative, supportive, and productive meeting environment.
-Mary Pearl & Michelle
Code of Conduct for the Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting
The Texas Master Naturalist Program Annual Meeting provides an opportunity for Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) volunteers from around the state to gather, participate in hands-on educational seminars, and receive all of their Advanced Training requirements for the year within one event week/weekend. It’s also an opportunity for program participants and supporters to network, share new ideas/projects, and to learn from chapters from different regions of the state. The TMN Program works to promote a welcoming Annual Meeting environment that is safe, collaborative, supportive, and productive for all, including attendees, volunteers, exhibitors, invited speakers, partners, service providers, and all others.
Each TMN member, in striving to meet the mission, goals and objectives of the Texas Master Naturalist Program pledges to the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct while serving the program and their community. This pledge is expected of any program participant at any time while the annual meeting pledge is expected to be held throughout the weekend of the Annual Meeting (and any program meeting for that matter).
The Texas Master Naturalist Program, along with the two statewide sponsoring agencies, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department values an environment of diversity, respect and collaboration, accessibility, participation, integrity and transparency and works to ensure these values are reflected in interactions among all participants. We come together at this Annual Meeting to learn and work together for positive, productive outcomes.
In this light and with the goal of ensuring that the Annual Meeting is welcoming and inclusive for all, we put forward the following guidelines for professional behavior during the annual conference:
- All participants should be treated with respect and consideration, valuing the diversity of views and opinions that may be different than those you hold;
- Communicate with respect for others — critique ideas rather than individuals;
- Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech directed toward other attendees, staff, guests, and vendors;
- Be mindful of your colleagues and your surroundings;
- Professionalism should be exercised at all time.
The following are examples of behavior that will not be tolerated at the Annual Meeting, whether at the conference center or off-site:
- Harassment, threats, intimidation, or discrimination of any kind or in any form;
- Physical or verbal abuse;
- Verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, religion, national origin which may reasonably be interpreted as offensive, insulting, or obscene or engaging in any conduct of a stalking or threatening nature directed to any conference participant or attendee.
- Behavior deemed to be excessively loud and/or disruptive of a meeting or any other event taking place during the annual conference.
- Unlawful conduct or activity of any kind.
Reporting of Inappropriate Behavior:
- If you are the subject of, or witness conduct in violation of these guidelines at the Annual Meeting, please notify a TMN State Program Coordinator or any TPWD or A&M AgriLife staff member.
- TMN will use reasonable efforts to respond and attempt to resolve the matter in a timely manner respectful of the parties and necessary to ensure the continued integrity and quality of the conference.
- Anyone experiencing or witnessing behavior that constitutes an immediate or serious threat to public safety at our Annual Meeting in the hotel convention center is advised to locate a phone and ask for security or dial 911.
TMN at all times reserves the right, in its sole and reasonable discretion, to have individuals acting in an unprofessional manner or contrary to these guidelines removed from the conference or any meeting or event taking place at the conference and the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting. Attendance at the TMN Annual Meeting is a privilege, not a right. We appreciate your attention to these guidelines and wish you a productive and meaningful Annual Meeting.