WIT Code of Conduct - Washington Improv Theater

This code is designed to work in tandem with WIT’s Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Prevention policy.

Improv and Community

Washington Improv Theater (WIT) has a strong commitment to creating an educational environment that serves students and an artistic environment that serves artists by providing a safe place to study, grow, and practice our craft.

Many positive friendships and relationships – even marriages – have grown out of the WIT community. We celebrate that, and this code of conduct is not meant to discourage connection, which is part of what makes WIT a warm and welcoming community.

However, those in a position of authority or heightened visibility (such as staff members, teachers and teaching assistants, directors and coaches, performers, workshop facilitators, and board members) must thoughtfully consider the real and perceived power dynamic involved in any interaction with members of the WIT community, and their role in creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for all. The guidelines in this code of conduct are intended to help everyone do just that.

Washington Improv Theater Strives to Maintain:

An environment free from predatory and exploitative behavior. These policies are designed to challenge and prevent such behavior.

Objective and impartial class promotion, hiring, and performer casting. These policies are also intended to illuminate and help us avoid allowing personal biases (positive or negative) to affect class advancement, workshop hiring, job hiring, or performer casting.

Direct communication. If someone’s conduct seems or feels inappropriate to you, and you are comfortable doing so, say something to them. The sooner the better. If you cannot speak with them, please reach out to one of the ombudsmen or staff members listed in the Reporting Procedure section of WIT’s Discrimination and Harassment Prevention policy. Again, the sooner the better.

Each interaction we have builds not only this community, but our personal reputations. Beyond the strict dos, don’ts, and consequences of the policies below, common courtesy, direct communication, and thoughtful consideration can go a long way in keeping our community and our reputation strong.

A fair and ethical culture. WIT expects its staff members, teachers, teaching assistants, coaches and directors, facilitators, players, and board members to demonstrate mature judgment, ethical and honest behavior, and to represent WIT as a role model both in the classroom, on stage, and in all WIT activities and social situations throughout the larger community.

A culture without retaliation. Encouraging people to raise concerns is important for a transparent and healthy culture. No one will suffer punitive effects from raising a concern at WIT in good faith.

A culture where privacy is respected. No participant in a class, workshop, rehearsal, or other non-public performance WIT activity may make an audio or video recording, take a photograph, or retain a record of personal information shared by a participant during the activity, without the express consent of WIT and all involved participants. Further, no participant will post on social media, blogs, personal websites or any other public forum, videos, audio recordings, photographs, or personal information relating to any participants in a non-public performance WIT activity, without the express consent of WIT and all involved participants. Finally, it is not permissible to invite external third parties to listen in or watch classes, workshops, rehearsals, or other non-public performance WIT activity who are not authorized by WIT to attend or participate and whose presence is not apparent to all participants. To the extent consent has been granted for any of the above, the use and sharing of information will be done with respect and courtesy. Sharing photos, posts and other content on social media that WIT already has made public, or solely involving oneself and one’s own WIT-related experience, is generally okay.

A culture where intellectual property is respected. All participants in WIT activities are expected to follow the law, and to follow basic concepts of artistic integrity and professional courtesy, when using, referencing, or building on each other’s work. That includes not using audio or video recordings, photographs, written scripts or notes, or replications of performances from memory, without appropriate permissions, credits and attributions.

In support of this, the following policies have been put in place.

Instructors and Facilitators:

Do not commence a sexual or romantic relationship with a student currently enrolled in a class, workshop, or training session. This includes flirting and/or asking students while class is ongoing to explore a romantic relationship after the class is over.
If a student takes a class taught by an instructor or facilitator with whom they are or were in a sexual or romantic relationship, a family relationship, or are members of the same household, that relationship must be disclosed by the instructor to the Artistic/Executive Director and Education Director. If the relationship is current, it must be disclosed to the class on the first day for transparency purposes. If the relationship has ended, disclosure to the class is not mandatory.
Previous mutual consent to a sexual or romantic relationship does not prevent claims of prohibited harassment from being brought against an instructor or facilitator later.
Consequences for violating these policies: WIT will not renew the contract of instructors or facilitators who violate these rules. Furthermore, WIT reserves the right to terminate a contract and/or replace a teacher or teaching assistant mid-class. WIT reserves the right to take disciplinary action at its discretion regardless of circumstance. If criminal behavior is reported, WIT may be obligated to report the incident to law enforcement.

Coaches and Directors:

Do not commence a sexual or romantic relationship with a player, assistant coach/director, or co-coach/director on a team you coach or direct.
If there is a pre-existing sexual or romantic, family, or shared household relationship, or if one develops, both parties are responsible for disclosing their relationship to the Artistic/Executive Director and to the cast or team as soon as possible.
Any past sexual or romantic, family, or shared household relationships with players, or relationships that were started before the beginning of rehearsals, must be disclosed to the Artistic/Executive Director and, where appropriate, to the cast or team for purposes of transparency.
Anyone participating in the audition panel process who has had a sexual or romantic relationship with a player auditioning must recuse themselves from the discussion of that player (you need not disclose why).
Family or shared household relationships, friendships or previous/current artistic collaborations must be disclosed by those on audition panels as well for transparency purposes, but recusal is not necessary.
WIT reserves the right to take disciplinary action at its discretion, which could include removal from coaching, teaching, and/or performing roles.

Players:

Romantic or sexual relationships between performers on the same ensemble or cast are discouraged.
Anyone participating in the audition panel process who has had a sexual or romantic relationship with another player who is auditioning must recuse themselves from the discussion of that player (you need not say why).
WIT reserves the right to take disciplinary action at its discretion.

Staff Members:

Staff members are discouraged from engaging in a sexual or romantic relationship with other staff members, interns, contractors (e.g. teachers, teaching assistants, workshop facilitators, coaches and directors), students, WIT Board members, Improv For All workshop participants, WIT@Work client contacts and client participants, and/or volunteers.
Any such relationship must be reported to the WIT Board Chair and the Artistic/Executive Director.
Avoid any behavior or language that could be interpreted as sexual or other harassment, especially when in one-on-one situations.
WIT reserves the right to take disciplinary action at its discretion.

Board Members:

Board members are strongly discouraged from engaging in a sexual or romantic relationship with other WIT Board members, staff members, contractors (e.g., teachers, teaching assistants, directors, coaches, workshop facilitators), performers, students, interns, or volunteers.
Any such relationship must be reported to WIT’s Board Chair and the Artistic/Executive Director.
WIT reserves the right to take disciplinary action at its discretion.

Reporting

Do not assume that WIT is aware of the situation.
Anonymous submissions can be submitted through THIS FORM
If you have any concerns about any potential policy violations, please bring them to WIT’s attention.

How WIT Handles Complaints

WIT will make every effort to talk to the complaint filer and will reach out discreetly, and with notice to the complaint filer where possible, to others who may be involved or have relevant knowledge in order to gather information. If the complaint alleges criminal activity, the complaint filer is encouraged to contact the applicable authorities. If the complaint is anonymous, we may be unable to get further details.
WIT will make every effort to have a discussion with the person(s) who is the subject of the complaint. For staff members, this may happen with the Executive Director and a third party. For WIT Board members, this may happen with the Board Chair and a third party. For teachers, teaching assistants, or workshop facilitators this may happen with the Artistic Director, Education Director, and a third party. For coaches/players/directors this may happen with the Artistic Director and a third party. At this meeting we will share what we have been told and will ask the individual to share their account.
We will clarify the official WIT policies, discuss possible violation/s by the person(s) who is the subject of the complaint, and ensure they understand the policies in full.
After the meeting, we will explain to the person(s) who is the subject of the complaint what formal decisions and/or consequences there will be for them at WIT. We will discuss possible steps they might consider going forward, including, but not limited to, apologizing, training, and behavior modification. In severe cases, termination of the person’s relationship with WIT may be warranted.
For WIT’s records, we will document this conversation and will share documentation with all present, always including the person who lodged the complaint. This documentation may include an action plan for WIT and for the named party which will require sign-off by all present.

Anti-Retaliation Policy

WIT seeks to encourage disclosure and discussion without penalty for the person who in good faith raises an issue or alleges misconduct. Accordingly, if someone named in a complaint retaliates or communicates with the complaint filer in any way to threaten, harass, intimidate or otherwise attempt to influence the outcome of the complaint after an alleged incident, WIT reserves the right to take whatever actions it deems necessary.

This policy describes important expectations regarding conduct within the WIT community but does not create a contractual right to employment or engagement, or vary the at-will nature of any employment or other relationship between WIT and its staff, contractors, students or other personnel.

If you have questions or concerns regarding anything in this Code of Conduct, please reach out to Mark Chalfant, WIT’s Artistic & Executive Director, at mark@witdc.org.