> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.linuxfoundation.org/lfx/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.linuxfoundation.org/lfx/mentorship/standards-of-excellence.md). # Standards of Excellence Linux Foundation mentoring programs seek to cultivate future open source contributors, maintainers, and leaders. As current and future leaders, it is essential that all program participants engage in respectful, collaborative, and professional behavior that contributes to a positive environment. These Standards of Excellence are designed to help participants understand what behaviors are encouraged, and what behaviors are unacceptable. ## Scope and Enforcement These Standards apply to you if you are a mentor, mentee, or a candidate for any mentoring program that the Linux Foundation administers, including LFX Mentoring and Google Summer of Code. These Standards apply to your actions taken within a Linux Foundation context or that have a potential impact on any Linux Foundation mentoring program. In addition to upholding these Standards, participants must also comply with the [Mentee Guide](/lfx/mentorship/mentee-guide.md), [Code of Conduct](/lfx/mentorship/mentee-guide/code-of-conduct.md), and all other relevant policies of the Linux Foundation and the specific open source project their mentorship relates to. Mentoring program administrators reserve the right to remove offensive content, disqualify individuals from participation, or take any action they deem necessary to uphold these Standards. ## Appropriate Use of Reporting Channels Please route concerns, along with any documentary evidence (such as screenshots), to the correct channel so they can be addressed effectively: * **Violation of these Standards:** If you become aware of a potential violation of these Standards, please report it to . * **Code of Conduct:** Reports of harassment should be submitted using the specific open source project’s Code of Conduct reporting process. **DO NOT** mass email (“CC bomb”) project maintainers or staff, or use the channels listed above, project mailing lists or Slack channels, or ticketing systems, to complain about selection results, dispute evaluations, or argue rejections. Doing so is abuse of communication channels and may result in disqualification. ## Collaborate and Support Others We want to foster an environment where people openly exchange ideas and help each other learn. Whether you are a mentor, mentee, or candidate, you can support others by: * Showing gratitude and recognizing people when they are helpful. * Praising others publicly, but sharing negative or potentially embarrassing feedback privately. * Providing constructive and helpful feedback on others' PRs. * Taking responsibility when you make a mistake, and being understanding when others make mistakes. ## Communicate with Respect Candid discussions and disagreements are encouraged, but they are never an excuse for bad behavior. Always express yourself professionally and respectfully. Rude, offensive, disparaging, or threatening statements—including insults and degrading language—are strictly prohibited. ## Respect Maintainer Time and Program Volume Please remember that maintainers and mentors are volunteers. Due to the highly competitive nature of our mentoring programs and the thousands of applications received, mentors and program staff cannot provide individual, personalized feedback on why an application was not selected. Demanding individual feedback, repeatedly inquiring about future opportunities after a rejection, or arguing for a "reconsideration" of your application consumes limited administrative resources. Mentee selection decisions are final and are not subject to reconsideration. Therefore, please accept selection decisions gracefully. ## Accept Evaluations Gracefully Mid-term and final evaluations are conducted by project mentors based on the agreed-upon project requirements. Mentors’ evaluations are final and are not subject to reconsideration. While clarifying questions are permitted, engaging in prolonged disputes regarding an evaluation, or harassing mentors to change their evaluation is unacceptable. ## Prohibited Behaviors Your actions reflect directly on our mentoring programs. Engaging in illegal, deceptive, abusive, or disruptive activity will not be tolerated. Examples of these prohibited behaviors include, but are not limited to: ### Metric Gaming and "PR Spam" While sincere minor corrections are welcome, submitting a high volume of superficial, trivial, or AI-generated Pull Requests solely to pad your metrics is unacceptable. Meaningful contributions are always prioritized over raw quantity. Evidence of metric gaming wastes maintainers' time and may result in disqualification. ### Zero-Tolerance Violations The following behaviors operate under a strict zero-tolerance policy and **will result in immediate disqualification**: * **Deceptive Behavior & Undermining Program Integrity:** Falsifying your identity, location, or experience, or engaging in any behavior that undermines the mentoring program or its selection process. * **Harassing Maintainers:** Repeatedly pinging, direct-messaging, or badgering maintainers and mentors for immediate PR reviews or application updates. * **Retaliation & Threats:** Threatening project maintainers or administration staff due to a rejection or any other mentoring program decision or outcome. * **Toxic Competition:** Publicly disparaging other candidates’ work or harassing others to discourage them from applying to a mentoring program. ## Updates The Linux Foundation reserves the right to modify these Standards of Excellence at any time, at its sole discretion. The Linux Foundation will notify current active program participants of major changes to these standards by email. If these standards are updated and a participant does not agree to comply, their participation will terminate. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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