Terms of Service

01

COLLAB TERMS OF SERVICE

Last Updated: August 21, 2025

02

AGREEMENT TO TERMS

These Terms of Service ("Terms") are a legally binding agreement between you ("you," "user") and COLLAB TECHNOLOGY, LLC ("ColLab," "we," "us," or "our"), a California limited liability company with a principal office at 3400 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825, United States.

By accessing or using our website (www.collabportal.com) and any related services, applications, or tools (collectively, the "Services"), you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must discontinue use immediately.

If you have a separate written agreement with ColLab (for example, if you are a University partner), that agreement controls to the extent it conflicts with these Terms.

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CHANGES TO TERMS

We may modify these Terms from time to time. If the changes do not materially affect your rights, we may update them without notice by posting the new Terms. If the changes materially affect your rights, we will notify you by email or through the Services before they take effect. Your continued use of the Services after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

04

OUR SERVICES

ColLab is a software platform that enables universities, principal investigators (PIs), and applicants to streamline the research application process. The Services allow applicants to submit materials such as resumes, transcripts, and other documents, and allow PIs and administrators to review applications, manage lab profiles, and communicate with applicants.

ColLab acts as a service provider to educational institutions under separate agreements (such as a Master Services Agreement) and does not act as the custodian of records, the decision-maker for admissions, hiring, or research placement, or a financial intermediary. All decisions regarding the acceptance, rejection, or evaluation of applicants remain solely with the participating institutions or their designated representatives.

ColLab may provide features such as notifications, recruitment process delegation, email pathway, or data insights to facilitate the application and review process. These tools are provided solely to improve workflow and efficiency; ColLab does not guarantee outcomes, availability of positions, or accuracy of information provided by users. Educational institutions remain responsible for compliance with applicable laws such as FERPA, and ColLab processes educational records on behalf of institutions only as a service provider.

By using the Services, you acknowledge that ColLab provides a technology platform to facilitate communication and document management but does not independently verify, endorse, or control the content submitted by users.

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ACCOUNT CREATION

You may only access and use the Services if your university or institution has entered into a written agreement with ColLab (a "University Partner"). Accounts are provisioned solely in connection with such agreements.

Student Accounts

If you are a student at a University Partner, your account will only be created once your institution provides ColLab with the necessary information to enable access. You will receive instructions on how to activate your account. Student Accounts are not pre-populated by ColLab; you are responsible for providing and maintaining the accuracy of your own profile information. The only part of your Student Account that cannot be changed is the email address used to log in, which must match your University domain. If you believe this information is incorrect, you should contact your University directly. As part of your profile, you may be asked to provide optional demographic information (such as gender, race/ethnicity, or other identifiers). Providing this information is voluntary, and you may choose not to answer. Any demographic information you provide will be governed by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy, and may be subject to restrictions or use guidelines set by your University.

Faculty Research Accounts

Faculty members, principal investigators, or other authorized research leads at a University Partner may be granted Faculty Research Accounts. In some cases, ColLab may pre-populate Faculty Research Accounts using information from publicly available sources (for example, university websites, faculty directories, or publicly available research group information). It is the responsibility of faculty to review this information. Faculty may then claim such pre-populated accounts upon logging in and verify the pre-populated details are accurate. Faculty Research Accounts are used to create and manage research opportunities, review applications, and oversee applicant workflows. Faculty may also delegate certain account functions to designated lab members or assistants, as authorized by their University.

Pre-Populated Faculty Accounts Disclaimer

ColLab may provision Faculty Research Accounts using information obtained from publicly available sources (including, without limitation, university websites, faculty directories, and publicly accessible research group pages). These accounts may be created and made visible to authorized users of the Services immediately upon provisioning.

All such information is provided solely as a convenience to University Partners to streamline adoption of the Services. ColLab does not verify, warrant, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any pre-populated information, and such information does not constitute an endorsement, representation, or statement by the affected faculty member.

Faculty members and their University Partner are solely responsible for reviewing, correcting, or updating pre-populated Faculty Research Accounts. By using the Services, you acknowledge and agree that:

ColLab shall not be liable for any inaccuracies, misrepresentations, or reputational harm arising from pre-populated account information; and
The applicable University Partner remains responsible for authorizing and validating the scope of accounts provisioned to its faculty.

Faculty Account Types

ColLab provides two primary methods of facilitating communication and application management:

Platform Pathway: Applicants and administrators interact directly within ColLab’s platform, using built-in tools to submit, review, and manage applications.
Email Pathway: Certain application materials and notifications may be delivered through email, allowing principal investigators and administrators to view and manage submissions directly in their inbox. ColLab is not responsible for how users manage or share materials once they are outside the platform.

Lab Member Accounts

Faculty Research Account holders may invite colleagues, assistants, or students affiliated with the same University Partner to act as Lab Members. Lab Member Accounts are created through invitation links issued by Faculty Research Accounts and are subject to the same domain and institutional restrictions. Lab Members may assist in recruitment, application review, and other delegated tasks as permitted by the Faculty Research Account holder. Lab Member Accounts remain at all times subordinate to the sponsoring Faculty Research Account and the University Partner’s authorization. ColLab does not independently verify or provision Lab Member Accounts and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any permissions granted by Faculty Research Account holders.

Administrative Accounts

Administration Accounts are provided to each University Partner as part of their adoption of ColLab. There are two types of Administration Accounts:

Admin Accounts — provide elevated permissions to manage and configure ColLab beyond those of a standard user.
Global Admin Accounts — include all the permissions of an admin, plus a small set of additional capabilities designed for institution-wide oversight and configuration.

Each University is responsible for determining who within their institution is authorized to hold an Admin or Global Admin Account. Administration Accounts must be used solely for official University purposes and in compliance with these Terms and all applicable institutional policies. Administration accounts are intended for oversight, compliance, and account management.

General Account Guidelines

All users of ColLab are expected to use the Services in a professional, lawful, and respectful manner. You may not post, share, or transmit content that is violent, sexually explicit, discriminatory, hateful, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise inappropriate. Accounts may not be used for any illegal or unauthorized purpose, including but not limited to identity theft, fraud, copyright infringement, or misuse of University data. You may not misrepresent your identity, your role at the University, or any information you provide in your profile, nor may you stalk, bully, harass, abuse, threaten, or impersonate others through the Services. Automated scraping, bulk data collection, or other unauthorized methods of extracting information from ColLab are strictly prohibited, and you may not use the Services to send spam, bulk communications, or messages unrelated to the academic or research purposes for which ColLab is provided. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of your University login credentials and for all activity that occurs through your ColLab account. Finally, your use of ColLab must also comply with your University’s internal policies, codes of conduct, and applicable legal or ethical obligations.

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USER CONTENT & LICENSE

Users retain ownership of any content, documents, or information they upload, submit, or otherwise make available through ColLab ("User Content"). This includes application materials (resumes, transcripts, answers, or other application documents), profile content (lab descriptions, profile images, or other profile information), and contributions (such as chats, announcement boards, or other collaborative features that may be visible to other users).

By submitting User Content, you grant ColLab and its service providers a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, transferable, and sub-licensable license to host, store, process, display, reproduce, reformat, and otherwise use such User Content solely as necessary to operate, provide, maintain, and improve the Services, comply with applicable law, or as otherwise expressly permitted by you or your institution. ColLab does not claim ownership of User Content and will not use it for any other purpose without permission.

You represent and warrant that you are the creator or authorized licensor of your User Content, that you have obtained all necessary rights, licenses, consents, and permissions for its use, and that its submission and use through the Services does not infringe the intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights of any third party. You further represent that you have secured any required releases or permissions for identifiable individuals appearing in your content.

ColLab may remove or restrict access to User Content that violates these Terms or applicable law. All education records will be handled in compliance with FERPA, with the institution remaining the custodian of record. ColLab will not sell User Content or student data. You remain solely responsible for your User Content and agree to indemnify ColLab for any losses arising from your violation of this section.

Feedback, including any questions, comments, or suggestions you provide about the Services, may be used by ColLab without restriction, and you agree that ColLab will own all rights in such Feedback.

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All intellectual property rights in and to the ColLab Services — including source code, software, databases, designs, text, graphics, logos, trademarks, service marks, and trade dress (collectively, "ColLab Content and Marks") — are owned by or licensed to COLLAB TECHNOLOGY LLC and are protected under applicable copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

Except as expressly permitted under these Terms, you may not copy, reproduce, distribute, display, perform, modify, create derivative works of, or otherwise exploit the ColLab Content and Marks without our prior written consent. You acknowledge that ColLab retains all rights not expressly granted to you in these Terms.

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PROHIBITED USES

You may not access or use the Services for any purpose other than that for which they are made available, and they may not be used in connection with any commercial endeavors except those specifically authorized by ColLab. As a condition of use, you agree not to:

Systematically retrieve data or other content to create a database or directory without written permission.
Trick, defraud, or mislead ColLab or other users, including attempts to obtain sensitive account information.
Circumvent, disable, or interfere with security features or restrictions on use or copying of content.
Disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm ColLab or the Services.
Use information obtained from the Services to harass, abuse, or harm another person.
Misuse support services or submit false reports.
Use the Services in violation of applicable law or regulation.
Upload or transmit viruses, Trojan horses, spyware, or any harmful material, including spam or excessive automated messages.
Interfere with or disrupt the operation of the Services or connected networks.
Engage in automated use of the system, such as bots, scrapers, or scripts, without authorization.
Impersonate another user or person, or create accounts by automated or false means.
Copy, adapt, reverse engineer, or decompile any part of the Services’ software except as permitted by law.
Collect email addresses for unsolicited communication.
Use the Services to compete with ColLab or for unauthorized commercial purposes.

Any violation of this section constitutes a breach of these Terms and may result in suspension or termination of your access to the Services.

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PRIVACY & DATA HANDLING

Your use of the Services is also subject to our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms. ColLab processes personal data on behalf of universities in compliance with FERPA and other applicable laws. We do not sell personal data or permit bulk collection of student or faculty information. You are responsible for any use or disclosure of information you access through the Services.

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INTERNATIONAL USERS

The Services are managed and operated by COLLAB TECHNOLOGY LLC in the United States. If you access the Services from outside the U.S., you are responsible for ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations. By using the Services, you agree not to use its content in any location or manner that is prohibited by applicable laws, rules, or restrictions.

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MINIMUM USER REQUIREMENTS

To access and use the Services, users must have:

A stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth for web applications.
A supported web browser (current or previous two major releases of Chrome or Safari).
A computer or device running a supported operating system, including at minimum:
- Windows 7 or newer
- macOS Yosemite (10.10) or newer

ColLab does not guarantee compatibility with devices, operating systems, or browsers outside these requirements.

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TERMINATION

THESE LEGAL TERMS SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT WHILE YOU USE THE SERVICES. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THESE LEGAL TERMS, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO, IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION AND WITHOUT NOTICE OR LIABILITY, DENY ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SERVICES (INCLUDING BLOCKING CERTAIN IP ADDRESSES), TO ANY PERSON FOR ANY REASON OR FOR NO REASON, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION FOR BREACH OF ANY REPRESENTATION, WARRANTY, OR COVENANT CONTAINED IN THESE LEGAL TERMS OR OF ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION. WE MAY TERMINATE YOUR USE OR PARTICIPATION IN THE SERVICES OR DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT AND ANY CONTENT OR INFORMATION THAT YOU POSTED AT ANY TIME, WITHOUT WARNING, IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION. IF WE TERMINATE OR SUSPEND YOUR ACCOUNT FOR ANY REASON, YOU ARE PROHIBITED FROM USING THE SOFTWARE. IN ADDITION TO TERMINATING OR SUSPENDING YOUR ACCOUNT, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE APPROPRIATE LEGAL ACTION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION PURSUING CIVIL, CRIMINAL, AND INJUNCTIVE REDRESS.

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THIRD PARTY LINKS AND CONTENT

The Services may contain links to other websites ("Third-Party Websites") as well as articles, media, applications, software, and other content belonging to or originating from third parties ("Third-Party Content"). Such Third-Party Websites and Third-Party Content are not investigated, monitored, or checked by us, and we are not responsible for any Third-Party Websites accessed through the Services or any Third-Party Content available through the Services.

Inclusion of, linking to, or permitting the use or installation of any Third-Party Websites or Third-Party Content does not imply approval or endorsement by us. If you decide to leave the Services and access Third-Party Websites or use/install any Third-Party Content, you do so at your own risk. Review the applicable terms and policies of any website or application you use.

Any purchases you make through Third-Party Websites are exclusively between you and the applicable third party. We do not endorse products or services offered on Third-Party Websites and will not be liable for any harm arising from your interactions with them.

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COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

We respect the intellectual property rights of others. If you believe that any material available on or through the Services infringes upon any copyright you own or control, please immediately notify us using the contact information provided below (a "Notification"). A copy of your Notification will be sent to the person who posted or stored the material addressed. You may be held liable for damages if you materially misrepresent that content infringes your copyright.

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ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS, TRANSACTIONS, AND SIGNATURES

Visiting the Services, sending us emails, and completing online forms constitute electronic communications. You consent to receive electronic communications, and you agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications we provide to you electronically, via email and on the Services, satisfy any legal requirement that such communication be in writing.

YOU HEREBY AGREE TO THE USE OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES, CONTRACTS, ORDERS, AND OTHER RECORDS, AND TO ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF NOTICES, POLICIES, AND RECORDS OF TRANSACTIONS INITIATED OR COMPLETED BY US OR VIA THE SERVICES. You waive any rights under laws requiring non-electronic records or signatures.

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DISCLAIMER

THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN AS-IS AND AS-AVAILABLE BASIS. YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

WE MAKE NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE SERVICES' CONTENT OR ANY LINKED CONTENT AND ASSUME NO LIABILITY FOR (1) ERRORS OR INACCURACIES, (2) PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE RESULTING FROM USE, (3) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS OR USE OF SERVERS OR DATA, (4) INTERRUPTION OR CESSATION OF TRANSMISSION, (5) BUGS OR MALWARE TRANSMITTED BY THIRD PARTIES, OR (6) ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN CONTENT OR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE FROM CONTENT MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SERVICES.

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LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

IN NO EVENT WILL WE OR OUR DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, OR AGENTS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFIT, LOST REVENUE, LOSS OF DATA, OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY, OUR LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER, REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, WILL AT ALL TIMES BE LIMITED TO $100.00 USD, EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY AGREED IN A SEPARATE WRITTEN CONTRACT BETWEEN COLLAB AND A UNIVERSITY PARTNER. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW CERTAIN LIMITATIONS, SO THESE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

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INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold us harmless, including our subsidiaries, affiliates, and all of our respective officers, agents, partners, and employees, from and against any loss, damage, liability, claim, or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, made by any third party due to or arising out of: (1) your Contributions; (2) use of the Services; (3) breach of these Legal Terms; (4) any breach of your representations and warranties; (5) your violation of the rights of a third party; or (6) any harmful act toward any other user of the Services.

We may assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, and you agree to cooperate with our defense of such claims.

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DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Binding Arbitration

If the Parties are unable to resolve a Dispute through informal negotiations, the Dispute (except those expressly excluded) will be finally and exclusively resolved by binding arbitration under the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and, where appropriate, the AAA’s Supplementary Procedures for Consumer Related Disputes.

The arbitration may be conducted in person, through documents, by phone, or online. The arbitrator must follow applicable law. Except where otherwise required, the arbitration will take place in Alameda, California. The Parties may litigate in court to compel arbitration, stay proceedings, or to confirm, modify, vacate, or enter judgment on an award.

If a Dispute proceeds in court rather than arbitration, it shall be brought in the state and federal courts located in Alameda, California. In no event shall any Dispute be commenced more than one (1) year after the cause of action arose.

Restrictions

Any arbitration shall be limited to the Dispute between the Parties individually. No arbitration shall be joined with any other proceeding or conducted on a class-action basis or representative capacity.

Exceptions to Arbitration

The following Disputes are not subject to arbitration: (a) enforcement or validity of intellectual property rights; (b) allegations of theft, piracy, invasion of privacy, or unauthorized use; and (c) claims for injunctive relief.

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GOVERNING LAW

These Legal Terms and your use of the Services are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, applicable to agreements made and performed entirely within California, without regard to conflict of law principles.

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GENERAL PROVISIONS

These Terms, along with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and ColLab.
If any provision is invalid, the rest remain enforceable.
Our failure to enforce any right is not a waiver of it.
You may not assign your rights under these Terms without our consent. ColLab may assign its rights without restriction.

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MISCELLANEOUS

These Legal Terms and any policies or operating rules posted by us on the Services constitute the entire agreement and understanding between you and us. We are not liable for any loss or delay caused by events beyond our reasonable control. If any provision is unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision is deemed severable and does not affect remaining provisions. No joint venture, partnership, employment, or agency relationship is created by these Terms.

You waive defenses based on the electronic form of these Legal Terms and the lack of signing by the parties to execute these Legal Terms.

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CONTACT US

In order to resolve a complaint or to receive further information regarding use of the Services, please contact:

COLLAB TECHNOLOGY, LLC

3400 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825, United States

Phone: +1 (510) 676-7475

Email: support@collabtechnology.com