Effective:      05-15-2024

Revised:       12-19-24

Policy Statement

• This policy applies to all Regents, instructors, students, and interns of VMS attending the VMS in any capacity. Collectively, the VMS or any VMS-related events may be referred to in this policy as the “School Program.”
• Employees of IAVM attending the VMS remain subject to all requirements and employment policies and procedures regarding their employment while attending the VMS.
• IAVM shall make reasonable efforts to disseminate and enforce the VMS Code of Conduct.
• The Code of Conduct Policy shall be distributed to Regents and instructors of VMS before each School Program. Regents and instructors will agree in writing to abide by the Code in a written agreement. All students will receive a copy of the Code in their registration packet and must return a signed acknowledgment form before the School Program begins.
• IAVM staff as directed by the IAVM President & CEO shall review alleged cases of infractions, in consultation with the Board of Regents, and initiate disciplinary action if warranted, which may include dismissal from the School Program, termination of any written agreement between the individual and IAVM, and/or removal from the Board of Regents. As set forth in more detail below, IAVM senior management shall have final decision-making authority on all disciplinary action.

Equal Treatment

VMS maintains a strong policy of equal treatment. Regents, instructors, and students attending VMS in any capacity will be treated fairly and without regard to gender, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, disability, citizenship, veteran status, or any other class or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws (the “Protected Characteristics”).

Regents, Instructors, Staff, and Interns

The following types of conduct at the Venue Management Schools are prohibited and may result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal or expulsion:

• Reporting to classrooms under the influence of alcohol or the use, sale, dispensing or possession of alcoholic beverages during classroom sessions or any school activity unless provided as part of and during the School Program.
• The use, sale, or possession of non-prescribed drugs or abuse of prescription medications in a manner other than what is prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider.
• Violation of any part of the Discrimination and/or Harassment Policy below.
• The use of harassing, threatening, intimidating, or abusive language.
• The possession of firearms or other weapons on the premises, except as may be permitted by law.
• Physical fighting or physical or sexual assault.
• Theft, destruction, defacement, or misuse of IAVM property or the premises’ property.

Instructors

Instructors agree to comply with the following requirements:

• Timeliness and Preparation – arrive to classrooms prior to scheduled time and be prepared and ready to
• Be involved – support and participate in all school activities, including, but not limited to: participating in guest lectures and meetings, dining at lunch tables as assigned, attending round table sessions, and monitoring classes.
• Professional behavior – behave professionally at all School Programs and social functions. “Professional Behavior” means conduct that a reasonable person would deem to be consistent with the expectations of the profession, classroom, or social decorum. Examples of unprofessional behavior include shouting or using abusive language; interrupting a presentation; publicly insulting a peer or VMS staff, IAVM’s Board of Directors, or the Regents; misusing social media to discredit reputations; misrepresenting credentials; overindulging in alcoholic beverages; participating in drinking games; and similar behavior.
• Fairness – treat students fairly and equally in classrooms and at events. Do not show preference or provide select students’ individual compensation, advantages, gifts, food, or drink.
• Neutrality – avoid commercial promotion of outside and unaffiliated products or services.
• Civility – be supportive and respectful of students, instructors, IAVM staff, and volunteers in words, tone, and action.
• Responsiveness – check communications from VMS, IAVM, and students and respond professionally in a timely fashion (even if only to acknowledge receipt and to promise a full response later).
• Focus – Inviting family members or guests to attend a class or any event associated with the School Program is prohibited, unless necessary or required under applicable law.

Students

The following types of conduct at the VMS are prohibited and may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including removal or expulsion:

• Cheating, including using written notes or other reference materials during examinations without express permission from instructor, or copying from a classmate’s answer sheet.
• Any disruptive activity during class that is not conducive to the educational process including, by way of example only:
  • Interrupting the instructor’s lesson or interfering with an instructor’s computer presentation;
  • Using cell phones or other musical or communication devices in class;
  • Moving or modifying classroom furniture so as to make the room unusable.
• Discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment.
• Inviting family members or guests to attend a class or any event associated with the School Program, unless necessary or required under applicable law.

Discrimination and/or Harassment Policy

Definitions

• • “Discrimination” means differential and unfavorable treatment based upon a Protected Characteristic.
  • “Discriminatory Harassment” includes communicating, sharing, or displaying written or visual material or making verbal comments or engaging in any other conduct which is demeaning or derogatory to a person because of or based upon any of the Protected Characteristics, including material, comments or conduct intended as humor. The use of VMS facilities, property, or equipment to disseminate, duplicate, or display such materials is prohibited.
  • “Sexual Harassment” includes making unwelcome or unwanted sexual advances, requesting sexual favors in exchange for favorable treatment or continued employment, or engaging in unwelcomed verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature which is made a term or condition of employment or participation in the School Program or which is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions. “Sexual Harassment” also includes any type of sexually-oriented conduct, including conduct intended to be friendly or humorous, that is unwelcome and is so severe or pervasive that it has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or scholarly performance or creating a work or educational environment that is intimidating, hostile, offensive, or coercive to a reasonable person.
    • The following is a non-exhaustive list of behavior which is considered sexual harassment:
      • Threats or insinuations, either explicit or implicit, that an individual’s refusal to submit to, acquiesce in or rejection of sexual conduct will adversely affect their opportunity to participate or succeed in the School Program or related activities, employment, evaluation, wages, advancement, assigned duties, benefits or any other aspect of employment or career advancement;
      • Favoring any student or other person because that person has performed or shown a willingness to perform sexual favors;
      • Unwelcome, profane, or offensive sexual jokes, language, epithets, advances or propositions, whether in person, by memorandum, e-mail or voicemail messages;
      • Written or oral abuse of a sexual nature or use of sexually degrading or sexually vulgar words to describe an individual;
      • Display of sexually suggestive objects, pictures, computer images, drawings, posters or cartoons;
      • Graphic, degrading or unwelcome comments about an individual’s body, sexual prowess or sexual deficiencies;
      • Asking questions about sexual conduct or relationships;
      • Unwelcome touching, leering, whistling, pinching, brushing against the body, or suggestive, insulting, or obscene comments or gestures; and
      • Physical assault or physically coerced sexual acts.

Description

• IAVM prohibits discrimination and/or harassment, whether in the classroom, in work assignments outside the classroom, or at school-sponsored functions, with respect to Protected Characteristics. Should such discrimination and/or harassment occur, a member of IAVM’s senior management team will take appropriate remedial action.
• Discrimination and/or harassment are unlawful and will not be tolerated. Any individual found to have engaged in discrimination and/or harassment will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of any involvement with the VMS and/or IAVM. Retaliation of any kind is not permitted against anyone who makes a good faith complaint about discrimination and/or harassment, or who furnishes information or participates in any manner in an investigation of a discrimination and/or harassment complaint. Any individual found to have engaged in retaliation will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of any involvement with the VMS and/or IAVM.