Enforcement of the ACL Anti-Harassment Policy — Implementation

Revision of 2018-08-07

Background

In 2016, ACL adopted an anti-harassment policy, based on that of NAACL, for its conferences: https://aclweb.org/adminwiki/index.php?title=Anti-Harassment_Policy

The present document sets out a framework for enforcement of this policy, with procedures to follow if complaints are raised under the policy. The goals are:

1. Identify the roles required within ACL to properly handle complaints, both in the case of behavior at conferences and other ACL events and in the case of behavior online or other ACL-related situations.
2. Lay out procedures so that the people charged with handling complaints have guidance as to what action to take.
3. Ensure that the procedures give the policy "teeth" — otherwise, it won't serve its stated function of making sure that ACL events provide fora for "open exchange of ideas, the freedom of thought and expression, and respectful scientific debate".
4. Ensure that the procedures are set up to protect the privacy of individuals involved, to the extent possible and reasonable.
5. Provide due process and fairness for both complainants and respondents.