MCIGS Code of Conduct

Welcome to MCIGS!

The McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society (MCIGS) is committed to providing a professional, friendly, safe, and welcoming experience for everyone who participates in our online webinars, meetings, and related virtual events.

This Code of Conduct applies to all participants, including attendees, speakers, hosts, volunteers, and guests.

Our Expectations

To help ensure that our time together is positive and productive, we ask all participants to:

• Maintain professional and civil discourse.
• You may hear views or research conclusions you do not share. Please approach differing opinions with an open mind and respond in a respectful, constructive manner.
• Engage fully and minimize distractions.
• When possible, join from a quiet space, close or minimize unrelated applications, silence smartphones, and limit multi-tasking so that you can be fully present.
• Manage audio thoughtfully.
• To keep background noise to a minimum, please remain on mute when you are not speaking. We will clearly indicate when it is appropriate to unmute (for example, during Q&A or discussion).
• Use chat and Q&A appropriately.
• The Zoom chat and Q&A features are available for relevant comments and questions about the presentation or MCIGS activities. An MCIGS representative will monitor the chat during each session.

Unacceptable Behavior

We will not tolerate any behavior that makes others feel unsafe, unwelcome, or disrespected, including (but not limited to):

• Violent threats or threatening language.
• Harassment of any kind.
• Discriminatory or derogatory jokes and language, especially targeting (but not limited to) race, color, nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.
• Insults or personal attacks, particularly those using slurs or demeaning stereotypes.
• Sharing, displaying, or posting sexually explicit, graphic, or violent material.
• Posting or threatening to post anyone’s personal or identifying information (doxxing).
• Unwelcome sexual attention or behavior that could reasonably be perceived as sexual in nature.
• Sustained disruption of presentations, chats, or discussions (for example, repeated off-topic comments, spam, or self-promotion).
• Advocating for, encouraging, or supporting any of the above behaviors.

Reporting Concerns

If you experience or witness behavior that violates this Code of Conduct, or if something makes you feel unsafe or uncomfortable:

• Please notify the event host or MCIGS representative in the session (for example, via private Zoom chat), or
• Contact MCIGS after the event at [insert appropriate MCIGS email address].

We will review all reports promptly and discreetly. When possible and appropriate, we will keep reports confidential.

Enforcement

Participants who are asked to stop any inappropriate or disruptive behavior are expected to comply immediately.

MCIGS reserves the right to take any action deemed appropriate, including but not limited to:

• Issuing a verbal or written warning.
• Muting a participant or restricting use of chat.
• Removing a participant from a webinar or meeting without refund (if applicable).
• Restricting participation in future MCIGS events.

Summary

We expect everyone to be professional, considerate, respectful, and collaborative with all whom they encounter—from fellow attendees to speakers, staff, and volunteers. Your participation is valued, and your cooperation helps ensure that MCIGS programs remain welcoming and productive for our entire genealogical community.

Thank you for helping us make our meetings and webinars the very best they can be.