Best Personal Academic Websites Contest 2023 Terms and Conditions
Official Rules for the Best Personal Academic Websites Contest
No purchase is necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning.
Entries to the 2023 Best Personal Academic Websites Contest are now closed as of November 1, 2023. Winners will be contacted by email according to these terms.
1. Eligibility
The Best Personal Academic Websites Contest 2023 is open to all people who identify as an academic (i.e. faculty, professors, scientists, postdocs, grad students, and independent researchers). Employees and contractors of The Academic Designer LLC, Brittany Trinh Creative, and Owlstown are not eligible. Winners of previous years of the Best Personal Academic Websites Contest awards are not eligible.
2. Hosts
This contest is hosted by The Academic Designer LLC, Brittany Trinh Creative, and Owlstown.
3. Agreement to Official Rules
Participation in the Contest constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement and acceptance of these Official Rules and decisions of the Host, which are binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon being compliant with these Official Rules and fulfilling requirements set forth herein.
4. Contest Period
The Contest begins on July 17, 2023 at 12:01 AM Pacific Time and ends on September 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time (the “Contest Period”). The deadline has been extended by the contest hosts, and these terms have been updated with the deadline extension on September 10, 2023. Entries that are submitted before or after the Contest Period will be disqualified. Submissions will be accepted for the duration of the Contest using the following method: Online.
5. How to Enter
Online: This method of entry will be available by visiting our website (https://theacademicdesigner.com/2023/best-personal-academic-websites-contest-2023) and following the directions provided to fill out the entry information, and submit.
Limit one (1) entry per person, per email address for the duration of the Contest Period. Entries received from any person or email address in excess of stated limitation will be void.
6. Contest Judging
After entries are closed on September 30, 2023, all entries will be judged with this rubric (Google Drive share link). Then, winners will be selected in multiple categories. The Hosts will attempt to notify the winners via email on or around November 30, 2023. The notification does not require a response, but does allow space for you to thank anyone who supported your website project in the winner’s announcement (i.e. website designer, developer, writers, graphic designers).
All entries will be added to the Owlstown Academic Gallery to inspire future academics as a top example.
7. Winner Notification
Winners will be notified by email on or around November 30, 2023. Winners will be announced publicly on The Social Academic blog soon after. Winning websites will also be shared on social media as examples of the best personal academic websites. If you have provided your social media handle(s) during entry, you will be tagged on social media in the announcement.
8. Prizes
Multiple awards will be granted. Each award includes a digital badge for your LinkedIn profile and website. We encourage you to add the Best Personal Academic Websites 2023 award as a line to your CV. Winning websites will be featured as an example of the best in the winner’s announcement and across social media.
9. General Conditions
In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including but not limited to fraud, virus, bug, worm, unauthorized human intervention, or other technical problem, or in the event the Contest is unable to run as planned for any other reason, as determined by the Hosts in their sole discretion, the Hosts may, in their sole discretion, either (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules or (b) terminate the Contest. The Hosts reserve the right in their sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to damage the website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be in violation of criminal and civil law, and, should an attempt be made, the Hosts reserve the right to seek damages (including attorney’s fees) and any other remedies from any such person. Failure by the Hosts to enforce any provision in these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.
10. Release and Limitations of Liability
By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Hosts, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, other companies associated with the Contest, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives, and agents (the Released Parties) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt of the prize including, but not limited to (a) any technical errors associated with the Contest including lost, interrupted, or unavailable Internet Service Provider (ISP), network, server, wireless service provider, or other connections, availability, or accessibility, or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cellular tower or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; (b) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (c) mechanical, electronic, computer, human, printing or typographic errors; (d) any other errors or problems in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors that may occur in the administration of the Contest, the announcement of the winner, the cancellation or postponement of the Contest, or (e) injury, death, loss or damages of any kind, to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrants participation in the Contest or acceptance of the prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Release Parties liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the entrant be entitled to receive attorney’s fees. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.
11. Disputes
Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that any and 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, and exclusively by the appropriate court in San Diego County, California. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrants rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Hosts in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of California, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the applications of laws of any jurisdiction other than California.
12. Privacy
Information collected from entrants is subject to The Academic Designer LLC’s privacy policy (https://theacademicdesigner.com/privacy-policy/).