Joint Investigative Committee (JIC) Update
All,
I hope you are safe and well during this difficult time.
My name is Emily Reisbaum, I am a founding partner at Clarick Gueron Reisbaum LLP, and I am also outside legal counsel to the Joint Investigative Committee (JIC). The JIC was established by ACM and IEEE to investigate alleged policy violations in connection with the ISCA and HPCA conferences in 2019. I am writing to provide you with several important updates:
First, the work of the JIC’s outside counsel and investigator is underway, and the JIC recently had a productive initial meeting in which JIC members, outside counsel, and an external investigator discussed the scope and focus of the investigation.
Second, in the interest of transparency we wish to advise the community that the Director of Publications for ACM is serving as an observing member of the JIC. In that capacity the Director of Publications, along with external counsel and the investigator, receives communications sent to the JIC email address (JIC@acm.org).
Third, in response to concerns about confidentiality that we have received from the computing community, and in an effort to ensure we gather as much helpful information as possible regarding these alleged violations, the JIC has created a dedicated tip line. This phone line is managed by the JIC’s external investigator, Laura Kirschstein at T&M Protection Resources LLC, and is not accessible by any ACM or IEEE employees. Anyone who has information that they believe will assist the JIC in investigating these specific allegations should leave a message at 914-306-3588; those who leave a message anonymously will have their anonymity protected. Although anyone who calls the hotline may remain anonymous, we remind you that the most helpful tips are ones that we can substantiate and follow-up on if we have questions. Therefore, if you feel comfortable including your contact information with your tip, we encourage you to do so or contact us at the JIC email address.
Please share this information with anyone you think may have information that will be helpful to our investigation, and feel free to reach out to me with additional questions or comments.
Emily Reisbaum
220 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10001
Main: 212.633.4310