This public document is a record of current expectations regarding infractions of the Volunteer Agreement, Volunteer Handbook, Communications Code of Conduct, and event Code of Conduct. It expands on broad expectations to include more specific examples of what types of warnings and sanctions staffers can expect for different categories of misconduct (including actions, behaviors, and communications).
This document is a guide. While it aims to offer a comprehensive list of misconduct examples and associated consequences, there will always be exceptional or nuanced cases which do not fit neatly into a predetermined scenario. STOPS reserves the right to make decisions regarding an individual’s staff status and access to perks on a case-by-case basis where necessary.
Note: This is a living document. Changes may be made over time to reflect updates to policies and procedures. Efforts are being made to maintain a record of changes and how these affect ongoing cases. Please reach out to [email protected] if you have specific questions or concerns related to the implementation of policies in this document. There is a changelog at the end of the primary policy document.
STOPS Department Heads and Committee Members involved in reviewing instances of misconduct will always prioritize resolving cases in a manner which upholds the organization’s Core Values: Sincerity, Support, Participation, Experimentation, and Community.
This process aims to honor the complexity of human experiences while prioritizing the safety and trust of the MAGFest community as a whole.
MAGFest is an organization which exists as a result of the care, creativity, dedication, and trust of its community members. As with any community, connections which make us stronger also present the potential for disagreement, misunderstanding, or conflict to arise. The misconduct review and sanctions process exists to hold members of our community accountable to one another. In all cases, sanctions are intended to support the community and serve as organizational safeguards. When it comes to issuing sanctions, the organization believes individuals remain important members of the community even when accountability is needed. Sanctions are never a judgment of personal worth.
<aside> 🟣
A Note on Long-term or Lifetime Sanctions:
It is our belief that people are capable of growth, and that many conduct issues can be addressed through communication, reflection, and support. At the same time, we recognize that repeated or serious misconduct can have a lasting impact on the broader community. There may be instances in which STOPS has to prioritize the needs of the community over those of the individual, regardless of their role in the organization.
The process outlined in this document exists to balance these realities. It provides a consistent, values-informed framework for holding staff accountable, supporting individual growth where possible, and maintaining community trust.
While we believe in second chances, we also acknowledge that there are limits to what a community-based organization can, or should, sustain. Continuing to offer opportunities to individuals who have caused serious harm may put others at risk and can undermine the community’s confidence in MAGFest's commitment to its values. For these reasons, boundaries such as long-term or indefinite volunteering bans, while extremely rare, may be necessary in some cases.
</aside>
Cases addressed by the STOPS Committee typically refer to one specific event or instance of misconduct. However, if multiple issues are brought up simultaneously, the STOPS Committee will use this guide and values-informed judgment to come to a decision regarding the application of sanctions. Established precedents will be considered, but do not guarantee specific or identical outcomes given the unique nature of each concern as well as the organization's commitment to ongoing policy review.
STOPS Committee handles cases of concerning staff misconduct in the following three categories:
- Administrative
- Cultural
- Safe Committee Referrals
Each of these referrals is handled on a case-by-case basis and may cover conduct concerns which span both of the above categories (administrative and cultural).
Below are sanctions typically enacted by the STOPS Committee, in order from least to most consequential: