Delegate Code of Conduct
VICS delegates are expected to exhibit a high level of professionalism and diplomacy at all times. This includes treating conference staff and fellow delegates with courtesy and respect, as well as demonstrating maturity in speech, actions, and appearance throughout the conference. Additionally, delegates are expected to adhere to any and all applicable policies of the University of Virginia and laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and of the United States of America.
Dress Code
VICS delegates must wear clothing that is professional. The dress code for VICS is Western Business attire. Failure to adhere to VICS’ dress code may result in disqualification from awards.
Committee Attendance
Committee attendance is expected of all delegates unless the delegation’s head delegate has notified the Secretariat in advance. Committee attendance will be enforced by roll call vote at the beginning of each committee session. Failure to attend committee session may result in disqualification from awards.
Sexual Harassment and Discrimination
VICS will not tolerate discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, or disability. If any delegate or conference staff member believes they have encountered an instance of discrimination, they are advised to bring it to the attention of the VICS Secretary General. Consistent harassment from individual delegates or larger delegations may result in disqualification from awards and a disinvitation from future VICS conferences.
Alcohol and Drug Use
Only those delegates age 21 or older may consume alcohol in Virginia. Open containers of alcohol may not be carried in public areas, including committee rooms and hallways. Furthermore, delegates found possessing or using illicit drugs, as defined by United States federal law, will be required to leave the conference immediately and may be held criminally liable.
Addressing Policy Violation
If a delegate is found to be in violation of any of the above conference policies, the VICS Secretariat may be alerted of the offense, and reserves the right to take disciplinary action including: suspension from conference activities, expulsion from all remaining conference activities, and dis-invitation of the individual delegate or delegation from subsequent VICS conferences. In some cases, the Secretariat will defer as necessary to the head delegate of the offending delegate or delegation for disciplinary action. In all cases where the Secretariat takes action, the head delegate will be alerted.
Awards Policy
Delegate Awards: Chairs and Crisis Director’s at VICS determine individual delegate awards based on their impact on committee, as demonstrated the quality of their speeches and directives/resolutions as well as their diplomacy. VICS gives out the following awards: Verbal Commendation, Honorable Mention, Outstanding Delegate, and Best Delegate.
Delegation Awards: VICS gives out four delegation awards: Best Small Delegation, Outstanding Small Delegation, Best Large Delegation, and Outstanding Large Delegation. A large delegation is defined as consisting of 12 or more delegates while a small delegation is defined as consisting of 11 or less delegates. In calculating delegation awards, double delegation awards will be double counted. In weighing awards, the following scale is used:
• Best Delegate: 50 points
• Outstanding Delegate: 30 points • Honorable Mention: 20 points
• Verbal Commendation: 10 points
Pre-Written Materials
Pre-written documents, including but not limited to draft resolutions, press releases, communiqués, and directives, are strictly prohibited at VICS. Although research is necessary to craft a strong position, delegates should not author collective action documents before the conference, as this only disadvantages delegates who receive their positions close to the conference date. We believe these pre-written documents undermine the spirit of collaborative diplomacy and academic rigor that we work hard to maintain at our conference. All Chairs, Vice-Chairs, Crisis Directors, and staff members are aware of this policy and will report any suspected pre-written materials to the Directors General.
Technology Use
The use of cellular phones, laptop computers, and other data-enabled devices is strictly prohibited during all VICS committee sessions. All research and preparation for the conference should occur prior to the first VICS committee session, and the use of technology during committee undermines the importance of this preparation. If a delegate is found to be using a prohibited device during any committee session, all VICS staff members reserve the right to confiscate the device and return it to its owner at the end of committee session. However, the use of technology in order to draft resolutions in General Assembly committees and Specialized Agencies is allowed only outside of the committee room during committee sessions and is confined solely to drafting working papers and resolutions. Chairs will check the edit history of documents to ascertain if there is any pre-writing or if technology was used outside of the committee sessions. Those found to have violated this policy may be disqualified.
Photography and Use of Conference Photographs
At VICS XXVIII, clearly identified staff photographers will be present for portions of each committee session to document the conference. The International Relations Organization reserves the rights to these photographs, and may use them on conference publications or the VICS website. If any delegate wishes that their picture not appear on any conference materials or websites, he or she must inform the Secretary General or use the forms provided in the conference forms. Likewise, if any delegation wishes to refrain from being pictured in conference materials or websites, the delegation’s sponsor should alert the Secretary General. As an added precaution, pictures likely to be used by IRO will be presented to all head delegates during the conference to be sure no unintended violation of privacy has occurred.
Fees and Refunds
The Delegation Fee is non-refundable. Delegate fees, however, are refundable before the end of the regular registration period. If drops are made after this date, delegate fees are still owed in full. They must also be paid in full if drops are made after the end of the regular registration period. If you should have any questions regarding this refund policy, or if anything appears unclear to you, please contact the Chargé d’Affaires before making any assumptions. Please note that if a delegation cannot attend VICS due to inclement weather, we cannot provide a refund. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you in March. Please also note that failure to make payment by the conference date will result in loss of conference spots. Continued non-payment will result in not being invited to future conferences and possible legal action.