United Utah Furry Fandom (U2F2)

Official Rules & Guidelines

 

Overview

Welcome to the United Utah Furry Fandom, otherwise widely known as U2F2.

We are thrilled that you are a part of this great community and hope that you take in all that this group has to offer between all of the fantastic events that are coordinated and the amazing people that make this group truly one-of-a-kind. Please take a moment to read through these guidelines as they will lay out all of the rules that relate to U2F2, its events, and the general conduct that is expected of its members.

All upcoming events, social media pages, member-support resources, and additional U2F2 group information and links can be found on our centralized U2F2 Website.

For any members that are between the ages of 16-17 that wish to attend U2F2 events, a Parental Consent Form will need to be signed by their parent or legal guardian, witnessed either by a U2F2 admin or notary and returned to the admin team.

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions about any topic related to U2F2 as a whole or any points presented in the following guidelines, please fill out a Quarterly Topic Submission Form and the admin team will either reach out to you directly and/or have it presented at the next quarterly meeting.

For more urgent issues, please contact any of the U2F2 admins (Facebook/Telegram):

• Kayoran Nova / @KayoranNova (Telegram)
• Jaye / @JayeWysp (Telegram)

 

Members are always encouraged to coordinate their own events alongside those that the U2F2 admins set up. If you have any desire to assist in setting up an event that is of interest to you, feel free to use the Event Submission Form to submit your ideas and the admin team will reach out to you either with a confirmation or suggestions on alternative actions. If confirmed, the admin team will broadcast said event to all U2F2 social media pages.

Lastly, we highly encourage members to have fun and express their creativity and our diversity within this fandom as much as possible. We thrive when we have the ability to express who we are as individuals and as a part of this amazing, furry community!

U2F2 Official Rules & Guidelines

 

1. Disclaimer

 

[1.1] Please note that membership in this group automatically holds each individual to the statements and guidelines laid out in this document. Each member thereby agrees to uphold these rules and any measures that are presented under these guidelines as a direct follow-up to any and all negative (uncooperative, obstructive, damaging, etc.) actions taken by any member(s) at the discretion of U2F2’s admin team. 

[1.2] U2F2 recognizes that any and all rules, laws, and regulations at or within the establishments and locations where U2F2-sanctioned events are held takes precedence over the following guidelines.

[1.3] Appropriate actions will be taken to the extent laid out under these guidelines at the discretion of the U2F2 admin team if any member is found in violation of such.

 

2. Age Restrictions

 

[2.1] Members must be at least 16 years of age to be part of the U2F2 online community. Although members must be 18 years or older to attend official U2F2 events, members aged 16 – 17 may attend events marked 16+ with parental/ guardian supervision, or have had the following Parental Consent Form signed by a parent or legal guardian, witnessed by a U2F2 admin or notary and returned to the admin team.

[2.2] 21+ events are allowed so long as the event location is able to verify attendees’ ages (i.e. bar, club, etc.). U2F2 is not responsible for verifying ages, and personal 21+ parties will not be sanctioned by U2F2.

 

3. Membership & Behavioral Expectations

[3.1] U2F2 was created to provide those within the furry fandom with a local social group that brings together a variety of art, events, and friendships that makes this community so great and accepting. Members are encouraged to communicate with one another to foster new and long-lasting friendships, and to help bridge the gap between the furry fandom and those that are on the outside looking in. As such, it is also requested that drama within these lines of communication be kept to a minimum throughout every U2F2-derived social media platform.

[3.2] If an issue arises between members, it is expected that this issue be taken up privately on a one-on-one basis. However, if the issue escalates to a level that a one-on-one private conversation is unable to resolve, then the issue may be brought up to the admin team for further discussion and resolution.

[3.3] As a part of U2F2, all members are expected to publicly represent the group as well as the furry community as a whole in a good light by putting their best foot forward in any and all circumstances, whether that be on social media or at an event.

[3.4] Volunteer events such as visiting children at a hospital would require a selective process of members who would be permitted to do so. This is not a matter of excluding certain individuals, but instead stresses the importance of public relations. Volunteering is not the place to simply “hang out.” Members who wish to participate must contribute their time and their efforts to support a worthy cause like such.

[3.5] Within the social media pages of U2F2, posts deliberately inciting drama or conflict of any kind will be removed. Advertising for separate groups will also be restricted. Furry-centric niche groups (i.e. gaming, hiking, etc.) may be requested to be approved and posted to these social media pages at the discretion of the admin team. Unsolicited requests for contact with other group members via DMs (direct messages) either from the poster or to by the poster to other members is also discouraged and may be restricted on a case-by-case basis. For example, “Commissions open, DM me with your ref sheet” if both parties have agreed to communicate via direct messages first is acceptable.

[3.6] Drugs, pornography, or any other inappropriate items are prohibited from being posted on U2F2’s social media pages, nor are they allowed to be brought to or around U2F2-sanctioned events. If asked to remove a post for this reason, these members will receive a warning. Recurring offenses due to noncompliance will result in either a temporary or permanent ban. This may also apply to the overuse of profanity on these media platforms.

[3.7] At U2F2-sanctioned events, unsolicited physical contact with other members is prohibited, which also includes members that wear full and partial fursuits. Direct consent must be received from other members in order to poke, grab, hug, pick up, or pursue any other form of physical touching. While it may be acceptable to do so among friends, until express permission has been received from other members, please respect their space and refrain from physically touching them.

[3.8] The following unacceptable behaviors will earn you a warning. Keep in mind that this list is not exclusive or all-encompassing, and any disruptive behavior will be examined by the admins on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to warnings depending on its severity.

• Verbal harassment of another member of the group;
• Threatening another member or the group as a whole;
• Excessive use of profanity on the online group or during U2F2-sanctioned events;
• Vandalizing or crude behavior to an establishment during a meet;
• Repeated unsolicited (without consent) touching/hugging/glomping/invading of personal space;
• Use of illegal drugs at a meeting;
• Inviting/propositioning minor members (under the age of 18) to parties or to hang out and partake in illegal substances;
• Posting of adult artwork or links;
• Soliciting other members of the group for sexual activities;
• Blocking all three admins;
• Creating or posting drama on U2F2 social media platforms; or
• Creating drama that affects the group, events or community in general.

 

4. Consequential Actions

 

[4.1] All members are expected to uphold the specified guidelines outlined in this document. For those who act against these rules or generally seek to be disruptive to the group will be issued the following warnings based on severity of their actions, at the discretion of U2F2’s admins. All three admins must have discussed said actions and unanimously agreed upon the warning placed on these members.

[4.2] The following warning levels will be considered for any and all violating actions that are instigated by a U2F2 member:

• Level 1:  Written and verbal warning to cease the behavior; kept on record for a 3-month period.
• Level 2:  A written or verbal warning that includes mention of further action or removal from the group should an offense be repeated; kept on record for a 6-month period.
• Level 3:  A temporary ban of 3 – 6 months from the group and all U2F2-sanctioned events; kept on record for a 1-year period.
• Level 4:  A permanent ban from the group and all U2F2-sanctioned events; kept on record until there is an appeal from the banned member. If the appeal is successful and the member is reinstated as part of U2F2, they will be moved down to a Level 2 record for a 6-month period.
  • Members can make an appeal on their ban by requesting a meeting with all three admins to present their case 6 months after the initial ban. The admins will review the case and make a decision in private. Admins may review a banned member’s case at any time and make a decision to reinstate members without the banned member approaching the admins.

 

5. Adminship

 

[5.1] Admins are elected into their position by the members of U2F2 where they serve for two (2) years. This is to help prevent a constant flux in the Administration Team and to limit confusion among the group with constant elections. After an admin has held said position AND their term comes to an end, they are not permitted to run for re-election for one (1) year.

[5.2] Admins are held to the same rules that apply to U2F2 members in addition to the following responsibilities:

• Acts in a professional manner when representing the group;
• Puts the group’s common interests first for every event created;
• Assists in the resolution of disputes between members that occur in the Facebook group or at an event in an unbiased and professional manner;
• Actively promotes the group in a positive light;
• Actively promotes member safety;
• Creates and organizes events in a timely manner;
• Attends special or periodic events sanctioned by U2F2 (at least one admin should be present unless circumstances otherwise prevent this); and
• Responds to event requests.

 

[5.3] What U2F2 Admins are NOT responsible for:

• Assisting in the resolution of disputes between members that occur outside of the Facebook group,  sanctioned U2F2 event spaces, or any other official U2F2 platform or services;
• Reporting third party allegations of illegal activities to local law enforcement agencies;
• Liability involving unsafe risks made by group members at events resulting in harm or injury; or
• Expelling a U2F2 member currently banned (or under scrutiny by adminship) from a third party establishment or community not owned or governed by U2F2 or its organizers if the member is not violating the establishment’s/community’s rules of patronage
  • This responsibility remains with the third party establishment/community owners, employees, and moderators at their discretion.

 

[5.4] There are typically three admins to help prevent an “autocracy” with the group’s leadership, and to also ensure leadership decision making can me made with definitive outcomes. In order to fulfill everything that this group requires, this also assists in spreading out these responsibilities and prevents them from being a part-time job in and of itself. By having three admins, it ensures that at least one will be present at every event to (1) act as a liaison between the establishments or facilities and the group, (2) ensure the safety of our members, and (3) judge the quality of each event and determine if it may be worth repeating in the future. If a member feels comfortable taking their issues to any one of these three admins, if not all three, this will allow them to do so, if necessary.

[5.5] Just as with any U2F2 member, admins are also human and are capable of making mistakes as well. Though as such, they are still held to the same behavioral expectations as the members. Should a member feel that an admin is acting in a way that is against these guidelines, they are encouraged to bring it up to the other admins who will either review the behavior or work on a mediation between the member and the opposing admin. Similarly, should two of the admins find the third is behaving in a way not in accordance with these guidelines, they will follow the same procedure.

[5.6] Should an admin perform a grievous act against the U2F2 community and the group wishes to remove the admin, or if two admins find the third in violation of these procedures, the following procedure is to be carried out at any time:

• Approach the other admins regarding the offense.
• The offending admin will be placed in a status of hiatus until the issue is resolved. This will revoke all privileges and a ban will be posted.
• The other two admins will interview the offending admin about their actions.
• They will compile a document detailing both sides along with any statements the offending admin presents and post it for the U2F2 members to review.
• A vote will then be held. If a majority votes against the offending admin, said admin will then be removed from their position and will be considered a regular member with a Level 2 warning recorded against them.
  • An election will be held for the new, open position and the offending admin is not permitted to run for another year.

 

6. Admin Election Process

[6.1] Any member in good standing within the group is eligible to run for the position of admin at the time of an election. Members that have a Level 2 warning or higher recorded against them at the time of election are deemed as not being in good standing and thereby are not permitted to run for adminship. Members with a Level 1 warning will have votes detracted from their total count once election voting has closed.

[6.2] The election process is as follows:

(a) Nominations 

• Anyone can nominate another member who is in good standing to become an admin.
• You cannot nominate yourself.
• Each nomination must be seconded by another member of good standing, in order to be officially entered into the election.

 

(b) Opening Statements

• All qualified nominees are then welcomed to write up or submit a video (or audio clip) up to 3 minutes long for their opening statements (who they are, what they think they can do for the group, future goals, etc.).

 

(c) Q & A

• Questions are submitted by the community. An admin will then review the questions submitted and narrow down the best ones to present to the nominees. The nominees will then respond to all questions in a written format.

 

(d) Voting

• A poll is then created for members to cast their votes on for 1 week. 
• Only members of the group and local Utah furs can vote. Any other votes will be dismissed.

 

(e) Election Results

• At the conclusion of the week-long period of voting, a winner will be announced to the members of U2F2.
• The new admin’s duties will then commence on the 1st of the next month.

7. Other and Miscellaneous Disclaimers

[7.1] All members who attend U2F2 organized, sanctioned, or supported events agree that photography may be taken at such events, and that themselves or their characters may be captured in photography or videography at the event, and those photos and videos may be used on U2F2 related social media, the website, and other promotional or printed materials. 

[7.2] All members and attendees agree that if they wish to have a photograph of themselves removed from any of the above-mentioned platforms, they should contact U2F2 directly and request its removal, however such removal is not guaranteed, pending certain circumstances (see 7.3). 

[7.3] All members and attendees agree that if photography has already been published on physical or print media, it is not possible to request the removal of such images after said materials have been printed.