Policies

COVID-19

While the UN World Health Organization has declared an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency, COVID still poses a real and serious threat to the wellness of WMHSMUN delegates, sponsors, staff, and the William & Mary community. In order to protect all conference participants while remaining cognizant of current public health and safety recommendations, we have assembled the following list of guidelines. If you have any further questions, please reach out to Registration Director Mona Garimella (registration@wmhsmun.org) or Secretary-General Beatrice Ladrón de Guevara (secgen@wmhsmun.org). 

  1. The Secretariat strongly recommends that all participants get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to attending WMHSMUN.

    1. Find a COVID-19 vaccination site near you: https://www.vaccines.gov/

  2. The Secretariat strongly recommends that all participants get a flu shot prior to attending WMHSMUN.

    1. Flu shots are available at most pharmacies for no cost under most insurance plans.

  3. The Secretariat welcomes the use of masks, but will not require masking from attendees or staffers.

  4. The Secretariat strongly recommends that all participants take a COVID-19 lab PCR test before traveling to Williamsburg. 

    1. While rapid antigen testing is useful for a quick turn-around, PCR tests provide the most accurate results.

    2. COVID-19 testing is available at most major pharmacies, and many public libraries have rapid antigen tests available for free.

  5. The Secretariat strongly recommends that all participants take a COVID-19 rapid antigen test after the conference, no sooner than November 19, 2024. 

  6. Any potential conference participant must not attend if they test positive for, or suspect they may have, COVID-19, the flu, or any other contagious illness. Additionally, if any participants fall ill during conference weekend, they are asked to remain in their hotel room for the remainder of the conference or return home if possible. If a conference participant falls ill and is unable to attend as a consequence, please contact the Registration Director for next steps and to determine if a refund is possible.

  7. If there is a positive COVID test within a delegation, that info will be made aware to all sponsors, but social events will continue to be held as planned. 

In summary, WMHSMUN will not require proof of vaccination, negative test results, or masking in order to attend and participate in the conference, though all are highly encouraged. However, if any attendee tests positive for a contagious illness, you are required to inform the Registration Director as soon as possible to determine a path forward. 

Dress Code

Delegates are expected to wear Western Business Attire (WBA) in committee. Clothes should be clean and presentable. Appropriate WBA may include a coat/blazer, blouse or button-down shirt, formal dress, slacks or skirt, tie/bowtie, and dress shoes. The only exceptions to this dress code are our Friday and Saturday night social events and Sunday morning committee sessions, when delegates may wear a conference t-shirt and jeans.

Electronics

Electronic devices of any kind (including but not limited to laptops, cell phones, and tablets) are prohibited during committee sessions. Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis by individual daises.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is not tolerated at WMHSMUN. Plagiarism in any form, including reusing written materials from previous conferences, will automatically disqualify delegates from individual awards. Additionally, any delegation that has multiple cases of plagiarism may be reconsidered for delegation awards.

Pre-Writing

To ensure an engaging and collaborative experience, pre-writing, that is, preparing in-conference materials previous to or outside of committee sessions, is strictly prohibited at WMHSMUN. Exceptions regarding outside-of-committee work may be granted on a case-by-case basis by individual daises during conference weekend, but daises will not accept any resolutions, directives, or supporting materials written previous to conference weekend. Pre-writing is taken very seriously at our conference, and any delegate found guilty of this offense will be disqualified from individual awards. Additionally, any delegation that has multiple cases of pre-writing may be reconsidered for delegation awards.

Harassment and Discrimination

Any form of harassment or discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, or disability will not be tolerated. Bullying, harassment, and cyber-bullying in any form are prohibited at the conference. Any offenders will be dealt with immediately and strictly.

Awards

Philosophy

At its core, WMHSMUN is an educational conference and exercise in building critical thinking and global citizenship. Delegates should treat WMHSMUN as an opportunity to strengthen their speaking, writing, listening, and collaboration skills. We have framed our conference’s mission in terms of three values: diplomacy, substance, and empowerment, and the Secretariat strongly believes in rewarding delegates’ commitment to these pillars.

Individual Awards

Delegates are selected for individual awards primarily based on their embodiment of WMHSMUN’s values. Committees award the following distinctions, from least to most distinguished: Verbal Commendation, Honorable Delegate, Outstanding Delegate, and Best Delegate.

Delegation Awards

Delegations are selected for awards based on individual delegates’ achievements and their overall embodiment of WMHSMUN’s values. WMHSMUN awards the following distinctions: Outstanding Small Delegation, Best Small Delegation, Outstanding Large Delegation, and Best Large Delegation.

WMHSMUN also presents the Michael Charles Coon Award for Diplomacy to a delegation that has not received one of the above distinctions. This prestigious award is named after the former Secretary-General of WMHSMUN IX, Michael Coon. Under Michael’s leadership, WMHSMUN blossomed into the conference it is today, but he tragically passed away a month before the realization of his hard work. This award is given in Michael’s memory to the delegation that best embodies William & Mary’s spirit of community, integrity, and collaboration.

Read more about our awards policy as it relates to position papers HERE!