Position Statements

NABT Position Statements are regularly updated after adoption and approved by the NABT Board of Directors. To learn more about this process or to suggest future statements, please contact NABT.

NABT Policy on Meeting Safety & Responsibility

The National Association of Biology Teachers is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all conference participants and NABT staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, NABT staff, service providers, and others are expected to abide by this Meeting Safety & Responsibility Policy.

This Policy applies to all NABT meeting-related events – both in-person and online – and includes those events sponsored by organizations other than NABT but held in conjunction with NABT events, in public or private facilities.

Personal Safety and Security

NABT works diligently to provide a safe and secure environment at its meetings and events by working with venue staff to make sure participants are safe. We ask that all attendees report any questionable or concerning activity to NABT staff so that they can take immediate action. No concern is too small, so if you see something, say something.

• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Use the buddy system when walking to and from the event venue, and offsite events, during early or late hours.
• Don’t wear your meeting badge on the street. Remove it as soon as you leave the building/ venue.
• Don’t carry a lot of cash or credit cards. Leave in your hotel room safe.
• Don’t leave personal property unattended anywhere, anytime.

If it is an emergency or if you need immediate assistance, do not delay in asking any NABT staff member or the on-site security personnel to help you.

Public Health & Safety

NABT understands that there is inherent risk in participating in any activity, and we do our best to reduce those risks as much as possible. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NABT will adopt measures to mitigate risks based on available guidance from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, and other public health experts. We appreciate your full compliance with those protocols to help reduce viral transmission.

We also request that you monitor your own health status and forgo attending an NABT event if you suspect exposure to an infectious agent or exhibit symptoms.

Responsible Drinking

At NABT receptions, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages are served. NABT expects participants at our events to drink responsibly. NABT and hotel staff have the right to deny service to participants for any reason and may require a participant to leave the event.

Unacceptable Behavior

NABT has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment by participants or our staff at our events. This includes but is not limited to sexual harassment or unwelcome conduct based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, nationality, age, disability, or genetic information.

Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to:

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.
• Physical or verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, NABT staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
• Verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, NABT staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
• Disruption of presentations at sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by NABT at the meeting venue, hotels, or other NABT-contracted facilities.

If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, NABT asks that you inform Jaclyn Reeves-Pepin, NABT Executive Director at jreevespepin@nabt.org or (888) 501-6228 so that appropriate action can be taken.

NABT reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and NABT reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting.

You will hold no one else accountable, including NABT, its host hotels and partners, should you contract an illness or should anything else happen to you during your participation in an NABT learning experience or event.

By registering for an NABT event, you agree to comply with NABT’s Meeting Safety and Responsibility Policy and will take full responsibility for your personal conduct.

Revised and adopted by the NABT Board of Directors, December, 2022. This position supersedes and replaces all previous NABT statements regarding meeting safety and responsibility.

Adapted from the ASAE Meeting Safety and Responsibility Policy. All rights reserved.

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