Anti-Discrimination

We are dedicated to providing a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for all participants. As such, discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, national origin, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, political or religious belief, or any other protected class will not be tolerated under any circumstances. 

Sexual Harassment and Bullying

WUMUNS has a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment and bullying. Any form of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature will not be tolerated. Bullying, harassment, and intimidation in any form—whether verbal, physical, or cyber—will not be permitted. If you witness or experience sexual harassment or bullying, you may report this to any member or WUMUNS Secretariat or WUMUNS Staff. You may also use the Misconduct Reporting Form, which can be found on the Delegates tab of the WUMUNS website. WUMUNS Secretariat will take appropriate action, which may include:

1. Disqualification from awards,
2. Suspension from committee,
3. Expulsion from WUMUNS without refund, 
4. Ban the individual from returning to WUMUNS, and/or
5. Any other action deemed necessary and appropriate.

Substances

The use of substances, including alcohol, tobacco products of any kind, e-cigarettes or vapes, marijuana products or paraphernalia, and any other illegal drugs is strictly prohibited for all delegates.

Respect for Staff and Fellow Delegates

WUMUNS values respect, collaboration, and constructive dialogue. Delegates must conduct themselves with professionalism, treating all staff members and fellow delegates with courtesy. Delegates will show respect for chairs and staff members, following decisions and instructions given during the conference and committee sessions. Delegates will also be respectful of all other participants, refraining from rude, aggressive, or inappropriate behavior. Finally, delegates are to remain respectful of the topics they discuss in committee and the viewpoints brought by other delegates, engaging in civil and diplomatic discourse. Verbal attacks, ad hominem arguments, and condescending remarks are not tolerated.

Attendance and Participation

All delegates are required to attend and actively participate in all scheduled committee sessions. Delegate attendance and participation are essential to ensure your committee proceedings run smoothly. Delegates are expected to:

• Be present at every committee session.
• Arrive on time and remain in their committee session until its conclusion.
• Notify their advisor and the committee chair if unforeseen circumstances prevent attendance.
• Actively contribute to debates, negotiations, and drafting of resolutions in a manner consistent with the rules of procedure and the principles of diplomacy.

Technology

Delegates are not permitted to use technology while in committee sessions. If there is an emergency, a delegate may request to step outside to use their cell phone.

Hotel policies

1. Delegates must be in the hotel 30 minutes prior to curfew and must be in their assigned rooms by the curfew time. Any delegates not staying in the hotel must return to their hotel/housing accommodations by the curfew time. 
2. Delegates are not allowed to be in hotel rooms with members of the opposite sex.
3. Delegates will not disrupt or harass other delegates or guests at the hotel. Excessive noise in hallways, common areas, or individual rooms is not allowed. 
4. WUMUNS and hotel staff reserve the right to direct students to their rooms if there is excessive noise or disruption to other guests. 

Multiple violations of the hotel policies may result in disciplinary actions by WUMUNS secretariat, including but not limited to loss of eligibility for awards, removal from committee session(s), or any other consequence deemed appropriate. 

Dress Code

To maintain the professionalism of Model United Nations, all delegates must adhere to a business professional dress code during committee sessions. Western Business Attire required of all participants while committees are in session. For men, this includes suits, dress shirts, ties, and appropriate formal footwear. For women, this includes suits, blouses, skirts or dress pants, and professional shoes. Avoid casual or informal clothing, such as jeans, t-shirts, sneakers, or any other attire not fitting the professional nature of the event. If a WUMUNS staffer deems an outfit unacceptable, they reserve the right to ask a delegate to change their clothes before returning to committee. 

Writing Policies

Delegates are encouraged to work collaboratively, think creatively, and contribute their own ideas during committee sessions. Our policies prohibiting plagiarism, pre-writing, and artificial intelligence are designed to preserve the academic and diplomatic integrity of our conference.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism of any form is strictly forbidden at WUMUNS. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of another’s work, ideas, or expressions without proper attribution, paraphrasing without citations, use of prior work from oneself or a teammate, and the use of Artificial Intelligence. All written work, including position papers, working papers, draft resolutions, and crisis notes, must be the original work of the delegate or delegates submitting it. Research is encouraged when preparing for one’s role at the conference, and delegates must cite any and all sources used when preparing their position papers and other work. MLA format citations are encouraged, though any citation style the delegate prefers is acceptable. Any instance of plagiarism will be taken seriously and may result in disciplinary actions, up to and including disqualification from awards or removal from the conference.

Pre-writing

Pre-writing, defined as drafting materials before arriving at the conference or during breaks between sessions (such as in crisis committees), is strictly prohibited. All writing for committees, including working papers, draft resolutions, or crisis directives, must be completed during the conference. Delegates in crisis committees are expected to work on WUMUNS documents only during committee sessions, though delegates in general assemblies may continue their working papers during breaks between sessions. All delegates are encouraged to collaborate with other delegates when appropriate.

Artificial Intelligence 

WUMUNS recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) programs have become very popular, controversial, and powerful tools. Nonetheless, using AI can detract from the educational aspects of the conference in several ways. It may prevent delegates from learning new and challenging topics about their committee, generate their own ideas and arguments, and think creatively to find compromise and solutions. Because of this, we strongly recommend that delegates avoid the use of AI when preparing for the conference, especially as it often provides inaccurate or biased information.

Furthermore, WUMUNS views the use of AI as presenting an unfair advantage. Therefore, the use of artificial intelligence in any form during the conference is strictly prohibited. Delegates found to be using AI in any form (including, but not limited to generating ideas, analyzing text, or researching sources) during the conference will be subject to sanctions as outlined below. Additionally, AI may not be used to write a position paper. 

Nonetheless, if delegates use AI in their preparation for the conference, all material (such as researched sources, analysis of sources, and/or ideas) must be properly cited. Delegates representing AI-generated content, ideas, or information as their own will be treated as plagiarism and subject to disciplinary consequences. A position paper written with AI will be considered plagiarism, even if cited properly. 

Violations of the Writing Policies (including instances of plagiarism, pre-writing, or use of AI) will be addressed by the committee staff and WUMUNS Secretariat. Disciplinary actions will be determined on a case-by-case basis, and could include:

• Confiscation of pre-written work or work containing plagiarized / AI-generated materials.
• Verbal warnings or formal reprimands.
• Disqualification from awards consideration.
• Removal from the committee or the conference.

Crisis Notes & Arcs

At WUMUNS, we are committed to maintaining a respectful, professional, and educational environment that reflects the diplomatic spirit of the United Nations. As a part of this commitment, we have developed rules on content that will not be allowed in crisis arcs or committee debates. WUMUNS participants may be as young as 14, and all content must be appropriate for all delegates. 

These guidelines are not comprehensive. WUMUNS staff reserves the right to evaluate the appropriateness of crisis arcs and committee discussions based on the specific context and sensitivities of each committee. Delegates should think carefully about not just the immediate consequences of their words/notes, but also the possible implications and underlying messages that could be harmful to other delegates (regardless of intent). 

Prohibited Content

1. Discriminatory Content: Arcs or discussions containing any discriminatory subjects violate WUMUNS policy and are completely prohibited. This includes outright discriminatory statements as well as indirect mentions, references to harmful stereotypes, or insensitive portrayals of sensitive subjects.*
2. Foreign Accents: A delegate may not attempt to imitate, mimic, or mock any foreign accent. This includes the accent of a character or nation they are representing, of another character in committee, or of any delegate attending WUMUNS. 
3. Assassination of Committee Members and Inappropriate Killings: Delegates may not assassinate other committee members, as this distracts from the educational goal of committee and may worsen other delegates’ experience at WUMUNS. Also, as diplomacy is a primary goal in our conference and in the UN, delegates will not be able to kill civilians, aid workers, and/or children in the context of their committee.  
4. Sexual Content: Sexual content in any form is prohibited at WUMUNS. This includes explicit discussions, references, portrayals or descriptions, innuendos, or any suggestive material. 
5. Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, and Ethnocide: All of these terms involve systematic targeting of a specific group on the basis of ethnicity or religion. The primary difference between genocide and ethnic cleansing is that ethnic cleansing intends to forcibly displace a persecuted population, whereas genocide intends to destroy that group. In contrast, ethnocide doesn’t remove the group, but aims to erase their culture and ways of thinking/living. All of these subjects involve extreme violence and grave human rights abuses; therefore, they are completely prohibited at WUMUNS. 
6. Colonialism: Colonialism involves the oppression and domination of one nation or group of people by another. It is often for economic gain, and involves suppression of people’s culture, language, and other rights. While colonialism throughout history is very important, it is prohibited at WUMUNS due to its intense and sensitive nature. 
7. Slavery: Slavery and modern-day slavery (including human trafficking, forced labor, domestic servitude, forced marriage, and any other form) is prohibited content in arcs and debate. Modern slavery involves the illegal exploitation of people for personal and commercial gain. 
8. Biological Warfare: The use of disease-causing or toxic agents (such as bacteria, viruses, microorganisms, and fungi) as weapons to kill or harm humans, animals or plants is prohibited in crisis arcs and committees. 

*Character portrayal guidelines: Just because the character or nation a delegate is representing may hold discriminatory beliefs, a delegate may NOT speak or act in a discriminatory manner in committee or in their crisis notes. If a delegate has questions or concerns on how to best represent their character/position, please reach out to your chair or any member of staff/secretariat.