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Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance, Inc.

Code of Ethics

 

Updated January 1, 2022

This Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance (“MTEA”) Code of Ethics (the “Code”) serves as a code of professional conduct for members of MTEA (“Members”). Members shall exhibit integrity, honesty, respect, and open-mindedness as they actively uphold the MTEA Mission & Vision statements, attached to this Code as Exhibit A. The purpose of this Code is to ensure a positive experience for everyone who participates in MTEA programs and services. Because MTEA is an international organization, its membership reflects many forms of diversity. All Members are expected to behave in a way that encourages and celebrates the diversity of race, culture, and background to ensure that every Member feels welcome and safe at MTEA-sponsored events and in social media spaces. Behavior that marginalizes any Members or communities will not be tolerated.

Should a Member act in opposition to the MTEA Mission & Vision Statements or violate a principle within this Code, the Member may be subject to disciplinary action as determined by the MTEA Executive Committee and through the Conduct Review Process outlined below.

Scope of Code

This Code applies to behaviors that take place at MTEA-sponsored events and in social media pages. Conduct outside MTEA’s jurisdiction may also be covered under this Code if the Executive Committee deems the Member’s behavior of significant concern, which may include any situation:

●  where the Member’s conduct presents a danger or threat to the health or safety of themselves or others;

●  that significantly impinges upon the rights, property, or achievements of others, significantly breaches the peace, or causes social disorder; or

●  that is detrimental to MTEA, its MTEA Mission & Vision, or its charitable and educational programs.

 

Prohibited Behaviors

Members will refrain from the following harmful behaviors:

  1. Engaging in acts of harassment, which are defined for the purposes of this Code as verbal, written, or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his/her race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law or that of his/her relatives, friends or associates, and that a) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment; b) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's performance; or c) otherwise adversely affects an individual's opportunities.

a. Harassing conduct includes epithets, slurs or negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating or hostile acts; denigrating jokes; and written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group and that is placed on walls or elsewhere on the employer's premises or circulated in the workplace, on company time or using company equipment via e-mail, phone (including voice messages), text messages, tweets, blogs, social networking sites, or other means.

2. Engaging in acts of discrimination, which are defined for the purposes of this Code as inequitable treatment on any basis prohibited by law, including but not limited to: race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information.

3. Engaging in acts of sexual harassment, which are defined for the purposes of this Code, as in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Guidelines, as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when, for example a) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment; b) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for decisions affecting such individual; or c) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.

a. Sexual harassment may include a range of subtle and not-so-subtle behaviors and may involve individuals of the same or different gender. Depending on the circumstances, these behaviors may include unwanted sexual advances or requests for sexual favors; sexual jokes and innuendo; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; commentary about an individual's body, sexual prowess or sexual deficiencies; leering, whistling or touching; insulting or obscene comments or gestures; display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; and other physical, verbal or visual conduct of a sexual nature.

4. Making another Member's personal, private, or identifying information public without permission.

5. Plagiarizing or copying of the work of others while claiming such work as original.

 
 

 a. This includes the unauthorized use of another Member's intellectual property, or use of their name, logo, trademarks or service marks, or other copyrighted information.

  1. Intentionally engaging in conduct or making false or misleading statements about MTEA or its members where such behavior is detrimental to MTEA or its members’, their reputations, or MTEA’s purposes.

  2. Unauthorized use of MTEA property, including but not limited to funds, name, logo, other trademarks or service marks, copyrighted information, and membership listings.

  3. Failure to obey any rules or regulations of the venue or site host institution at MTEA-sponsored events, including regarding weapon, drug, or alcohol policies.

Minor Conflicts

Many minor conflicts can best be resolved through direct communication between the involved parties. If the conflict cannot be resolved, is of a more serious nature, or if a Member does not feel comfortable handling the matter directly, the MTEA Executive Committee** will follow its Conduct Review Process, outlined below. If a Member is in immediate or serious danger, the Member should immediately contact law enforcement. **Possible sub-committee (if the conflict involves a member of the EC).

Conduct Review Process

If a Member has experienced or witnessed harmful conduct or other ethics violations perpetrated by another Member (collectively, “Incidents”), they may submit an Incident Report, available on MTEA’s website. The Incident Report will then be reviewed by the Executive Committee as set forth below. All determinations of appropriate or harmful behavior and their consequences are in the Executive Committee’s sole discretion.

The Executive Committee’s Conduct Review Process seeks to resolve Incidents in a timely, respectful, and confidential manner by following the below steps:

  1. The Executive Committee (or Cabinet) will thoroughly read and discuss the submitted Incident Report.

  2. If necessary, the Executive Committee will investigate the Incident through conversation with involved parties, who will be given the opportunity to further explain the Incident in writing within a set period of time. All Incidents will be handled with sensitivity, discretion, and confidentiality to the extent allowed by the circumstances and the law. Generally, this practice means that Incidents will only be shared with those who have a need to know in order to facilitate a resolution, as the Executive Committee deems necessary, or as required by law.

  1. The Executive Committee (or Cabinet) will determine the outcome of the Incident, in consultation with legal counsel, if necessary. If the Executive

    Committee (or Cabinet) determines that a Member has violated this Code, it may take one or more of the following corrective actions: verbal warning; written warning; removal from MTEA’s social media pages; expulsion from a conference or event, with or without refund of conference fees; exclusion from future MTEA conferences and events; [temporary or permanent] cancellation of the Member’s Individual1 or Student Membership; or other actions to suit the unique factors of the Incident.

  2. Appeal process OR Membership Reinstatement Process for the Future

Other Policies and Procedures

This Code supplements, but does not alter, amend, or supersede, any other MTEA policies and procedures, including, without limitation, policies and procedures set forth in MTEA’s Conflict of Interest Policy and Bylaws.

1 If the Member is a part of an Organizational Membership, their individual membership will not affect the membership status of their Organizational colleagues, unless said colleagues are involved in the dispute and deemed responsible for harmful actions that are also in violation of this Code.