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Conference Code of Conduct

In hosting OCON, AynRandCon and other events, the Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) aims to provide all participants with an opportunity to explore Ayn Rand’s ideas and to socialize with fellow attendees in a benevolent environment that encourages learning and connecting with others. ARI is dedicated to providing a safe and welcoming conference experience for all participants, including attendees, speakers and staff.

Whether you are new to Ayn Rand’s ideas or have years of experience and study behind you, we hope you will find these events to be a valuable cultural and intellectual oasis, full of stimulating content and populated with individuals who embrace and embody the values and virtues upheld by Objectivism.

Expected Behavior

ARI expects all participants to communicate and conduct themselves respectfully toward each other and toward ARI, its staff and donors, and everyone else with whom they come into contact at these events, including participants, speakers and staff. Participants are also expected to treat the material being discussed with seriousness and respect.

Unacceptable Behavior

ARI expects all participants to follow all rules and guidelines of the conference and the organizers, and to avoid any disruptive, unprofessional, inappropriate or other unwelcome behavior. More specifically, attendees should avoid engaging in conduct or making comments that unreasonably interfere with another person’s ability to enjoy and participate in the conference, including its social events. This also includes conduct that could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting.

ARI is dedicated to a harassment-free conference experience for everyone. Our full anti-harassment policy is below.

Photography/Recording Policy

Please be advised that ARI will record video and take photos at OCON, AynRandCon, and other events. The videos and photos may be used at ARI’s discretion for any promotional purposes. Your attending an ARI event is your consent to allow ARI to use your image for the above-said purposes. Attendees may not record the event in any form. Please see ARI staff with any questions in this regard. 

Anti-harassment / Acceptable Behavior policy

ARI has a zero-tolerance policy for disruptive or harassing behavior and does not tolerate harassment of anyone associated with the conference in any form. This policy applies to all conference-related events, including, but not limited to, talks, workshops, meetings, meals and social events.

All participants are expected to abide by this anti-harassment/acceptable behavior policy. Anyone found to have violated these rules may be removed from the conference (without a refund where applicable) and sanctioned (i.e., prohibited from attending future conferences, etc.) at the discretion of the organizers.

Examples of prohibited conduct include but are not limited to the following:

• Harassment or intimidation, including harassment based on any characteristic protected by law.
• Verbal and written harassment through derogatory jokes, epithets, racist remarks, offensive language based upon any protected characteristic (race, sex, etc.), communicated through any medium including social media, email or similar forum.
• Defamatory comments or any libelous or slanderous communications communicated through any medium including social media, email or similar forum.
• Threats or acts of violence or any aggressive or intimidating behavior.
• Inappropriate or unwanted physical contact or physical intimidation.
• Unwelcome sexual attention.
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking or following.
• Harassing photography or recording.
• Inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces.
• Abusive, lewd or threatening conduct.
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events.
• Advocating, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.

Furthermore, these events are “no solicitation zones.” Unless specifically invited/authorized to do so, conference participants and attendees may not approach other guests for funding, employment or any other type of solicitation.

Only ARI staff and authorized contractors may record and/or videotape conference talks or events. No other participants may record or videotape any talks or events.

We expect everyone attending the conference to follow these rules at all event venues and event-related activities.

All conference attendees will be required to acknowledge all policies and protocols before the event.

ARI also reserves the right to refuse registration to anyone.

Enforcement

Participants who are asked to stop any harassing or disruptive behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing or disruptive behavior and/or fails to stop any harassing or disruptive behavior, event organizers reserve the right to take any actions they deem necessary and/or appropriate to keep the event a safe and welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender, expulsion from the conference with no refund and any other sanctions against the offending participant including, when appropriate, notifying law enforcement.

Conference organizers may take action to address and rectify anything designed to disrupt, or with the clear intent of disrupting, the event or make the environment uncomfortable, unsafe and/or unwelcome for any participant.

Reporting

If you believe any participant is violating ARI’s anti-harassment/acceptable behavior policy and/or if someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible to an ARI staff member (including Jonathon Brajdic, Lucy Rose and Carla Silk). ARI staff can be identified by their badges.  Reports can also be made via email at events@aynrand.org.