Content Policy
In order to operate a fair, accessible, and equitable experience for all delegates and advisors, please adhere to the following conference policies surrounding the content we permit and do not permit you to engage with for the duration of the conference.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited at EmpireMUNC. This includes, but is not limited to verbatim or near-verbatim copying from academic sources as well as nonacademic sources, including any prior written work from delegates or members of your delegation. This applies to position papers (if required), draft resolutions, directives, and any other documents a delegate may write before and during the conference. This includes copying past resolutions’ clauses, directives, or copying from an academic source without proper citation. All written work throughout this conference will be checked for plagiarism.
We encourage research when preparing for conferences, and so delegates should feel free to cite information in their written documents, especially for technical information or factual content. We encourage actively citing and referencing sources, both for the benefit of avoiding plagiarism, but to also add validity to your claims across committee.
Any concerns regarding plagiarism should be reported to Directorate through our anonymous report forms we will bring out to every committee. Any delegate found guilty of plagiarism will be disqualified from awards. Widespread plagiarism across a single delegation may lead to a whole-delegation disqualification. Furthermore, we reserve the right to search all written or printed material delegates bring to committee in response to allegations.
Pre-Writing Policy
Prewriting is strictly forbidden at EmpireMUNC.
Delegates are welcome to bring relevant resources with them to committee, as delegates are strongly encouraged to research their topics thoroughly and be familiar with the views of their country or position. Bringing relevant resources, including academic articles, is fully permitted (and encouraged) given sources have been cited. However, unless fully cited, you may not include a verbatim or near-verbatim copy of these sources in any capacity in any written content.
Delegates also may prepare a general outline of what they would like to accomplish, like a rough idea of a crisis arc, however this must be general and vague to the point that delegates cannot copy said language into a document produced over the course of a conference. For example, a crisis delegate may bring an outline of a crisis arc including rough ideas about what they want to do, and this is permitted within reason. Delegates may not bring sample directives or notes that could be directly copied in any capacity for use in their committee. Even if this is not directly copied or used, discovery of such material will be in violation of our Pre-writing Policy. You may not write any material for use in committee between committee sessions either.
If you are unsure about whether you are violating the pre-writing policy, before the start of committee you are welcome to ask either a member of Directorate or your Chair, and show any documents you have brought. If you violate this policy before the first committee session, you will not be disqualified, however any violating materials will be confiscated and disposed of. Once the first committee session starts, any violations will result in disqualification from awards.
Any concerns regarding prewriting should be reported to Directorate through our anonymous report forms we will bring out to every committee. Any delegate found guilty of prewriting will be disqualified from awards. Widespread prewriting across a single delegation may lead to a whole-delegation disqualification. Furthermore, we reserve the right to search all written or printed material delegates bring to committee in response to allegations.
Artificial Intelligence Policy
We strongly discourage the use of AI programs as part of preparation in any capacity. We believe it worsens the educational experience and often provides inaccuracies or bias that may impact your performance as a delegate. We believe delegates should, independent of AI, be able to do effective research, come up with strong, convincing arguments, and develop strong diplomatic skills, and ultimately hinders your ability to come up with creative solutions and ideas. We also believe that unrestricted AI use may provide unfair advantages.
Hence, the use of AI (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.) is entirely banned for the duration of the conference. This is an expectation we have put on our own staff in the development of Background Guides, and we also hold this expectation of our delegates.
If you use AI in any capacity in resources you bring in, you must properly cite any content or ideas you received from it. This extends to backroom notes and directives, as well as resolutions. Cite the AI platform you used, for any purpose serving your delegation in the conference. Failure to do this will be regarded as plagiarism, and will be subject to the plagiarism policy.
Authenticity Policy
Delegates must represent the views of a country or individual, not themselves, and so delegates are reminded to adhere to the stances of their country or position they represent. However, this should not constrain a delegate, and that compromise and cooperation are valued more than true authenticity. Delegates should not feel like they should sacrifice diplomacy for true, complete authenticity to their position. Delegates who feel unsure about their position on a specific topic are encouraged to reach out to their Chairs or Crisis Directors before or during the conference.
Crisis Notes & Arcs
EmpireMUNC recommends delegates use common sense and think critically about the material and content of their crisis notes and backroom arcs, not just about the immediate actions but also the implications, undertones, and potential issues that may be harmful, even if unintended.
Violations of these may include: warnings from the Crisis Director, disqualification from awards, and in rare cases, expulsion from the conference. We will evaluate the appropriateness of crisis arcs and content based on the unique circumstances of each committee, and we will put a good faith effort to be fair to all parties regarding this. If you receive a warning, please stray from your existing arc and pivot towards one the backroom will accept. Repeating this same arc will lead to further disciplinary action.
We encourage keeping content PG-13, however we have a non-exhaustive list of prohibited content:
Discriminatory Content: any arcs including sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, or any discriminatory content or themes are strictly forbidden. This includes indirectly invoking harmful stereotypes or insensitively portraying issues. Chairs and CDs will make clear what is acceptable and not acceptable in discourse at the beginning of committee.
Direct Killings: Delegates are not permitted to stage assassinations, executions, or death sentences toward backroom characters nor fellow committee members. Deaths, especially historical events that include deaths, may be part of crisis updates within reason, however we will not permit delegates to execute killings themselves in notes or directives.
Slavery: Modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labor, or any form of exploitation resembling slavery is not permitted in any capacity.
Sexual Content: Explicit references, discussions, or portrayals of sexual acts, innuendos, or any sexually suggestive material is strictly forbidden.
Drugs: Arcs involving illegal drugs, drugging people, producing or selling narcotics, will not be permitted.
Ethnic Cleansing: The systematic and forced removal of ethnic or religious groups from a given land by a more powerful ethnic or religious group, usually through violence and human rights violations, will not be permitted in any capacity.
Colonialism: Colonialism will not be permitted in crisis arcs, and this is the domination of one nation over another, often subjugating and exploiting it and its people, usually for economic gain or power. Colonialism will be a point of discussion or debate across a multitude of committees, however we will not permit delegates to engage in colonialism themselves. To be clear, we allow for secession (desire for autonomy and independence of a specific region or people), political rises to power (gaining control over one’s own state through different means), and the invasion of other regions.
Awards
Awards will be decided holistically, taking in the overall contribution of a delegate throughout the duration of the conference. The number of awards will be dependent on the size of the committee.
In General Assemblies, this includes bloc leadership, contribution to working papers and resolutions, strong speeches, effective diplomacy, and creative solutions to challenges.
In a Crisis, we generally focus 60% on backroom and 40% on frontroom, so awarding delegates will have creative and meaningful crisis arcs that impact the scope of debate in the frontroom, alongside excellent diplomatic skills and speaking abilities, and have proposed and executed their own directives that passed the frontroom.
These will all be weighed and awards will be decided through agreement across all Committee Staff.
All Delegations will be considered for Delegation Awards! We will have 4 Delegation Awards: Outstanding and Best for both Small and Large Delegations (Large defined by 10+ delegates), decided by the overall performance of a delegation in awards and points.