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UCLA UniCamp Volunteer Code of Conduct - Working 12.13.21
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UCLA UniCamp

Volunteer Code of Conduct

The purpose of the UCLA UniCamp Volunteer Code of Conduct (“code”) is to create and maintain a safe, supportive, and inclusive community that engages volunteers in order to foster their leadership, personal growth, and community responsibility.

Volunteers are adults, capable of making their own decisions, as well as accepting the consequences for those decisions. This process has been established to respond to incidents involving allegations of prohibited behavior within UCLA UniCamp. This process provides educational opportunities which encourage volunteers to evaluate their own actions, consider their own decision-making, and acquire new skills to improve their choices in the future.

In accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, UCLA UniCamp does not discriminate on the basis of protected classes including, but not limited to, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, gender transition status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services (including protected veterans) 

Jurisdiction

UCLA UniCamp has jurisdiction over volunteer conduct that occurs on UniCamp property, or in connection with official UniCamp programs or functions whether on or off UniCamp property. UniCamp may, at its sole discretion, exercise jurisdiction over volunteer behavior that would violate volunteer conduct policies or regulations when the alleged misconduct indicates the volunteer poses a threat to the safety or security of any individual.

In determining whether or not to exercise jurisdiction, UCLA UniCamp may consider factors including but not limited to, the seriousness of the alleged misconduct; whether an alleged victim is a member of UniCamp or the UCLA community; whether an alleged offense occurred while on UCLA UniCamp or UCLA (“the University”) property; or the ability of UniCamp to gather information.


Sexual Violence

UCLA UniCamp is committed to maintaining a community where all people who participate in UniCamp programs and functions can work and learn together in an atmosphere free of harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. Sexual violence, sexual harassment, retaliation, and other behavior prohibited by this policy interfere with those goals. UCLA UniCamp will respond promptly and effectively to reports of such conduct. This includes action to stop, prevent, correct, and when necessary, discipline, behavior that violates this policy.

Definitions

Consent

Consent is affirmative, conscious, voluntary, and revocable. Consent to sexual activity requires of each person an affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity. It is the responsibility of each person to ensure they have the affirmative consent of the other to engage in the sexual activity. Lack of protest, lack of resistance, or silence do not, alone, constitute consent. Affirmative consent must be ongoing and can be revoked at any time during sexual activity.

Complainant

A person alleged, in a report, to have experienced prohibited conduct.

Respondent

A person alleged, in a report, to have engaged in prohibited conduct.

Prohibited Sexual Violence

Committing, or attempting to commit, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, or sexual exploitation, regardless of the Complainant’s affiliation with UCLA UniCamp.

Sexual Assault

NOTE: Sexual Assault is aggravated when they include any of the following: force, violence, menace, duress, deliberately causing the complainant to be incapacitated; deliberately taking advantage of the Complainant’s incapactiation; or recording, transmitting, or distributing intimate or sexual images of Complainant without Complainant’s prior knowledge or consent.

Sexual Harassment

  1. Sexual Harassment is when:
  1. Sexual conduct includes sexual or romantic advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
  2. Other sex-based conduct includes acts of verbal, nonverbal, or physical aggression, intimidation, or hostility based on gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex- or gender-stereotyping, or sexual orientation.
  3. Consideration is given to the totality of the circumstances in which the conduct occurred.

Other Prohibited Sexual Behavior

  1. Invasion of sexual privacy
  1. Without a person’s consent, watching or enabling others to watch that person’s nudity or sexual acts in a place where that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy;
  2. Without a person’s consent, making or attempting to make photographs (including videos) or audio recordings, or posting, transmitting or distributing such recorded material, depicting that person’s nudity or sexual acts in a place where that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy; or
  3. Using depictions of nudity or sexual activity to extort something of value from a person.
  1. Sexual acts with a person under the age of 18.
  2. Exposing one’s genitals in a public place for the purpose of sexual gratification.
  3. Failing to comply with the terms of a no-contact order.

Other Prohibited Behaviors

Theft, Damage, or Destruction of Property

Theft, damage, or destruction of any UCLA UniCamp and/or University property, or the property of others while at official UniCamp functions. This includes taking without expressed permission or, misappropriation of, any property or services of UCLA UniCamp, the University, or property of others; or possession of any property that the volunteer had knowledge or reasonably should have had knowledge was stolen.

Conduct that Threatens Health or Safety

Causing, attempting to cause, or threatening to cause physical injury to another person, including but not limited to: physical assault; threats that cause a person reasonably to be in sustained fear for one’s own safety or the safety of one’s immediate family; incidents involving the use or display of a weapon likely to cause great bodily harm; intoxication or impairment through the use of alcohol or controlled substances to the point that one is unable to exercise care for one’s own safety; or other conduct that threatens the health or safety of any person.

Discrimination

Discrimination means the exclusion of an individual, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, gender transition status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services (including protected veterans), or perceived membership in any of these classifications from participation in any UCLA UniCamp program or function.

Harassment

Engaging in harassing or discriminatory behavior based on any protected class, including, but not limited to, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, gender transition status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services (including protected veterans), or perceived membership in any of these classifications.

Harassment means conduct that is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent so as to interfere with or limit an individual’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or opportunities offered by UCLA UniCamp or creates a work environment that is intimidating, hostile, or abusive.

Hazing

Participating in, engaging in, or supporting hazing or any method of initiation or pre-initiation into UCLA UniCamp, any sub-sections of UniCamp, any official UniCamp functions, or other activities engaged in by the organization or members of the organization at any time that causes, or is likely to cause, physical injury or personal degradation or disgrace resulting in psychological harm to any volunteer or other person, regardless of location, intent or consent of participants.

Bullying

Engaging in intimidating conduct or bullying against another volunteer through words or actions, in person, through a third party, or electronic communication, including direct physical contact; verbal assaults, such as teasing or name-calling; social isolation or manipulation; and cyberbullying.

Controlled Substances

Distribution, dispensing, possession, use, or sale of, or the attempted, distribution, dispensing, or sale of, controlled substances (including medicinal marijuana), identified in Federal or State law or regulations, which is unlawful or otherwise prohibited by, or not in compliance with, any UCLA UniCamp policy or being unable to exercise care for one’s own safety because one is under the influence of controlled substances, at UCLA UniCamp events and functions.

NOTE : This provision shall not apply to circumstances wherein the person under the influence was given a controlled substance without their knowledge and permission.

Alcohol

Distribution, dispensing, possession, use, or sale of, or the attempted, distribution, dispensing, or sale of alcohol, identified in Federal or State law or regulations, which is unlawful or otherwise prohibited by, or not in compliance with, any UCLA UniCamp policy or being unable to exercise care for one’s own safety because one is under the influence of alcohol, at UCLA UniCamp events and functions.

NOTE : This provision shall not apply to circumstances wherein the person under the influence was given alcohol without their knowledge and permission.

Weapons

Except as expressly permitted by law, possession, use, storage or manufacture of a firearm or other weapon capable of causing bodily injury, explosives, firebombs, other destructive devices, or replicas of any of the aforementioned items.

Retaliation

Harassing, threatening, or intimidating any person who is a complaining witness or witness for the purpose of either preventing that person from being a witness or retaliating against that person for being a witness, or both.

Volunteer Conduct Procedures

UCLA UniCamp strives to be fair in the management of volunteer conduct cases. The procedures outlined in this section represent the steps employed to reach a resolution in cases of alleged misconduct.

For incidents involving allegations of sexual harassment and sexual violence (including domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault), UCLA UniCamp staff will report the incident to the UCLA Title IX office for initial review and investigation. Any investigation conducted by UniCamp may be separate of/or in conjunction with an official Title IX investigation.

Time Limitations

There is no time limit for reporting, and people should report incidents even if significant time has passed. However, the sooner UCLA UniCamp receives a report, the better able it is to respond, investigate, remedy, and impose discipline if appropriate.

Amnesty

Complainants and witnesses, who are volunteers, and who participate in a review of sexual violence, will not be subject to disciplinary sanctions for a violation of UCLA UniCamp’s volunteer conduct policy at or near the time of the incident, unless the institution determines that the violation was egregious, including, but not limited to, an action that places the health or safety of any other person at risk.

Reporting

Anonymous reports may be made via the Student Chair Contact Form at unicamp.org/report.

Initial Review

Upon receiving a report regarding alleged violation(s), the Staff will consider information acquired from the reporting party and may conduct further review to augment that information. If the Staff determines that there is sufficient information to proceed with the conduct process, the Staff will give written notice to the respondent of the alleged violation(s).

The Staff may choose to include members from UniCabinet as part of the review and resolution process.

If the Staff determines that there is not sufficient information to proceed with the volunteer conduct process, the Staff may give written notice to a volunteer directing that volunteer not to intentionally approach, telephone, send anything via mail, email or text message, or otherwise contact or communicate with another specified individual, including through a third party or social media. These directions will not terminate the voluneers’s status as a volunteer, and will not be construed as an allegation of misconduct nor a finding of responsibility on the part of any volunteer.

Notice to Volunteer

Notice to volunteer shall include the following:

  1. The nature of the conduct in question and the basis for the allegation, including a brief statement of the basis of the charges, the date or period of time and the location of the alleged incident;
  2. The UCLA UniCamp policy(ies) allegedly violated; and information on how to access a full version of the UCLA UniCamp Volunteer Code of Conduct ;
  3. That the volunteer has five days from the date the notice was given to contact the Staff for the purpose of scheduling an initial meeting;
  4. That if the volunteer does not contact the Staff within a five-day period, or fails to keep any scheduled appointment, an interim suspension may be placed on the volunteer’s status as a volunteer. The hold will be removed only when the volunteer attends a scheduled meeting with Staff.

In cases involving an active police investigation, if the Staff determines that notice to the volunteer may interfere with the criminal investigation, the Staff may delay notice to the volunteer for a reasonable period of time.

Interim Suspension

Before resolution of alleged misconduct, an interim suspension may be imposed by the Staff. Interim suspension may include exclusion from any or all UniCamp events or activities, official or unofficial.

A volunteer will be restricted only to a minimum extent necessary when there is a reasonable cause to believe that the volunteer’s participation in UCLA UniCamp activities or presence will lead to physical abuse, threats of violence, or conduct that threatens the health or safety of any person.

Meeting(s) with the Staff

Meeting with the Staff provides the volunteer an opportunity to resolve the matter. At the initial meeting with the volunteer, the Staff will:

Decisions in Absentia

If a respondent fails to participate in the disciplinary process, the staff may move forward to resolve the matter without the volunteer’s participation.

Review Process Time Frame

In all instances, the Staff will aim to have a resolution to the matter as soon as possible but no later than three business days after the initial meeting. If additional time is needed to complete the review process, all parties involved will be notified via email.

Resolution by the Staff

At the conclusion of the review, the Staff may take one of several actions listed below. The staff may consult the complainant as to what their desired resolution is, however that may or may not impact the Staff’s decision if the Staff concludes the desired resolution is not appropriate.  In cases of alleged physical assault, the alleged victim will receive written notification of the outcome of any disciplinary action.

  1. Letter of Admonition - The Staff may provide notice to the volunteer that the alleged behavior may have violated UCLA UniCamp policy and that, if repeated, such behavior may be subject to the disciplinary process.
  2. Imposing Sanctions - If the volunteer acknowledges behavior that is prohibited by the UCLA UniCamp Volunteer Code of Conduct, the staff may impose one or more of the sanctions listed below.
  3. Insufficient Information - If the Staff concludes there is insufficient information on the basis of a preponderance of the evidence to issue a finding of responsibility for the alleged violation(s), then the matter will be closed with no further action taken.
  4. Agreement of Resolution - When the Staff and the volunteer agree that the above dispositions are not appropriate, an Agreement of Resolution may be used to conclude the matter.


This resolution, while not considered to be a finding of responsibility, is binding. If the volunteer fails to abide by the terms of the Agreement of Resolution, that failure may be regarded as actionable misconduct.

An agreement of resolution may include such terms as:

The agreement of resolution is not a formal disciplinary action but will be retained in the volunteer’s case file. During that time, should the Staff have a reasonable basis to believe that the volunteer has engaged in misconduct related in nature to the conduct which occasioned the Agreement, both cases may be the subject of UCLA UniCamp’s disciplinary action.

Sanctions and Additional Conditions

When it is determined that a volunteer’s behavior is in violation of UCLA UniCamp policy(s), the Staff will consider the context and seriousness of the violation in determining the appropriate sanction(s).

Sanctions

  1. Warning - Notice or reprimand to the volunteer that a violation of specified UCLA UniCamp policies has occurred and that further violations of the UCLA UniCamp Volunteer Code of Conduct or failure to complete any assigned condition(s) may result in additional disciplinary action including, but not limited to, suspension or dismissal.
  2. Disciplinary Probation - A status imposed for a specific period of time in which a volunteer must demonstrate conduct that conforms to UCLA UniCamp Volunteer Code of Conduct. Conditions restricting the volunteer’s privileges or eligibility for activities may be imposed. Further violations of the UCLA UniCamp Volunteer Code of Conduct, or failure to complete any assigned conditions may result in additional disciplinary action including, but not limited to, suspension or dismissal.
  3. Deferred Suspension or Dismissal - A status imposed for a specific period of time in which the volunteer must successfully complete conditions outlined by the Staff. Further violations of the UCLA UniCamp Volunteer Code of Conduct  or failure to complete any assigned conditions will result in additional disciplinary action including, but not limited to, suspension or dismissal.
  4. Suspension - Suspension is the termination of UCLA UniCamp volunteer status for a specified amount of time, to take effect at such time as the Staff determines. Suspension may include a prohibition against entering UniCamp property. Further violations of the Code or failure to complete any assigned conditions may result in additional disciplinary action including, but not limited to, additional suspension or dismissal. A suspended volunteer is considered not in good conduct standing for the duration of the suspension period.

After the period of suspension, the volunteer will be reinstated if:

  1. Dismissal - Dismissal is the termination of UCLA UniCamp volunteer status for an indefinite period and may include an exclusion from UCLA UniCamp property. Readmission may be granted only under exceptional circumstances and requires the specific approval of the Executive Director of UniCamp.

Sanctions may be increased where an individual was selected because of the individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, gender transition status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services (including protected veterans).

Additional Conditions

In addition to the sanctions listed above, the staff may also impose additional conditions, included but not limited to, one or more of the following conditions:

Failure to comply with the above conditions imposed by the Staff may subject the volunteer to additional disciplinary action including, but not limited to, suspension and dismissal.

Appeal

The accused volunteer will have five days from the date of the letter from the Staff’s written notice of decision, unless an extension is granted, in which the volunteer may submit a written appeal to the Staff, challenging their decision.  All appeals must clearly articulate and support grounds for appeal.

The three ground on which a volunteer may appeal are:

  1. The review process was not conducted in accordance with the UCLA UniCamp Volunteer Code of Conduct. Deviations from designated procedures will not be a basis for sustaining a challenge unless the procedural error substantially impacts the finding or sanction.
  2. There is new information, or other relevant facts, potentially sufficient to alter the findings, that were not known  at the time of the review process.
  3. The sanction(s) imposed are substantially disproportionate to the severity of the violation of the UCLA UniCamp Volunteer Code of Conduct which the volunteer was found to have committed.

UCLA UniCamp

Volunteer Code of Conduct - Abridged

UCLA UniCamp is committed to maintaining a community free of harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. UniCamp will respond promptly to reports of such conduct. This includes action to stop, prevent, correct, and when necessary, discipline, behavior that violates this policy. In accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, UCLA UniCamp does not discriminate on the basis of protected classes.

Committing, or attempting to commit any/all of the following are strictly prohibited for all UCLA UniCamp volunteers, regardless of anyone’s affiliation with UniCamp:

UCLA UniCamp

Volunteer Code of Conduct - Statement

As a UCLA UniCamp volunteer I am committed to maintaining a community free of harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. I acknowledge that committing, or attempting to commit any/all of the following are strictly prohibited for all UCLA UniCamp volunteers, regardless of anyone’s affiliation with UniCamp:

Signature:  ___________________________________________________        Date: _______________