Background
In 2020, the CSCCE code of conduct working group comprised of Arne Bakker, Arielle Bennett-Lovell, Chiara Bertipaglia, Alycia Crall, Emily Lescak, Katie Pratt, Tracy Teal, Steve van Tuyl, and led by Lou Woodley used the CSCCE values statement exercise to identify five core values for the CSCCE community of practice. A draft of these values was shared with the community for a consultation period which ended in May’s community call to discuss the feedback. Below are the values that we arrived upon as a community.
The CSCCE core values
The Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement (CSCCE) serves to professionalize and institutionalize the role of the community engagement manager in science. CSCCE provides training, programming, and other resources for scientific community managers and their organizations, while also carrying out research into scientific community engagement.
The five CSCCE core values were co-created by staff and community members to underpin our code of conduct. Synergistic by design, they guide our staff, community engagement fellows, and community members* as we work to create an inclusive, supportive, and engaging environment for learning and growing together.
We continuously strive to be inclusive
Members of the CSCCE community recognize that we can all contribute in making our shared spaces welcoming, accessible, and inclusive, and will not discriminate against others based on their social or cultural backgrounds or identities. We will work towards minimizing the effects of power imbalances and offering diverse ways to participate as the default, rather than the exception.
This looks like
- Regularly asking whose perspectives we may be missing in our conversations
- Providing different channels of communication (synchronous and asynchronous) to allow members to contribute in a way that works for them
- Hosting accessible events, including being mindful of time zones when scheduling meetings, both virtually and in-person
- Using preferred pronouns correctly, and allowing people to volunteer pronouns rather than requesting
- Being aware of cultural and linguistic differences and seeking to communicate in a culturally responsive and inclusive manner
- Proactively seeking diverse input and feedback on projects and diverse participation in events
We empower one another
We believe in a culture of fluid collaboration and participation through which we empower one another to explore and exchange knowledge, resources, and opportunities as a community. Members make space for others and take space for themselves to ensure we all benefit from diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas.
This looks like
- Providing positive feedback and encouragement and advocating for others
- Actively seeking diverse perspectives by intentionally inviting people to participate
- Trusting that our expertise and things that we learn are valuable to someone
- Regularly asking ourselves what power imbalances might exist and taking action to address any negative impacts on others
- Spontaneous acts of community such as welcoming new members and celebrating the successes of all members, including those we may not know well
- Standing up for our shared values
We learn and share
The CSCCE is a community of learning and sharing. To cultivate a space where we can learn from and grow with each other, we value diverse opinions and make room for not knowing. We recognize that we are all students and teachers at the same time and we all bring skills and resources that we can share.
This looks like
- Facilitating connections to enhance the learning experience by bringing people into conversations
- Working out loud in order to make learning and expertise visible to others
- Being prepared to switch from “expert” to “learner” in discussions rather than trying to “win”
- Listening actively to all of what is being communicated, both explicitly and implied
- Being responsive to constructive feedback
- Acknowledging and apologizing for mistakes made
We trust – and hold space for – one another
We make an individual and shared commitment to cultivating safer community spaces founded on trust, open communication, and personal accountability. This commitment will support the safer expression of a range of emotional states including joy, vulnerability, and uncertainty, without fear of incurring harm.
This looks like
- Assuming good intent and asking for clarification where there is doubt
- Asking permission before sharing personal information, and reaching out/speaking up when we see acts that could breach trust, especially if we suspect others might feel intimidated or unable to do so
- Practicing empathy and making room for one another’s fluctuating needs and emotions
- Doing the personal work required to speak candidly and compassionately, without tone-policing
- Forgiving mistakes once resolutions have been agreed upon
- Making frameworks and processes for decision-making transparent (CSCCE Staff)
We express gratitude and recognition
Giving thanks and acknowledgement for contributions, whether they be knowledge, experience, or other forms of support, is an important part of how we interact with each other. We strive to give credit and attribution in an ethical and representative way.
This looks like
- Correctly attributing the sources of any information, ideas, or materials that we share
- Getting permission, then publicly acknowledging, an idea that came out of a private/back channel conversation, e.g., by @mentioning someone on Slack or Twitter
- Indicating the scope of contribution, including intellectual, editorial, and methodological
- Acknowledging where contributors are offering insight on their lived experience
- Coming back to people who offer advice or share resources and explaining how those assets impacted our work
- Making expressions of gratitude a regular and visible part of how we communicate
*Our community members might include, but are not limited to: members of our Slack group, Visiting Scholars, Community Engagement Fellows, participants in our community calls and attendees at CSCCE-hosted events online and off. Staff additionally use these core values to inform the programming and training we deliver.