1. Our Pledge
Mechanical Design Nexus is committed to providing a welcoming, inclusive, and harassment-free environment for every member — regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, age, academic level, or technical experience. We expect every member, contributor, and visitor to uphold this pledge online and at in-person sessions in Room 3034, CEDAT, Makerere University.
2. Our Standards
2.1 Encouraged behaviour
- Use welcoming and inclusive language.
- Be respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences.
- Accept constructive criticism gracefully and give it thoughtfully.
- Focus on what is best for the community and the craft of engineering.
- Credit the work of others and cite sources properly.
- Help newer members learn — everyone was once a beginner.
2.2 Unacceptable behaviour
- Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination of any kind.
- Sexualized language, imagery, or unwelcome advances.
- Personal or political attacks, trolling, or deliberately disruptive comments.
- Public or private harassment, including stalking or doxxing.
- Publishing others' private information without explicit permission.
- Plagiarism — submitting another person's design or writing as your own.
- Use of MDN property or materials for commercial activity without approval.
- Any behaviour that a reasonable person would consider inappropriate in a professional engineering setting.
3. Scope
This Code applies to all community spaces, including:
- The Platform (mechanicaldesignnexus.com) — articles, comments, polls, submissions, forum.
- In-person design sessions in Room 3034 and other MDN events.
- Official MDN channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, email, and social media.
- Any context where an individual represents MDN publicly.
4. Academic Integrity
MDN operates within Makerere University and upholds its academic integrity policies. Submissions must be your original work. When collaborating, clearly identify contributors. Quoting or adapting external work (CAD libraries, tutorials, research) requires proper attribution. Repeated violations will be reported to CEDAT faculty.
5. Reporting
If you witness or experience a violation of this Code, report it confidentially through any of the channels below. Reports are taken seriously, handled discreetly, and will not result in retaliation.
- Email: mec.designnexus@gmail.com
- In-person: Contact any elected MDN lead or faculty advisor.
- Form: Contact page with subject "Conduct Report".
When reporting, please include (if known):
- Date, time, and location of the incident.
- People involved (names or usernames).
- A description of what happened.
- Any supporting evidence (screenshots, links, witnesses).
6. Enforcement
The MDN leadership may take any action it deems appropriate, including:
- Private warning — a written reminder of the standards and expected correction.
- Public warning — a formal notice logged in the audit trail.
- Temporary suspension — loss of access for a defined period.
- Permanent ban — irrevocable removal from all MDN spaces.
- Escalation — referral to CEDAT faculty or local authorities where required.
Decisions are made by a conduct committee of at least two members and can be appealed once in writing within 14 days.
7. Responsibilities of Leadership
MDN leads, admins, and session facilitators are responsible for clarifying and enforcing the standards of acceptable behaviour. They have the right and responsibility to remove, edit, or reject comments, submissions, and other contributions that are not aligned with this Code, and to suspend or ban members for behaviour they deem inappropriate.
8. Attribution
This Code of Conduct is adapted from the Contributor Covenant, version 2.1, with additions specific to engineering education and the Makerere University academic context.
9. Contact
Mechanical Design Nexus — Conduct Committee
Room 3034, CEDAT, Makerere University
Email: mec.designnexus@gmail.com