DESI Collaboration Code of Conduct

v1.0, approved by Institutional Board, October 15, 2018

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Collaboration (hereinafter called the DESI
Collaboration) is a large collaboration with members from diverse backgrounds. We strive for an
inclusive and respectful environment for DESI Collaboration members independent of their
background, age, and stage or path of career. DESI Collaboration members should pay
particular attention to interactions in which there is a disparity in seniority such as with students
and postdoctoral researchers.

Discrimination

Members of the DESI Collaboration should treat each other with equity and respect, regardless
of personal attributes including but not limited to: race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,
gender, gender expression, gender identity, ethnic origin, national origin, ancestry, marital
status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, or
military service, or, within the limits imposed by law because of age or citizenship or for other
arbitrary or personal reasons.

Harassment

The DESI Collaboration does not tolerate verbal, non-verbal, or physical harassment of any
kind. This applies to all professional contexts, not simply those affecting DESI members.

Behaviors and language acceptable to one person may not be to another. Members must make
every effort to ensure that words and actions communicate respect for others.

Sexual harassment is not tolerated in the DESI Collaboration, including, but not limited to,
unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome requests for sexual favors, and other unwelcome
verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Bullying in any form, including physical bullying, verbal abuse, disparagement, intimidation,
exclusion, or spreading personal rumors, is not tolerated in the DESI Collaboration.

Scientific Misconduct

Members of the DESI Collaboration must perform research in a well-documented and ethically
sound manner. Fabrication or falsification of data or results, plagiarism, violations of the DESI
Publication Policy, taking credit for others’ work, or any other scientific misconduct will not be
tolerated.

DESI Code of Conduct, v1.0, October 15, 2018 1

DESI Meetings

When DESI members come together in person for meetings, the Code of Conduct does not
change, but considerations related to in-person behavior and communications become more
relevant. All attendees at DESI-sponsored meetings where there is registration must agree to
the Statement of Expected Conduct at DESI Meetings at registration.

These in-person meetings will have two Meeting Contact Persons to support compliance with
the Code of Conduct. They will be available to meeting attendees who are experiencing
conflicts or disputes as part of the DESI meeting activities, including at meals and social events.
Meeting Contact Persons shall have the authority to take actions intended to defuse a harmful
situation resulting from behavior at the meeting, up to and including requiring an attendee to
leave the meeting. They will report their actions directly to the DESI Spokespersons.

The DESI Spokespersons will select the Meeting Contact Persons and inform the DESI
Collaboration Institutional Board prior to the meeting. The Meeting Contact Persons will be
members of DESI who will be present for the duration of the Meeting. They will have a strong
understanding of DESI policies and their authority to act as Meeting Contact Persons under
these policies.

Adherence

All DESI members, including Participants, their sponsored members, and other associated staff,
are expected to abide by this Code of Conduct, and prospective members must agree to the
terms of the Code of Conduct as a condition of acceptance into the Collaboration. DESI is a
voluntary collaboration between scientists. DESI Participants are granted membership
privileges at the discretion of the DESI Institutional Board (with the advice of the DESI
membership committee), and such privileges may be revoked by the DESI Collaboration, using
processes described in the DESI By-Laws (see sections 1.8 and14.10), for grounds including
but not limited to violations of this Code of Conduct. In addition, the DESI Collaboration
reserves the right to remove a member from DESI based on sanction or censure by the
member’s department, institution, or professional society for activity that constitutes a violation
of the DESI Code of Conduct. Past sanctions or censure by a department, institution, or
professional society for activity that constitutes a violation of the DESI Code of Conduct can be
considered by the Institutional Board in judging new applications for DESI membership.

Any member of DESI with a concern about a violation of the Code of Conduct for DESI-related
work may raise this concern to the DESI Spokespersons, Institutional Board chair, or Director.
They may also contact one of the DESI Ombudspersons for confidential consultation. The
Ombudspersons and Spokespersons are available to aid with informal conflict resolution and
mediation.

Individuals interested in pursuing formal complaints are encouraged to address complaints to

the relevant employment institution(s). DESI management is available to help connect members

DESI Code of Conduct, v1.0, October 15, 2018 2

to relevant officers at these institutions, including to seek strategies for short-term relief to inter-
personal conflicts.

Retaliation toward a member who pursues any of these options, or toward anyone assisting
either in the Ombuds process or in the investigation of a concern or complaint, is a violation of
this Code.

In no circumstance does the DESI Code of Conduct supplant laws or institutional policies or
requirements to which members of DESI or home institutions are subject, including reporting
requirements of an individual or entity. It is understood that DESI members may report
allegations of violations to home institutions, government agencies, or local authorities for
investigation pursuant to applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The DESI Ombudspersons
are available for confidential consultation, within the limits of the reporting requirements of their
institutions, about any DESI-related issue or concern (see the DESI Ombudsperson Policy for
further details).

This Code of Conduct shall not be construed as creating any employer-employee, joint venture,
partnership, duty, trust, obligation to pay, or other relationship between DESI, member
institutions, grantors, funding institutions or agencies, home institutions, or members, including
DESI Management and committees. Although DESI encourages all members to abide by this
Code of Conduct, DESI remains a voluntary member body. Members and their affiliated
institutions waive any and all claims, liabilities, or damages against DESI, member institutions,
grantors, funding institutions or agencies, home institutions, and DESI members involved in
implementing the Code of Conduct arising from the enforcement of, or failure to enforce, this
Code of Conduct.

Acknowledgement: This DESI Code of Conduct, the Statement of Expected Conduct at

Meetings, and the Ombudsperson Description have been adapted from the LSST DESC Code
of Conduct, parts of which were adapted from the London Code of Conduct, itself derived from
documents by Software Carpentry, PyCon, and Geek Feminism, all under Creative Commons
licenses.

DESI Code of Conduct, v1.0, October 15, 2018 3