Last Updated: January 1, 2015

 

Welcome, and thank you for your interest in the Foundation for Students Rising Above, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation doing business as Students Rising Above (“SRA”, “we,” or “us”) and our Web site at studentsrisingabove.org (the “Site”), and our related web sites (including our “College2Careers Hub”), networks, embeddable widgets, downloadable software, mobile applications (including tablet applications), and other services provided by us and on which a link to these Terms of Use is displayed (together with the Site, our “Service”). These Terms of Use are a legally binding contract between you and SRA regarding your use of the Service.

 

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING TERMS OF USE CAREFULLY. BY CLICKING “I ACCEPT,” YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS, INCLUDING THE STUDENTS RISING ABOVE PRIVACY POLICY (TOGETHER, THESE “TERMS”). If you are not eligible, or do not agree to these Terms, then you do not have our permission to use the Service.

 

These Terms provide that all disputes between you and SRA will be resolved by BINDING ARBITRATION. YOU AGREE TO GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO GO TO COURT to assert or defend your rights under this contract, except for matters that may be taken to small claims court. Your rights will be determined by a NEUTRAL ARBITRATOR and NOT a judge or jury, and your claims cannot be brought as a class action. Please review the “Dispute Resolution and Arbitration” section below for the details regarding your agreement to arbitrate any disputes with SRA.

  1. Service Overview. Students Rising Above is dedicated to impacting the future through the cultivation of extraordinary youth. SRA invests in low-income, first generation college students who have demonstrated a deep commitment to education and strength of character while overcoming tremendous odds by offering financial support, one-on-one mentoring, access to healthcare, internships, and career development programs. Part of our Service, the SRA College2Careers Hub, provides a community for first generation college students to come together to discuss and share ways of getting to and through college, as well as webinars, links, information, and materials.
  2. Eligibility. You must be at least thirteen (13) years of age to use the Service. By agreeing to these Terms, you represent and warrant to us that: (a) you are at least thirteen (13) years of age; (b) you have not previously been suspended or removed from the Service; and (c) your registration and your use of the Service is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. If you are using the Service on behalf of an entity, organization, or company, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that organization to these Terms and you agree to be bound by these Terms on behalf of that organization. Please also be aware that in order to apply for SRA’s existing program, including financial assistance for college, students must meet separate eligibility requirements. SRA’s college financial assistance program is highly competitive, and SRA cannot guarantee that all eligible applicants will be accepted into that program.
  3. Accounts and Registration. To access most features of the Service, you must register for an account. When you register for an account, you may be required to provide us with some information about yourself, such as your e-mail address or other contact information. You agree that the information you provide to us is accurate (including your full and legal name) and that you will keep it accurate and up-to-date at all times. When you register, you will be asked to provide a password. You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password. You agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account. If you have reason to believe that your account is no longer secure, then you must immediately notify us at [email protected]  
  4. User Content
    1. User Content Generally. Certain features of the Service may permit users to upload content to the Service, including chat messages, messages to our advisors, photos, video, images, folders, data, text, and other types of works (“User Content”) and to publish User Content on the Service. You retain copyright and any other proprietary rights that you may hold in the User Content that you post to the Service.
    2. Limited License Grant to Students Rising Above. By posting or publishing User Content, you grant SRA a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free right and license (with the right to sublicense) to host, store, transfer, display, perform, reproduce, modify, and distribute your User Content, in whole or in part, on the SRA College2Careers Hub or on any of SRA’s social media pages. SRA’s use of your User Content may be without any compensation paid to you.
    3. Limited License Grant to Other Users. By posting and sharing User Content with another user of the Service, you grant that user a non-exclusive license to access and use that User Content as permitted by these Terms and the functionality of the Service.
    4. User Content Representations and Warranties. You are solely responsible for your User Content and the consequences of posting or publishing User Content. By posting or publishing User Content, you affirm, represent, and warrant that:
  1. you are the creator and owner of, or have the necessary licenses, rights, consents, and permissions, to use and to authorize SRA and users of the Service to use and distribute your User Content as necessary to exercise the licenses granted by you in this Section 4 and in the manner contemplated by Students Rising Above, the Service, and these Terms; and
  2. your User Content, and the use of your User Content as contemplated by these Terms, does not and will not: (i) infringe, violate, or misappropriate any third-party right, including any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, moral right, privacy right, right of publicity, or any other intellectual property or proprietary right; (ii) slander, defame, libel, or invade the right of privacy, publicity or other property rights of any other person; or (iii) cause SRA to violate any law or regulation.
    1. User Content Disclaimer. We are under no obligation to edit or control User Content that you or other users post or publish, and will not be in any way responsible or liable for User Content. We may, however, at any time and without prior notice, screen, remove, edit, or block any User Content that in our sole judgment violates these Terms or is otherwise objectionable. You understand that when using the Service you will be exposed to User Content from a variety of sources and acknowledge that User Content may be inaccurate, offensive, indecent, or objectionable. You agree to waive, and do waive, any legal or equitable right or remedy you have or may have against SRA with respect to User Content. We expressly disclaim any and all liability in connection with User Content. If notified by a user or content owner that User Content allegedly does not conform to these Terms, we may investigate the allegation and determine in our sole discretion whether to remove the User Content, which we reserve the right to do at any time and without notice. For clarity, SRA does not permit copyright-infringing activities on the Service.
  2. Digital Millennium Copyright Act
    1. DMCA Notification. We comply with the provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act applicable to Internet service providers (17 U.S.C. §512, as amended). If you have an intellectual property rights-related complaint about material posted on the Service, you may contact our Designated Agent at the following address:

 

Students Rising Above

P.O. Box 192492

San Francisco, CA 94119-2492

E-mail: [email protected]  

 

Any notice alleging that materials hosted by or distributed through the Service infringe intellectual property rights must include the following information:

  1. an electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright or other right being infringed;
  2. a description of the copyright-protected work or other intellectual property right that you claim has been infringed;
  3. a description of the material that you claim is infringing and where it is located on the Service;
  4. your address, telephone number, and email address;
  5. a statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the use of those materials on the Service is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
  6. a statement by you that the above information in your notice is accurate and that, under penalty of perjury, you are the copyright or intellectual property owner or authorized to act on the copyright or intellectual property owner’s behalf.
    1. Repeat Infringers. SRA will promptly terminate without notice the accounts of users that are determined by us to be “repeat infringers.” A repeat infringer is a user who has been notified of infringing activity or has had User Content removed from the Service at least twice.
  2. Your Responsibilities. As a user of the Service, including the College2Careers Hub, you are part of a community that is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that encourages and supports each student to reach all of their professional goals. As a member of this online community, you agree to abide to the following Code of Conduct. Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in termination of your accounts or other repercussions as deemed necessary by SRA. Please help us maintain a positive online community by doing your part to be supportive and respectful by continuing to do the following things (and by refraining from any prohibited conduct as described in Section 7):
    1. Be respectful. Please be respectful of all members on SRA’s College2Careers Hub. Name-calling, making fun, insulting, or harassing of any kind will not be tolerated.
    2. Be supportive. Please contribute to a positive, goal-oriented, and inclusive environment. We are lucky to have members from all backgrounds, and we ask you to please respect each other’s differences and embrace the diversity that makes up our online community. We want to provide a safe and positive space that encourages everyone to achieve their goals and this can only occur when we all feel comfortable to ask questions and interact in a genuine and accepting manner.
    3. Be a thoughtful contributor. Only post content that is appropriate. You may not post profanity, advertisements, or spam to any area of SRA’s College2Careers Hub. If you feel someone has violated the conditions of this Section 6, please do not hesitate to private message your SRA Online Advisor immediately.
    4. Be an active participant. Recognize that your role is to actively engage in your college journey. SRA’s College2Careers Hub is an important resource to assist you in your efforts. We provide advice based on our experience and your individual needs, but ultimately, you are responsible for your decisions.
  3. Prohibited Conduct. BY USING THE SERVICE YOU AGREE NOT TO:
    1. use the Service for any illegal purpose or in violation of any local, state, national, or international law;
    2. violate, or encourage others to violate, any right of a third party, including by infringing or misappropriating any third party intellectual property right;
    3. post, upload, or distribute any User Content or other content that is unlawful, defamatory, libelous, inaccurate, or that a reasonable person could deem to be objectionable, profane, indecent, pornographic, harassing, threatening, embarrassing, hateful, or otherwise inappropriate;
    4. interfere with security-related features of the Service, including by: (a) disabling or circumventing features that prevent or limit use or copying of any content; or (b) reverse engineering or otherwise attempting to discover the source code of any portion of the Service except to the extent that the activity is expressly permitted by applicable law;
    5. interfere with the operation of the Service or any user’s enjoyment of the Service, including by: (a) uploading or otherwise any disseminating virus, adware, spyware, worm, or other malicious code; (b) making any unsolicited offer or advertisement to another user of the Service; (c) attempting to collect, personal information about another user or third party without consent; or (d) interfering with or disrupting any network, equipment, or server connected to or used to provide the Service, or violating any regulation, policy, or procedure of any network, equipment, or server;
    6. perform any fraudulent activity including impersonating any person or entity, claiming a false affiliation, accessing any other Service account without permission, or falsifying your age or date of birth;
    7. sell or otherwise transfer the access granted under these Terms or any Materials (as defined in Section 13) or any right or ability to view, access, or use any Material; or
    8. attempt to do any of the acts described in this Section 7, or assist or permit any person in engaging in any of the acts described in this Section 7.
  4. Third-Party Services and Linked Websites. SRA may provide tools through the Service that enable you to export information, including User Content, to third party services, including through our implementation of third party buttons (such as “like” or “share” buttons). By using one of these tools, you agree that we may transfer that information to the applicable third-party service. Third party services are not under our control, and we are not responsible for any third party service’s use of your exported information. The Service may also contain links to third-party websites. Linked websites are not under our control, and we are not responsible for their content.
  5. Notice Regarding Apple. If you are using our mobile applications on an iOS device, the terms of this Section 9 apply. You acknowledge that these Terms are between you and Students Rising Above only, not with Apple, and Apple is not responsible for the Service or its content. Apple has no obligation to furnish any maintenance or support services with respect to the Service. If the Service fails to conform to any applicable warranty, you may notify Apple and Apple will refund any applicable purchase price for the mobile application to you; and, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Apple has no other warranty obligation with respect to the Service. Apple is not responsible for addressing any claim by you or any third party relating to the Service or your possession or use of the Service, including: (a) product liability claims; (b) any claim that the Service fails to conform to any applicable legal or regulatory requirement; and (c) claims arising under consumer protection or similar legislation. Apple is not responsible for the investigation, defense, settlement or discharge of any third party claim that the Service or your possession and use of the mobile application infringe that third party’s intellectual property rights. You agree to comply with any applicable third party terms when using the Service. Apple and Apple’s subsidiaries are third party beneficiaries of Section 9 of these Terms, and upon your acceptance of these Terms, Apple will have the right (and will be deemed to have accepted the right) to enforce this Section 9 of these Terms against you. You hereby represent and warrant that: (i) you are not located in a country that is subject to a U.S. Government embargo, or that has been designated by the U.S. Government as a “terrorist supporting” country; and (ii) you are not listed on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties.
  6. Termination of Use; Discontinuation and Modification of the Service. If you violate any provision of these Terms, your permission from us to use the Service will terminate automatically. In addition, SRA may in its sole discretion terminate your user account on the Service or suspend or terminate your access to the Service at any time, with or without notice. We also reserve the right to modify or discontinue the Service at any time (including by limiting or discontinuing certain features of the Service) without notice to you. We will have no liability whatsoever on account of any change to the Service or any suspension or termination of your access to or use of the Service. You may terminate your account at any time by contacting customer service at [email protected].
  7. Privacy Policy; Additional Terms
    1. Privacy Policy. Please read the Students Rising Above Privacy Policy: https://studentsrisingabove.org/privacy-policy/ carefully for information relating to our collection, use, storage and disclosure of your personal information. The Students Rising Above Privacy Policy is incorporated by this reference into, and made a part of, these Terms.
    2. Additional Terms. Your use of the Service is subject to all additional terms, policies, rules, or guidelines applicable to the Service or certain features of the Service that we may post on or link to from the Service (the “Additional Terms“), such as end-user license agreements for any downloadable software applications, or rules that applicable to a particular feature or content on the Service, subject to Section 12 below. All Additional Terms are incorporated by this reference into, and made a part of, these Terms.
  8. Modification of these Terms. We reserve the right, at our discretion, to change these Terms on a going-forward basis at any time. Please check these Terms periodically for changes. If a change to these Terms materially modifies your rights or obligations, you will be required to accept the modified Terms in order to continue to use the Service. Material modifications are effective upon your acceptance of the modified Terms. Immaterial modifications are effective upon publication. Disputes arising under these Terms will be resolved in accordance with the version of these Terms that was in effect at the time the dispute arose.
  9. Ownership; Proprietary Rights. The Service is owned and operated by Students Rising Above. The visual interfaces, graphics, design, compilation, information, data, computer code (including source code or object code), products, software, services, and all other elements of the Service (“Materials”) provided by SRA are protected by intellectual property and other laws. All Materials contained in the Service are the property of SRA or our third-party licensors. Except as expressly authorized by SRA, you may not make use of the Materials. SRA reserves all rights to the Materials not granted expressly in these Terms.
  10. Indemnity. You agree that you will be responsible for your use of the Service, and you agree to defend and indemnify SRA and its officers, directors, employees, consultants, affiliates, subsidiaries and agents (together, the “Students Rising Above Entities“) from and against every claim, liability, damage, loss, and expense, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, arising out of or in any way connected with: (a) your access to, use of, or alleged use of, the Service; (b) your violation of any portion of these Terms, any representation, warranty, or agreement referenced in these Terms, or any applicable law or regulation; (c) your violation of any third-party right, including any intellectual property right or publicity, confidentiality, other property, or privacy right; or (d) any dispute or issue between you and any third party. We reserve the right, at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you (without limiting your indemnification obligations with respect to that matter), and in that case, you agree to cooperate with our defense of that claim.
  11. No Warranties

THE SERVICE AND ALL MATERIALS AND CONTENT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SERVICE ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND ON AN “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTY OR CONDITION OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. THE STUDENTS RISING ABOVE ENTITIES DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, RELATING TO THE SERVICE AND ALL MATERIALS AND CONTENT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SERVICE, INCLUDING: (A) ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, QUIET ENJOYMENT, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT; AND (B) ANY WARRANTY ARISING OUT OF COURSE OF DEALING, USAGE, OR TRADE. THE STUDENTS RISING ABOVE ENTITIES DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE OR ANY PORTION OF THE SERVICE, OR ANY MATERIALS OR CONTENT OFFERED THROUGH THE SERVICE, WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR FREE OF ERRORS, VIRUSES, OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS, AND DO NOT WARRANT THAT ANY OF THOSE ISSUES WILL BE CORRECTED. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY PROHIBIT A DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND YOU MAY HAVE OTHER RIGHTS THAT VARY FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION.

  1. Additional Disclaimers

NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, OBTAINED BY YOU FROM THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS OR CONTENT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SERVICE WILL CREATE ANY WARRANTY REGARDING ANY OF THE STUDENTS RISING ABOVE ENTITIES OR THE SERVICE THAT IS NOT EXPRESSLY STATED IN THESE TERMS. YOU ASSUME ALL RISK FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT MAY RESULT FROM YOUR USE OF OR ACCESS TO THE SERVICE, YOUR DEALING WITH ANY OTHER SERVICE USER, AND ANY MATERIALS OR CONTENT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SERVICE. YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOU USE THE SERVICE, AND USE, ACCESS, DOWNLOAD, OR OTHERWISE OBTAIN MATERIALS OR CONTENT THROUGH THE SERVICE AND ANY ASSOCIATED SITES OR SERVICES, AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK, AND THAT YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR PROPERTY (INCLUDING YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM OR MOBILE DEVICE USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICE), OR THE LOSS OF DATA THAT RESULTS FROM THE USE OF THE SERVICE OR THE DOWNLOAD OR USE OF THAT MATERIAL OR CONTENT.

 

  1. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE INFORMATION THAT SRA PROVIDES IS BASED ON THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF THE SRA ADVISORS AND IS NOT A GUARANTEE OF ADMISSION TO COLLEGE, AWARD OF FINANCIAL AID, OR A GUARANTEE OF ANY OTHER OUTCOME. ALL ADVICE OFFERED THROUGH SRA’S COLLEGE2CAREERS HUB IS OFFERED “AS IS,” YOU ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF YOUR ACTIONS AND DECISIONS, EVEN IF THEY ARE BASED ON ADVICE RECEIVED FROM AN SRA ADVISOR.
  2. Limitation of Liability
  3. IN NO EVENT WILL THE STUDENTS RISING ABOVE ENTITIES BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, OR ANY OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR ACCESS TO OR USE OF, OR YOUR INABILITY TO ACCESS OR USE, THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS OR CONTENT ON THE SERVICE, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STATUTE, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT ANY STUDENTS RISING ABOVE ENTITY HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE.
  4. YOU AGREE THAT THE AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF THE SRA ENTITIES TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE USE OF OR ANY INABILITY TO USE ANY PORTION OF THE SERVICE OR OTHERWISE UNDER THESE TERMS, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE, IS LIMITED TO $100.
  5. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES. ACCORDINGLY, THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
  6. EACH PROVISION OF THESE TERMS THAT PROVIDES FOR A LIMITATION OF LIABILITY, DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES, OR EXCLUSION OF DAMAGES IS TO ALLOCATE THE RISKS UNDER THESE TERMS BETWEEN THE PARTIES. THIS ALLOCATION IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF THE BASIS OF THE BARGAIN BETWEEN THE PARTIES. EACH OF THESE PROVISIONS IS SEVERABLE AND INDEPENDENT OF ALL OTHER PROVISIONS OF THESE TERMS. THE LIMITATIONS IN THIS SECTION 17 WILL APPLY EVEN IF ANY LIMITED REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.
  7. Governing Law. These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California without regard to conflict of law principles. If a lawsuit or court proceeding is permitted under these Terms, you and SRA agree to submit to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction of the state courts and federal courts located within San Francisco County, California for the purpose of litigating any dispute. We operate the Service from our offices in California, and we make no representation that Materials included in the Service are appropriate or available for use in other locations.
  8. General. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any other agreements expressly incorporated by reference into these Terms, are the entire and exclusive understanding and agreement between you and SRA regarding your use of the Service. Except as expressly permitted above, these Terms may be amended only by a written agreement signed by authorized representatives of all parties to these Terms. You may not assign or transfer these Terms or your rights under these Terms, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise, without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms at any time without notice or consent. The failure to require performance of any provision will not affect our right to require performance at any other time after that, nor will a waiver by us of any breach or default of these Terms, or any provision of these Terms, be a waiver of any subsequent breach or default or a waiver of the provision itself. Use of section headers in these Terms is for convenience only and will not have any impact on the interpretation of any provision. If any part of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the unenforceable part will be given effect to the greatest extent possible, and the remaining parts will remain in full force and effect. Upon termination of these Terms, any provision that by its nature or express terms should survive, will survive, including Sections 2 and 4 through 22.
  9. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration
    1. Generally. In the interest of resolving disputes between you and SRA in the most expedient and cost effective manner, you and SRA agree that every dispute arising in connection with these Terms will be resolved by binding arbitration and that the Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this provision. Arbitration is more informal than a lawsuit in court. Arbitration uses a neutral arbitrator instead of a judge or jury, may allow for more limited discovery than in court, and can be subject to very limited review by courts. Arbitrators can award the same damages and relief that a court can award. Our agreement to arbitrate disputes includes all claims arising out of or relating to any aspect of these Terms, whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation, or any other legal theory, and regardless of whether a claim arises during or after the termination of these Terms. YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT, BY ENTERING INTO THESE TERMS, YOU AND SRA ARE EACH WAIVING THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY OR TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION.
    2. Exceptions. Despite the provisions of Section 20.1, we both agree that nothing in these Terms will be deemed to waive, preclude, or otherwise limit the right of either of us to: (a) bring an individual action in small claims court; (b) pursue an enforcement action through the applicable federal, state, or local agency if that action is available; (c) seek injunctive relief in a court of law in aid of arbitration; or (d) to file suit in a court of law to address an intellectual property infringement claim.
    3. Arbitrator. Any arbitration between you and SRA will be governed by the Commercial Dispute Resolution Procedures and the Supplementary Procedures for Consumer Related Disputes (collectively, “AAA Rules“) of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA“), as modified by these Terms, and will be administered by the AAA. The AAA Rules and filing forms are available online at www.adr.org, by calling the AAA at 1-800-778-7879, or by contacting SRA.
    4. Notice; Process. A party who intends to seek arbitration must first send a written notice of the dispute to the other, by certified mail or Federal Express (signature required), or if we do not have a physical address on file for you, by electronic mail (“Notice“). The address for Notice to SRA is: PO Box 29174, San Francisco, CA 94129. The Notice must: (a) describe the nature and basis of the claim or dispute; and (b) set forth the specific relief sought (“Demand“). We agree to use good faith efforts to resolve the claim directly, but if we do not reach an agreement to do so within 30 days after the Notice is received, you or SRA may commence an arbitration proceeding. During the arbitration, the amount of any settlement offer made by you or SRA must not be disclosed to the arbitrator until after the arbitrator makes a final decision and award, if any. If our dispute is finally resolved through arbitration in your favor, SRA will pay you the highest of the following: (i) the amount awarded by the arbitrator, if any; (ii) the last written settlement amount offered by SRA in settlement of the dispute prior to the arbitrator’s award; or (iii) $1,000.
    5. Fees. If you commence arbitration in accordance with these Terms, SRA will reimburse you for your payment of the filing fee, unless your claim is for more than $10,000, in which case the payment of any fees will be decided by the AAA Rules. Any arbitration hearing will take place at a location to be agreed upon in San Francisco County, California, but if the claim is for $10,000 or less, unless the arbitrator rules otherwise: (a) solely on the basis of documents submitted to the arbitrator; (b) through a non-appearance based telephone hearing; or (c) by an in-person hearing as established by the AAA Rules in the county (or parish) of your billing address. If the arbitrator finds that either the substance of your claim or the relief sought in the Demand is frivolous or brought for an improper purpose (as measured by the standards set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)), then the payment of all fees will be governed by the AAA Rules. In that case, you agree to reimburse SRA for all monies previously disbursed by it that are otherwise your obligation to pay under the AAA Rules. Regardless of the manner in which the arbitration is conducted, the arbitrator must issue a reasoned written decision sufficient to explain the essential findings and conclusions on which the decision and award, if any, are based. The arbitrator may make rulings and resolve disputes as to the payment and reimbursement of fees or expenses at any time during the proceeding and upon request from either party made within 14 days of the arbitrator’s ruling on the merits.
    6. No Class Actions. YOU AND SRA AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. Further, unless both you and SRA agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person’s claims, and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding.
    7. Modifications. If SRA makes any future change to this arbitration provision (other than a change to SRA’s address for Notice), you may reject the change by sending us written notice within 30 days of the change to SRA’s address for Notice, in which case your account with SRA will be immediately terminated and this arbitration provision, as in effect immediately prior to the amendments you reject will survive.
    8. Enforceability. If Section 20.6 is found to be unenforceable or if the entirety of this Section 20 is found to be unenforceable, then the entirety of this Section 20 will be null and void and, in that case, the parties agree that the exclusive jurisdiction and venue described in Section 18 will govern any action arising out of or related to these Terms.
  10. Consent to Electronic Communications. By using the Service, you consent to receiving certain electronic communications from us as further described in our Privacy Policy. Please read our Privacy Policy to learn more about your choices regarding our electronic communications practices. You agree that any notices, agreements, disclosures, or other communications that we send to you electronically will satisfy any legal communication requirements, including that those communications be in writing.
  11. Contact Information. The Service is offered by the Foundation for Students Rising Above, doing business as Students Rising Above. You may contact us by sending correspondence to PO Box 192492, San Francisco, CA 94119-2492 or by emailing us at [email protected].