Voyant Tools has always been more than a piece of software. It’s also a community of people who teach with Voyant, build with Voyant, write about Voyant, and support each other across institutions, time zones, languages, and disciplines. As the Voyant Consortium grows—through workshops, conference sessions, online discussions, collaborations, and new initiatives— we want to make sure that the spaces where we gather remain safe, inclusive, respectful, and collegial.

That’s why we’re currently developing a Code of Conduct for the Voyant Consortium. Put simply, a Code of Conduct helps clarify what we mean when we say “welcoming community.” It sets shared expectations for participation, and it also gives us a consistent, transparent way to respond if problems arise. The goal isn’t to add bureaucracy. The goal is to support a culture where people can contribute, disagree, learn, and collaborate—without harassment, exclusion, or intimidation.

The Code of Conduct will apply to Consortium activities broadly, including (but not limited to) conferences, potential SIGs, workshops and events, online forums, social media spaces connected to the Consortium, and collaborative research projects. We also hope it will help us be more intentional about accessibility and care—especially for newcomers, students, and members of communities that are often pushed to the margins of academic and technical spaces.

We would love your input as we draft this document. If you have suggestions (for example: what principles should guide participation, what examples would be helpful, or what you’ve seen work well in other communities), please email khemka@ualberta.ca. We plan to share a draft with the community in the coming weeks, and your feedback can help ensure it reflects the realities and needs of the people who make Voyant what it is.