Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are central goals of the ACM, and all of their conferences. Diversity goals aim to promote and develop a research community and conference attendance that reflects the diversity of society. Equity at its heart is about removing barriers, biases, and obstacles that impede equal access and opportunity to succeed. Inclusion is about creating a conference program and environment that is free from discrimination, and where every participant feels welcome, included, respected, and safe.

In order to promote the above goals regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion, the SOSP 2019 conference commits to the following:

  • Program Committee diversity: The technical program committee will be diverse with respect to gender, home institutions, junior and senior researchers, geography, as well as a mix of people from industry and academia.
  • Unbiased review process: Double-blind reviewing is used in our review process as a means to mitigate subconscious biases against national origin, gender, sexual orientation, and race.
  • Student travel awards: In addition to merit and need, decisions about student travel awards will consider diversity with respect to gender, age, geography, and research area.
  • Diversity workshop: We will hold a Diversity Workshop featuring a variety of guest speakers to share knowledge and best practices regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as well as advice related to reference letter writing and career mentorship.
  • Child care: The conference will subsidize the costs for on-site professional child care services for those participants for whom care-giving obligations are often a barrier to conference attendance.
  • ACM Contract: Our venue contract has an explicit statement about the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusivity, not only in the egalitarian treatment of conference attendees, but also in the venue’s own hiring and employment practices. This contract was endorsed and signed by ACM and Deerhurst representatives in April 2018.
  • Policies: The conference will follow all of ACM's existing policies and practices (e.g., professional conduct, privacy, non-harassment, diversity, equity, and inclusion). All attendees will be made aware of such policies via the conference Web site, and acknowledge these policies within the conference registration system.
  • Data collection: SOSP 2019 will follow ACM's best practices for collecting demographic data within the conference registration system. Such data will be shared with ACM to assess the success of DEI initiatives at current and future SOSP conferences. All such data collection and use will follow ACM's Privacy Policy which complies with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements.
  • Code of Conduct: ACM and SIGOPS are dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience, as a result SOSP implements and adheres to the ACM Code of Conduct

** Portions of this plan have been adapted from the ICSE 2019 "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan", with their permission.