CMAA Events Code of Conduct Policy

The Club Management Association of America (CMAA) is committed to fostering a welcoming environment that is safe, collaborative, and productive for supporting dialogue and discovery for all involved at CMAA national events. CMAA truly values the contributions of all attendees and participants at its meetings and events.

CMAA requires individual event participants, which definition includes, but is not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, CMAA employees and staff members, service providers, and all others related to the event to uphold the professional and educational purposes of CMAA and its events by respecting the rights, privacy, safety, and dignity of all persons. All attendees/participants must exercise professionalism, consideration, and respect in their speech and actions.

The provisions set forth in this CMAA Events Code of Conduct policy apply to both live events as well as any virtual gathering or event that is hosted by CMAA, including but not limited to the CMAA World Conference & Club Business Expo, Leadership/Legislative Conference, Mid-Management Conference, National Student Education Conference, Business Management Institutes, Summits, committee meetings, professional gatherings, written comment and discussion groups, online presence (i.e., CMAA meeting hashtags and other social media), and platforms and settings ancillary thereto (each, an “Event” and, collectively, “CMAA Events”).

This policy is intended to supplement all other applicable CMAA bylaws and policies, including our established Code of Ethics and Conduct and CMAA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement.

Expected Conduct During/At CMAA Events

All attendees and participants during/at CMAA events are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner; to communicate with respect and consideration for others; and to refrain from conduct that is (or may be perceived to be) harmful to other participants, themselves, CMAA staff, and/or third parties. Further, expected behavior includes, but is not limited to:

Respect common-sense rules for public behavior, personal interaction, courtesy, and respect for private property.
Respect the rules and policies of CMAA, the meeting venue, hotels, clubs, and city.
Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative.
Be mindful of your fellow participants. Alert CMAA staff/event organizers if you notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress.
Be mindful of the “Know Before You Go” and the meeting expectations and schedule.

Disruptive, discriminatory, or harassing behavior of any kind will not be tolerated at CMAA events. Conduct that CMAA considers inappropriate (unacceptable behavior) includes, but is not limited to:

Unwelcome and uninvited attention or contact with another attendee/participant.
Verbal or written comments, or visual images, that are sexually suggestive, or that denigrate or show hostility or aversion toward an individual, or group of individuals, or that create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment, or that unreasonably interfere with an individual’s ability to participate in the CMAA event.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other unwelcome physical, verbal, visual, or other conduct of a sexual nature.
Intimidating, harassing, abusive, defamatory, profane, discriminatory, derogatory, or demeaning speech.
Deliberate intimidation or stalking.
Harassing photography or recording.
Sustained or repeated disruption of talks or other events.
Actual or threatened personal or professional retaliation for a rejection or report of unacceptable behavior.
Offensive or inappropriate meeting attire.
Failing to stop or report unacceptable behavior when requested by an attendee/participant or CMAA.

Social Networking and Gathering During/At CMAA Events

At CMAA Events, participants often combine professional activities with social interaction with other attendees/participants and venue staff. While CMAA encourages such networking and strengthening of connections between participants, CMAA reserves the right to remove any attendee/participant whose social attentions become unwelcome to another and who persists in such attentions after their unwelcome nature has been communicated.

CMAA expects and requires all participants to act professionally and lawfully when attending any CMAA event, and the presence of alcohol at our social functions does not change this expectation. When applicable, all participants are individually responsible for their actions and behaviors when consuming alcohol at any CMAA event and may be held personally liable for any improper incident or action that results from overindulgence or illegal use of intoxicants.

Reporting Violations

CMAA takes violations of conduct very seriously and places a high priority on your safety at our events. If you believe you are being subjected to inappropriate conduct, believe someone else is being subjected to inappropriate conduct, or have other conduct-related concerns, please report the incident to any CMAA staff member at the event. CMAA’s professional and volunteer leadership will work to resolve the situation. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please contact event-venue security or local law enforcement.

Retaliation against individuals who report unacceptable behavior, or who provide information in connection with a report by another individual, will not be tolerated and will trigger additional sanctions. CMAA considers a threat or act of retaliation to be as serious an offense as harassment itself and will handle reports of retaliation accordingly.

Consequences of Reported Unacceptable Behavior

If a participant or attendee engages in unacceptable/harassing behavior in violation of the CMAA Events Code of Conduct, CMAA retains the right in its sole discretion, to take any action(s) to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. Consequences for reported conduct include, but are not limited to, warning the offender, removing, or denying the offender access to a CMAA Event (including revoking or denying registration to a CMAA Event), suspending or terminating the offender’s access to the CMAA Event, barring the offender from future CMAA Event(s), other disciplinary action, and/or notifying local law enforcement and pressing of charges.

CMAA Events Code of Conduct Enforcement Procedures

When receiving a report of unacceptable behavior, CMAA’s Chairman and President & CEO will review and direct appropriate follow up. Following investigation of the complaint, the CMAA Conduct Resolution Committee [consisting of the CMAA Chairman, the Immediate Past Chairman, one other designated member of the Board of Directors, and any applicable staff members] will review all related information/materials and determine whether the complaint violates the CMAA Events Code of Conduct policy. After consultation with the Conduct Resolution Committee, the CMAA Board of Directors will make a final, binding decision regarding whether CMAA’s policy has been violated and the consequences of any such violation. On behalf of CMAA, the Chairman will inform the complainant and subject of the decision.

The CMAA Board of Directors may take actions including, but not limited to, suspension or termination of membership in CMAA, exclusion from CMAA leadership positions, exclusion from participating in future CMAA events, and/or exclusion from deriving other benefits from CMAA activities. Such actions may be applied to an individual found in violation of this policy, regardless of their CMAA membership status. The same actions may be taken toward any individual who engages in retaliation or who knowingly makes a false allegation of harassment.

CMAA endeavors to keep proceedings under this policy as confidential as is reasonably possible. Participants in any proceeding under this policy, including the complainant, subject, and witness(es) involved in resolving the complaint, are expected to adhere to this confidentiality policy. Breach of this expectation of confidentiality may be considered a violation of CMAA’s Code of Conduct & Ethics.