Terms of Service

Welcome to HBCU Community. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the HBCU Community platform ("Platform"). By accessing or using the Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Platform.

1. Description of Service

HBCU Community is a platform that connects students, alumni, and supporters of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. It offers networking, mentorship, and tools for alumni chapters and student organizations ("groups").

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 16 years old to use the Platform. If we learn that an account belongs to someone younger, we will close it and delete its information. You must also be able to enter into a binding agreement where you live, and not be barred from the Platform by law or by a previous termination of your account.

3. Your Account

You are responsible for keeping your sign-in credentials secure and for everything that happens under your account. Keep your information accurate, and tell us right away if you think someone else is using your account.

4. User Content

You own the content you submit ("User Content"). By submitting it, you give HBCU Community a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute it to operate and improve the Platform. You confirm that you have the right to grant this license and that your content does not violate anyone else's rights.

5. AI Features

Some features use AI to make suggestions, such as reading your resume or drafting a bio. Suggestions may be wrong, and you are responsible for reviewing anything before it is added to your profile. We do not guarantee the accuracy of AI output.

6. Paid Subscriptions

Some group features require a paid subscription. If you subscribe on behalf of a group, you confirm that you are authorized to do so.

• Subscriptions are billed in advance and renew automatically until cancelled, at the price shown at checkout, plus any applicable taxes.
• You can cancel at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. Except where the law requires, payments are non-refundable.
• We may change prices with notice. A new price applies from your next billing period.
• We may offer trials or free access at our discretion, and may end them at any time.
• If a payment fails, we may pause paid features until it is resolved.
• Payments are processed by Stripe under its own terms. See our Privacy Policy for how payment information is handled.

7. Group Dues

A group may collect dues from its members through the Platform, separately from paid subscriptions (Section 6 of these Terms).

• The group, not HBCU Community, is the seller. Dues are paid through Stripe to the group's own account. We do not hold dues or charge a fee on them, though Stripe's processing fees apply.
• If you set up dues for a group, you confirm that you are authorized to do so and to accept Stripe's terms for that group.
• The group sets its dues, decides refunds, and provides any membership benefits. Contact the group about a refund before disputing a charge. A refund or dispute may end the membership standing the payment covered.
• Groups are responsible for any taxes on the dues they collect.
• We only provide the software and are not a party to the payment. We may suspend a group's dues where the law, Stripe, or these Terms require it.

8. Groups and Group Leaders

Groups are run by their own members. We provide the software; we do not run groups, choose their leaders, or take responsibility for their decisions. If you lead a group:

• You can see information about the group's members, as described in Section 3 of our Privacy Policy, and your access ends when your role does.
• Use member information only to run the group and contact its members about group business. Do not sell it, share it outside the group's leadership, or keep using it after your role ends or a member withdraws it.
• You are responsible for keeping anything you download secure, and for what your group sends to its members.
• We may remove a leader's access, limit a group's features, or close a group when these Terms, our Community Guidelines, or the law require it.

9. Direct Messages

Direct messages are private between the people in the conversation. We do not monitor them, but an administrator may read a message that has been reported. You can block or report anyone. A leader of a group you belong to may message you about group business without being connected to you. You are responsible for what you send.

10. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• Use the Platform for any unlawful purpose
• Harass, threaten, or intimidate other users
• Post false, misleading, or deceptive content
• Impersonate another person or entity
• Interfere with or disrupt the Platform or servers connected to the Platform
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Platform or other accounts
• Use automated means to access or collect data from the Platform without permission
• Upload viruses, malware, or other harmful code
• Violate any applicable law or regulation

11. Intellectual Property

The Platform and its original content (excluding User Content), features, and functionality are owned by HBCU Community and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or lease any part of the Platform without our prior written consent.

12. Disclaimers

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. We do not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components. We do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of any User Content or information shared on the Platform.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, HBCU Community and its officers, directors, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of or inability to use the Platform, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

14. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to the Platform at our sole discretion, without notice, for conduct that we determine violates these Terms, our Community Guidelines, or is otherwise harmful to other users or the Platform. You may also delete your account at any time through your account settings.

15. Changes to Terms

We may revise these Terms at any time by posting the updated version on this page and updating the effective date. Your continued use of the Platform after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.

16. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States, without regard to conflict of law principles.

17. Text Messages

Text messages are optional. To turn them on, you add your mobile number in your notification settings, confirm it with a one-time code, and agree to the following:

“Yes, I would like to receive automated text messages from HBCU Community about my account activity, including reminders for sessions and events, requests that need my response, and one-time verification codes. Message frequency: Varies with how much is happening on your account. Standard rates: Message and data rates may apply, depending on your plan. Help and stop: Reply HELP for help, or STOP to cancel at any time. Not required: Consent is not required to use HBCU Community. Everything here is also available by email.”

Messages come from (866) 573-4882 and are only about your own activity, such as reminders, requests waiting on you, dues deadlines, and verification codes. We do not send marketing by text, and groups cannot text their members. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to stop at any time, or HELP for help. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. If you change your number, you will need to add and confirm the new one.

18. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us at hello@thehbcu.community, or write to us at: