'Code of Conduct' for Oscars Academy

In light of the Weinstein scandal, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, has decided to institute a Code of Conduct for its members.

The Academy expelled Weinstein, only the second member to ever be expelled, two weeks ago and has now issued a statement that its full Board of Directors (which numbers 57) will address the issue of having a code of conduct at its December and January monthly meetings.

"We have no intention of functioning as an investigative body or moral court" stated Dawn Hudson, CEO of the Academy, " but we are concerned about sexual harassment and predatory behavior in the workplace, especially in our own industry. To the end, we are taking steps to establish a code of conduct for our members, which will include a policy of evaluating alleged violations and determining if action regarding membership is warranted."

The Academy is consulting experts in law and ethics to gain an understanding of what they should institute. The goal is to maintain clear standards of workplace behavior for all of its members.

It's high-time the Academy had a conduct code, given all of the past decades of transgressions by its members. Hopefully it will not be too little too late but be a code that is strict and quickly enforced if violated.

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Jim Lavorato