Commencement

USF Grad Cap Contest Official Rules

  1. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. The USF Grad Cap Contest (the “Contest”) is sponsored by the (USF”). Contest is offered only in Florida (the “Contest Area”). Void outside the Contest Area and where prohibited.
  2. Contest is subject to all federal, state and/or local laws. shall be entitled to interpret these official rules (Official Rules”) as needed — including but not limited to rules regarding eligibility, entries, deadlines, winner selection and prize restrictions. By participating, you irrevocably, fully and unconditionally agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of USF, which are final and binding in all respects, and waive any right to claim ambiguity in these Official Rules or any other Contest-related advertising or materials. For more information about the Contest, visit the "Contest Page".
  3. Contest starts on Nov. 12, 2024 at 12:01 AM Eastern Time (″ET″). Entry deadline is 11:59 PM ET on Dec. 8, 2024. Judging to determine potential winners will be completed by Dec. 9, 2024. USF‘s computer is the official time-keeping device for this Contest.
     

    Eligibility

  4. You must be eighteen (18) years old or older and a legal resident of the Contest Area (above) for at least three (3) months during the year to be eligible to participate in this Contest. In addition, you are only eligible to participate if you are a registered USF undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral, or professional school student, a member of the graduating class of 2024, and a participant in a USF-organized commencement ceremony held on Dec. 13 or Dec. 14, 2024 at the Yuengling Center on USF’s Tampa Campus.
  5. Employees, associates, officers, directors, volunteers and agents of USF, Yuengling Center (“Yuengling”), or any other entity directly involved in the development, administration or execution of the Contest, and the members of their immediate families (defined as spouse, parents, siblings and children) and households (whether or not related), are not eligible to enter or win.

    Prizes

  6. First Prize (1): Use of one (1) reserved suite for up to eight (8) graduate friends/family at one (1) Fall Commencement on Dec. 13 or Dec. 14, 2024 (each, a “Fall Commencement”) at the Yuengling Center, 12499 USF Bull Run Drive, Tampa, FL 33617. See important suite prize restrictions below. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $0.00.
  7. Second Prizes (2): Four (4) reserved seats in Section 103 at one (1) Fall Commencement. See important ticket prize restrictions below. ARV: $0.00.
  8. Bull Pride (1): Use of one (1) reserved suite for up to eight (8) graduate friends/family at one (1) Fall Commencement. See suite prize restrictions below. ARV: $0.00. Limit one (1) prize per person.

    Prize Restrictions

  9. Prize tickets and suite use have no cash value and cannot be used on any other date or during any other event. There are no tickets required for guests to attend any Fall Commencement and there is no limit on how many guests each graduate may bring.
  10. All prize details shall be at USF‘s sole discretion. Each winner assumes sole responsibility for all expenses and incidental costs associated with the prizes not expressly included in the prize description above, including without limitation, all federal, state and/or local taxes (if any).
  11. Prizes are not redeemable for cash and may not be sold, bartered or auctioned. The right to receive any prize is personal to winner and is not transferable. Any prize or portion thereof not accepted by any winner is forfeited and no cash or substitute will be offered or permitted. Prizes will not be substituted except that USF in its discretion may substitute a prize, or portion thereof, with a prize or portion of equal or greater value if it deems necessary. Any such changes will be announced.
  12. Each prize offered is provided “as is” with no warranty or guarantee either express or implied by Released Parties (below). Released Parties have neither made nor are responsible or liable for any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to any prize. Other restrictions apply.

    To Enter

  13. Entries will be accepted starting on Nov. 12, 2024 at 12:01 AM ET and ending on Dec. 8, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET (the “Contest Period”). To enter, decorate your Bulls graduation cap and take a Photo of your decorated cap (your “Photo”). Then, visit the Contest Page and follow the instructions to submit your Photo and all required information, which may include your name, age or date of birth, graduation date and email address (the “Required Information”). Note that the “Bulls Pride” prize will be awarded to the highest scoring Submission that depicts a cap decorated with a USF theme.
  14. Your Photo and any Required Information are referred to collectively as your “Submission.” Your Submission must comply with the Content Restrictions (below). This is the only method of entry. Entries will not be accepted via any other method.
  15. Entries must contain all Required Information and must be received by  Dec. 8, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET to be eligible. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt by USF and USF will not accept screen shots as proof of entry.
  16. IMPORTANT: MESSAGE AND/OR DATA RATES MAY APPLY TO THE USE OF MOBILE PHONES/DEVICES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTEST. WIRELESS SERVICE MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IN ALL AREAS.
  17. Limit one (1) entry per person and per email address. Additional entries received from such person or email address will be subject to disqualification. Suspected attempts to enter more than the stated number above, including by using false contact information or multiple accounts, may result in your disqualification, in USF‘s sole discretion.
  18. Each entry must be associated with a valid email address. Released Parties are not responsible for communications that are undeliverable because of any form of filtering, blocking or incorrect information of any kind. In the event of a dispute as to the identity or eligibility of a winner based on a email address, the entry will be deemed made by the “Authorized Account Holder” of the email address used for entry. The Authorized Account Holder is the natural person who is assigned to the email address by USF. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of any entrant, the potential winner agrees to furnish requested documentation confirming his/her/their status as the Authorized Account Holder. If such a dispute cannot be resolved to USF‘s satisfaction, the affected entry will be deemed ineligible.
  19. Entrants who fail to include any Required Information may be disqualified without further notification by USF. Entrants agree that Released Parties are not responsible for entries that are lost, misdirected, undelivered, garbled, distorted, truncated, incomplete, illegible, incorrect or late for any reason, and all such entries are void. USF reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any entry at any time that in its opinion does not comply with these Official Rules.
  20. The information that you provide in connection with the Contest may be used by USF in accordance with its Privacy Policy, which may be updated from time to time.

    Content Restrictions

  21. Each Submission must comply with all requirements of these Official Rules as well as those set out below. USF may reject any Submission that it determines has violated the Official Rules (including the Content Restrictions), or is otherwise unsuitable, offensive, or in poor taste, and disqualify the corresponding entrant, at any time during the Contest. You agree that USF has the sole discretion to decide whether any Submission has violated these Official Rules and that its decisions are final. If any claim of unauthorized use of any content contained within the Submission is made by any third party, USF reserves the right to immediately terminate access to the Submission (including on the Contest Page), if applicable, and disqualify both the Submission and the corresponding entrant.
  22. As noted above, your Submission must satisfy the following “Content Restrictions” to be eligible:
    1. Your Submission must be original to you and must not contain any watermarks, signatures, or copyright notices.
    2. Your Submission must clearly and conspicuously disclose the fact that it is part of a Contest entry by using the required hashtags.
    3. Your Submission must not refer to or depict any identifiable trademark, trade name, logo, or brand names other than those belonging to USF.
    4. No individuals other than you may be identifiable in any Submission and your Submission must not contain any other personally identifiable information regarding any third parties.
    5. Your Submission must be appropriate for publication in a commercially distributed magazine or other generally available medium.
    6. Your Submission must not depict any content, language or images that would make the Submission inappropriate for publication to a general audience as determined by USF in its absolute and sole discretion. Without limiting the foregoing, any  Submission that includes foul language, nudity or other states of undress, graphic or excessively violent content, lewd, pornographic, obscene, indecent, hateful, tortious, illegal, defamatory, slanderous, libelous, false, or disparaging content, or content that invades any person’s privacy or other rights, or that promotes or advocates drug use, bigotry, racism, hatred, or harm against any group or individual, or that promotes discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age, or that appears to violate any third-party intellectual property rights, as determined by USF in its absolute and sole discretion, will be disqualified.
    7. Your Submission must comply with the Terms of Use at the Contest Page.
  23. You agree that USF has the sole discretion to determine whether any Submission has violated these Official Rules and that its decisions are final. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, USF RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT AND DISQUALIFY ANY SUBMISSION (INCLUDING ANY PHOTO) THAT IT DEEMS, IN ITS SOLE, SUBJECTIVE DETERMINATION, TO BE INAPPROPRIATE WITHOUT ANY OBLIGATION TO ENGAGE IN ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION, COMMENT OR DISCUSSION ABOUT SUCH SUBMISSION. ALL DECISIONS BY USF ARE FINAL.

    License, Warranty & Indemnity

  24. You retain your rights to your Photo; however, by entering the Contest, you agree to grant USF (and those authorized by USF) a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, world-wide royalty-free license (and waive all moral rights in and to your Photo to display, reproduce, distribute, publish, perform, edit, otherwise use your Photo for advertising and promotional purposes, including the display of the Photo on USF‘s websites, social media platforms and other related sites in connection with this Contest. For clarity, USF has the right (but not the obligation) to publish any Photo on USF‘s websites and/or social media platforms and as USF otherwise so chooses. USF will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.
  25. By entering your Submission, you warrant that (a) you are legally entitled to enter the Photo in the Contest, (b) the Photo does not infringe any third-party rights, and (c) your Submission complies in all respects with the Official Rules.
  26. In addition, by entering your Submission, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Released Parties (defined below), their parent companies and subsidiaries, and their respective officers, directors, employees and affiliated organizations, from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, costs, liabilities and causes of action of whatsoever nature that are based upon or arise out of any breach by you of these Official Rules or the warranties and/or representations made by you pursuant to these Official Rules.

    Winner Selection, Verification & Publicity

  27. On Dec. 9, 2024, or within a reasonable time thereafter, a panel of qualified judges consisting of creative professionals, marketing employees, and other commencement staff and assembled by USF (the “Judges”) will review and score all timely and properly entered USF-themed Submissions on the following equally weighted judging criteria: creativity, relevance to theme, and overall excellence. Subject to verification of eligibility,  person whose USF-themed Submission receives the highest score from the Judges will be declared the Bulls Pride winner.
  28. Next, the Judges will then review and score all remaining Submissions (including non-winning USF-themed Submissions) using the above-described judging criteria. Subject to verification of eligibility, the person whose Submission receives the highest score from the Judges will be declared the First Prize winner and the two (2) persons whose Submissions receive the next highest scores from the Judges will be declared the Second Prize winners. Limit one (1) prize per person.
  29. USF reserves the right to award fewer than the stated number of prizes if it does not receive an adequate number of properly submitted and eligible entries. Ties (if any) will be broken in favor of the Submission with the highest ”creativity” score, followed by the “relevance to theme” score, and if necessary, the “overall excellence” score.
  30. USF will contact each potential winner using the information on file or provided at the time of entry. Each potential winner must respond to such notification within twenty-four (24) hours and provide requested contact information, verification information and/or signed eligibility documents, liability waiver, publicity release (where legal) and/or other items to USF within forty-eight (48) hours after initial notification and as a condition of receiving any prize. Confirmed winners will receive instructions from USF or its designee on how to claim or receive prizes.
  31. If any potential winner (a) cannot be contacted directly by, or does not respond to, USF or its designee within the time stated above, (b) fails to satisfy any eligibility or verification requirement herein, (c) declines to accept the prize, or (d) is otherwise determined to be ineligible, USF in its discretion may disqualify that individual and an alternate winner will be selected in accordance with the above selection process as soon as reasonably practicable after such disqualification. Alternate winners are subject to all eligibility requirements and restrictions of these Official Rules and must respond to initial notification within twenty-four (24) hours, or no later than 4:00 PM ET on Dec. 10, 2024, whichever is earlier, and provide any requested verification materials within forty-eight (48) hours after initial notification, or no later than 4:00 PM ET on Dec. 11, 2024, whichever is earlier. If time permits, USF will make up to two (2) attempts to verify an alternate winner for any prize. If USF is unable to verify an alternate winner for any prize after two (2) attempts, or there is not enough time remaining prior to the first Fall Commencement to verify an alternate winner, no further attempts will be made for such prize and that prize will not be awarded.
  32. USF may, in its sole discretion, post the verified winners' names on the Contest Page and/or any of its websites, including usf.edu and on or in any of its social media pages or channels and broadcast them on any of USF‘s stations. Except as provided in these Official Rules or otherwise required by law, USF is not responsible for entering any correspondence or discussion regarding any Contest results.
  33. By accepting a prize, each winner agrees to award USF the right to publicize his/her/their name, photographs (including the use and appearance of his/her/their photograph and winning Photo on its websites), likeness, biographical information, email address, voice and details of winning for purposes of this and future promotions without further compensation, except where prohibited.

    Limitation of Liability

  34. By participating in the Contest or accepting a prize, you agree that USF, Yuengling, the State of Florida, the Florida Board of Governors, the USF Board of Trustees, Facebook, a product of Meta Products, Inc., any other company involved in the development or administration of this Contest, their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, distributors, advertising and promotion agencies, prize suppliers, franchisees, and all of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees and related persons (collectively, the Released Parties”) (a) are not responsible for mechanical, technical, electronic, communications, telephone, computer, hardware or software errors, malfunctions or failures of any kind, including but not limited to: failed, incomplete, misdirected, corrupted, garbled or delayed transmissions, telephone connections, traffic congestion on telephone lines, the Internet or at any website; or disconnected, interrupted, or unavailable network, server, or other connections; or late, lost, undeliverable, damaged or stolen mail; or other errors of any kind, whether human, mechanical, or electronic; or Submissions that for any reason are not properly submitted or received by USF by any deadline stated above; (b) are not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants or other participants, printing, typographical or other errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest or in the printing of this offer, administration of this Contest, or in the selection or announcement of the winners or prizes, or otherwise in any Contest-related materials; (c) are not responsible for any injury or damage to any computer, tablet, smartphone, modem or other device as a result of participation in this Contest or downloading of any software or materials; (d) are not responsible for unauthorized human intervention in any part of the Contest; (e) are not responsible for any unauthorized third-party use of any entry materials (including any Photo); (f) are not responsible for the inability to select winners because of postal failure, equipment failure, or data storage failure; (g) are not responsible for any printing, typographical, technical, computer, network or human error that may occur in the administration of the Contest, the acceptance of Submissions, the judging of Photos, the tabulation of scores, the selection of the winners, the prizes or otherwise in any Contest-related materials; and (h) are released from any and all alleged, existing, or future actions, claims, and/or liabilities of whatever nature including, but not limited to, personal injury, bodily injury (including, without limitation, wrongful death and disability), property damage, and expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) and loss or damage of any other kind, arising in whole or in part directly or indirectly, from participating in the Contest (in whole or in part), the use (including modification, adaptation, and reproduction) of entry materials (including any Photo) during or after the Contest, and the delivery, acceptance, possession, redemption, use, misuse, loss, or misdirection of any prize.
  35. RELEASED PARTIES EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND (WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE), INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. RELEASED PARTIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE OR RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES MADE OR OFFERED BY ADVERTISERS, PARTNERS, MANUFACTURERS OR SUPPLIERS, INCLUDING THOSE RELATED TO ANY PRIZE. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL RELEASED PARTIES BE HELD RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR YOUR USE OF THE INFORMATION AND/OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED AND/OR MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CONTEST OR FOR ERRORS OR ANOMALIES RESULTING IN THE UNINTENDED OR ERRONEOUS PARTICIPATION, AWARD OF ANY PRIZE OR OTHER BENEFITS UNDER THESE OFFICIAL RULES. RELEASED PARTIES OFFER NO ASSURANCES, GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES THAT THE CONTEST PAGE OR RELATED WEBSITES OR MOBILE PLATFORMS, OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE FEATURES OR FUNCTIONALITIES, WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE AND DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH THE CONTEST.
  36. BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, ACCEPTING A PRIZE AND/OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST, you FURTHER AGREE THAT (A) ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS, AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THE CONTEST, OR ANY PRIZE AWARDED, SHALL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION; (B) ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND AWARDS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED, INCLUDING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ENTERING THE CONTEST, BUT IN NO EVENT ATTORNEYS' FEES; AND (C) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL YOU BE PERMITTED TO OBTAIN ANY AWARD FOR, AND you HEREBY WAIVE ALL RIGHTS TO CLAIM, ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES AND ANY RIGHTS TO HAVE DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR OTHERWISE INCREASED AND ANY DAMAGES OTHER THAN ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
  37. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES AND THEREFORE THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU IN WHOLE OR IN PART.

    Miscellaneous, Disputes & Trademarks

  38. USF reserves the right to cancel, suspend or terminate this Contest, or any part thereof, if USF determines, in its sole discretion, that the security, administration, fairness and/or operation of the Contest has been corrupted or impaired by any non-authorized intervention, network failure, information storage failure, telecommunications failure, regularly scheduled maintenance, malfunction, or any other cause beyond USF‘s control. In such an event, USF will post notice of same at the Contest Page and select the winners from all non-suspect entries received prior to the suspension, cancellation or termination of the Contest in accordance with the previously described selection process or in such other manner as USF, in its sole discretion, deems fair and appropriate under the circumstances.
  39. USF reserves the right to disqualify any individual from further participation in the Contest if USF concludes, in its sole discretion, that such person (a) has attempted to tamper with any entry or selection process or other any operation of the Contest, (b) has repeatedly disregarded or has attempted to circumvent these Official Rules, or (c) has acted towards USF, the Judges, or any other entrant or participant in an unfair, inequitable, deliberately annoying, threatening, disrupting or harassing manner. Tampering includes attempting to enter more than the number of times permitted herein, including by using any prohibited device or method. Any failure by USF to enforce any of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of such Official Rules.
  40. USF reserves the right to correct typographical, printing or clerical errors in any Contest-related materials. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. If production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than the stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, USF reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes from among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims in accordance with the previously described selection process or in such other manner as USF, in its absolute discretion, deems fair and appropriate under the circumstances.
  41. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrants or other participants or Released Parties in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by Florida law, without giving effect to any choice of law rules that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than Florida.
  42. By entering, accepting a prize and/or otherwise participating in the Contest, you expressly (a) agree that any legal proceedings arising out of or relating in any way to this Contest or these Official Rules shall be brought only in the federal or state courts located in Hillsborough County, Florida, and (b) consent to the mandatory and exclusive jurisdiction in such courts with respect to any such legal proceedings.
  43. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between any terms or conditions of these Official Rules and any disclosures or other statements contained in any other Contest-related materials, including but not limited to the Contest entry forms, or point of sale, television, print, mobile or online advertising, the terms and conditions of these Official Rules shall prevail, govern and control. If any provision of these Official Rules is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these Official Rules shall otherwise remain in effect and be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.
  44. Any third-party trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective trademark owners and the use or mention of any such third-party trademarks in these Official Rules or in the Contest is solely for descriptive purposes and shall in no way imply an endorsement or sponsorship of the Contest or of USF.

    Winners' List/Official Rules

  45. For a copy of the Official Rules or the final Winners' List, visit the Contest Page or usf.edu or mail a SASE to: USF Grad Cap Contest c/o USF, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, Florida 33620, specifying either “Winners' List” or “Official Rules.” Winners' List will be available after Dec. 9, 2024.
  46. Sponsor: .