Website Terms & Policies

Website Terms & Conditions

Welcome to the online home of Princeton Theological Seminary (“PTS”). PTS is a privately endowed institution of higher education operating exclusively at the graduate level. Originally organized in 1812 and incorporated in 1822, the Seminary is a nonprofit organization governed by a Board of Trustees and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Set forth below are Terms & Conditions for use of PTS websites, https://www.ptsem.edu (the “Sites”). Please read these Terms of Use (“Terms”) carefully before accessing or participating in any chatroom, newsgroup, bulletin board, mailing list, websites, transaction or other online forum available at ptsem.edu.

The terms “You” and “User” as used in these Terms & Conditions refer to all individuals and/or entities accessing the Sites for any reason.

In part because PTS is an educational institution based in Princeton, New Jersey, under these legal notices, You accept that (1) the federal or local courts presiding in the State of New Jersey, United States, are the proper forum for resolving any and all disputes arising through or related to the Sites; and (2) the laws applicable to such disputes shall be the laws of the United States and the laws of the State of New Jersey.

By accessing and using the Sites, You acknowledge that You have read and understand these Terms & Conditions, and that You accept them and agree to be legally bound by them. You should not use the Sites if You have any objections to any of these Terms & Conditions.

PTS may revise these Terms & Conditions over time as new features are added to the Sites or as Internet law and standards evolve. We will post these changes prominently but recommend that You read these Terms & Conditions each time You visit.

1. Who Can Use the Websites

The Sites are not intended to be used by persons under the age of 18 years old. If you are under the age of 18 years old, please do not use the Sites or any of the services offered by PTS. If you are submitting information for a business entity, by doing so, you represent that you have the authority to bind that business entity to the Agreement. We may, in our sole and absolute discretion, refuse to allow use of the Sites or accept a person’s or entity’s information and may, at any time, refuse to permit a person’s, or entity’s, continuing use of the Sites for any reason or for no reason, in our sole discretion.

2. Rules of Online Conduct

Sites may include unmoderated forums containing the personal opinions and other expressions of the persons who post entries on a wide range of topics. Neither the content of these Sites, nor the links to other websites, are screened, approved, reviewed, or endorsed by PTS, or any PTS-affiliated entity. PTS is not a publisher of any of the content of the Sites, or of any content that may be available through links to and from them, and is acting solely as an internet service provider. 47 U.S.C. § 230(c)(1).

The text and other material on these Sites are the opinion of the specific author and are not statements of advice, opinion, or information of PTS. If you feel you might be offended by the content of the Sites, you should not continue.

You agree not to:

• Provide false or misleading information about yourself to PTS, impersonate any other person, or otherwise attempt to mislead others about your identity or the origin of any content, message, or other communication;
• Register, subscribe, attempt to register, attempt to subscribe, unsubscribe, or attempt to unsubscribe any party for any services if you are not expressly authorized by such party to do so;
• Collect information about other visitors to the PTS Sites without their consent or otherwise systematically extract data or data fields, including without limitation any financial data or email addresses;
• Probe, scan, test the vulnerability of, or breach the authentication measures of the Sites or any related web pages, networks, or systems;
• Use any robot, spider, scraper, deep link, or other automated or manual means to access the Sites, or copy and/or redistribute any content, information or software on the Sites;
• Manipulate or otherwise display the Sites by using framing, creating deep links to the Sites by bypassing the Sites’ home pages, mirroring or similar navigational technology, or directly link to any portion of the Sites other than the main home page;
• Attempt to modify, translate, adapt, edit, decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer any software programs used by PTS in connection with the Sites;
• Input or upload to the Sites any information that contains viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time bombs, or other computer programming routines that are intended to damage, interfere with, intercept, or expropriate any system, the Sites, or information that infringes the intellectual property rights of another;
• Use or access the Sites in any way that, in PTS’ sole judgment, adversely affects the performance or function of the Sites or interferes with the ability of authorized parties to access the Sites, including but not limited to any action that imposes, or may impose, in PTS’ sole discretion, an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure; and
• Engage in, perform, or conduct any of the prohibited actions or activities identified below in the Rules for Online Conduct.

You agree to use the Sites in accordance with all applicable laws. Because PTS is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, you agree that you will not use the Sites for organized partisan political activities. You further agree that you will not email or post any of the following content anywhere on the Sites, or on any other PTS computing resources:

• Content that defames or threatens others
• Harassing statements or content that violates federal or state law
• Content that discusses illegal activities with the intent to commit them
• Content that infringes another’s intellectual property, including, but not limited to, copyrights, trademarks, or trade secrets
• Material that contains obscene (i.e., pornographic) language or images
• Advertising or any form of commercial solicitation
• Content that is otherwise unlawful

Copyrighted material, including without limitation software, graphics, text, photographs, sound, video, and musical recordings, may not be placed on the Sites without the express permission of the owner of the copyright in the material, or other legal entitlement to use the material.

PTS students using these Sites are expected to abide by the PTS Foundational Guidelines for Institutional Conduct which provide:

“Every person associated with the Seminary is accountable for applying standards of honesty and fairness in all that they do. All persons associated with the Seminary are expected to treat one another with respect and mutual forbearance in all forms of expression (speech, writing, and actions). Though the Seminary encourages open discussion and debate, persons associated with the Seminary community are expected to engage one another with civility and courtesy in all forms of expression. All communication, whether delivered in person, in print, or electronically, directly or indirectly, should reflect propriety, politeness, and discretion.” Seminary Handbook items 4.1 & 4.2

Although PTS does not routinely screen or monitor content posted by users to the Sites, PTS reserves the right to remove content which violates the above rules of which it becomes aware, but is under no obligation to do so.

Finally, you agree that you will not access or attempt to access any other user’s account, or misrepresent or attempt to misrepresent your identity while using the Sites.

3. Your Account

If you use these Sites, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password, if any, and for restricting access to your computer, and you agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account or password. You must be 18 years of age or older to create an account. You agree that billing and registration information you provide on the Sites will be accurate and complete. PTS and its affiliates reserve the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, remove or edit content, or cancel orders in their sole discretion.

4. Copyright and Permissions

Please feel free to browse the Sites. With certain exceptions noted below, you may download, distribute, and share material from the Sites, as well as create and reproduce abridged versions of material on the Sites, provided that such abridgement (1) does not change the meaning or purpose of the materials, (2) is used only for non-commercial purposes, and (3) retains, without alteration, all copyright, trademark, and other proprietary notes displayed on the materials posted on the Sites.

Unless otherwise indicated, please feel to print out personal copies, read, and listen to the materials posted on this Sites. Please note, however, that certain materials — such as all material on the PTS Online Continuing Education sites, as well as podcasts, lectures, and articles linked from the “Publications” tab on the PTS homepage — may be subject to additional restrictions and permission requirements that will be listed on the specific webpages on which those materials are posted.

You are not permitted to republish for commercial reasons or to otherwise commercially distribute material from the Sites without prior written permission from PTS.

None of the material contained on the Sites (including all software, HTML code, and other code) may be reverse-engineered, disassembled, decompiled, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, translated into any language or computer language, retransmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photo-reproduction, recordation, or otherwise), resold or redistributed without the prior written permission of PTS.

Except as otherwise noted, all content of the Sites is:
Copyright © Princeton Theological Seminary
All rights reserved.

As an organization with an educational mission, PTS is generally inclined to share material from its Sites. However, PTS has a policy of terminating services to Users who willfully and/or repeatedly infringe.

For further information regarding permission to use material, please contact us.

5. Trademarks/Service Marks

The trademarks/service marks and/or logos (collectively the “Marks”) displayed on the Sites identify the educational services and products of PTS and related organizations, and inform the public as to the source of those services and products. Your misuse of any Mark is strictly prohibited, including without limitation, your use of Marks in any of the following ways:

In a manner likely to cause confusion;

To identify your products or services;

In, as, or part of your own trademarks or services marks;

In a manner that implies inaccurately a sponsorship, endorsement, or other connection with your products, services, or other activities; or

In a manner that disparages or dilutes the Marks.

You agree not to display or otherwise inappropriately use the Marks without prior written permission from PTS. Please make such requests by email. We will evaluate your request and respond as soon as possible.

6. Privacy

Our Privacy Policy is a part of our web Terms & Conditions which are binding on all Users of the Sites. The policy of PTS is to respect and protect the privacy of our Users. PTS aspires to build Users’ trust and confidence in the internet by promoting fair information practices. To fulfill this mission, PTS agrees to exercise reasonable precautions to maintain the confidentiality of information provided by You in connection with accessing and using the Sites. Because we gather certain types of personally identifiable information (“Personal Information”) from Users of our Sites, we feel You should know how we collect, use, disclose, manage, and store the Personal Information that You may voluntarily provide us and the Personal Information that is collected passively through use of cookies or image tags on our Sites. PTS agrees to post prominently and in plain language its specific privacy policies. This Privacy Policy sets forth PTS’ current policies and practices with respect to nonpublic Personal Information of the Users of the Sites.

7. Disclaimers

The Sites present information and resources provided by PTS and are not intended as professional advice or counseling. Although we welcome your calls, letters, and emails, please keep in mind that merely contacting PTS will not establish any professional or legal relationship. Consequently, You should not send confidential information to us for those purposes unless otherwise indicated.

We also attempt to provide links to other websites that we hope You will find helpful. We do not control the material presented in other sites, however, and we do not vouch for or assume responsibility for the accuracy of such material.

8. Additional Disclaimers and Limitation of Liabilities and Warranties

The Sites may contain technical inaccuracies, typographical errors, and out-of-date information. The Sites make no representations as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information posted, and the Sites make no warranty that the Sites will meet your requirements. You understand, acknowledge, and agree that your use of the Sites is at your own risk. PTS reserves the right to make changes to the Sites at any time.

PTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST REVENUES OR LOST PROFITS, WHICH MAY RESULT FROM THE USE OF, ACCESS TO, OR INABILITY TO USE THE SITES. (BECAUSE SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.) PTS MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATERIALS/SERVICES AVAILABLE FROM THE SITES, ALL OF WHICH ARE BEING OFFERED “AS IS.” PTS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY AND SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES TO, OR VIRUSES THAT MAY INFECT, YOUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT OR OTHER PROPERTY ON ACCOUNT OF YOUR ACCESS TO, USE OF, OR BROWSING THE SITES OR YOUR DOWNLOADING OF ANY MATERIALS FROM THE SITES.

9. Indenification

You shall indemnify and hold harmless PTS, its trustees, directors, officers, employees, agents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, from and against any and all liability, losses, claims, demands, disputes, damages, and costs of any kind, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation resulting from or in any way connected with your use of the Sites; content You submit, post, or transmit through the Sites; your breach of the Terms & Conditions and your connection to the Sites.

10. Intellectual Property Limitation of Liability

You may use the Sites for legal purposes only. Furthermore, you agree that, if a third party claims that any material you have contributed to the Sites is unlawful, you will bear the burden of establishing that the material complies with all applicable laws. Although PTS does not monitor the content of the Sites, PTS has the right to remove material from the Sites, block access, or take other action with respect to the Material in its sole discretion, although PTS is under no obligation to do so. You may not use PTS computing resources or the Sites to disseminate unsolicited advertising or promotional material of any kind.

PTS respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask visitors to our Sites to do the same. If You believe your work has been used in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, the following information in the form of a written notification (pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)) must be provided to the designated Copyright Agent of PTS:

• Identification of the copyrighted work(s) that You claim has been infringed;
• Identification of where the material that You claim to be infringing is located on the Sites;
• A statement that You have a good faith belief that use of the disputed material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law, including the law of copyright fair use;
• A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that You are the owner of an exclusive copyright that is allegedly infringed or are authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf;
• Your address, telephone number, and email address; and
• Your physical or electronic signature.

The designated agent of PTS for notification of claims of copyright infringement on the Sites is Jean Hall, Chief Financial Officer, who can be reached as follows:

Address:
64 Mercer Street
P.O. Box 821
Princeton, NJ 08542-0803

Telephone: 609-497-7700

E-mail: business.office@ptsem.edu

Similarly, if You believe any of your trademarks or service marks have been infringed, or if You believe that your image has been used without your consent, please notify the designated agent of PTS.

11. Dispute Resolution

Any action based on a breach of the terms herein shall be brought to the federal or local courts presiding in the State of New Jersey, United States, whichever is appropriate, and to whose jurisdiction You consent in such an action. If a breach is found by the court, the court shall have the right to issue an injunction, and grant to PTS its damages and attorneys’ fees and such other and further relief as the court may deem appropriate.

12. Applicable Laws and Jurisdictional Issues

The Sites shall be governed by the laws of the United States, including federal copyright and trademark laws, and the laws of the State of New Jersey applicable to contracts entered into and to be wholly performed therein without regard to conflict of laws or choice of law principles. By visiting and using the Sites, You consent to the jurisdiction of the courts presiding in the State of New Jersey and You agree to accept service of process by mail. You hereby waive any and all jurisdictional and venue defenses that might otherwise be available.

13. Force Majeure

Notwithstanding any other provision contained in these Terms & Conditions, in the event that the performance of any obligation of PTS is prevented due to acts of God or any government restriction, wars, hostilities, blockades, civil disturbances, strikes, lockouts, or any other cause beyond the reasonable control of PTS, then PTS shall not be responsible to You for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations. PTS shall promptly notify You of such force majeure condition. The terms of this clause shall not exempt, but merely suspend, PTS from its duty to perform until as soon as practicable after a force majeure condition ceases to exist.

14. Headings

The headings of each of these Terms & Conditions are for convenience of reference only. Such headings shall be ignored in the interpretation or construction of any of these terms and conditions.

15. No Assignment

You may not assign your rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior express written consent of PTS.

16. Invalidity of Provisions

In the event that any portion of these Terms & Conditions is held to be unenforceable, the unenforceable portion shall be construed in accordance with applicable law as nearly as possible to reflect the original intention and the remainder of the provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

17. No Waiver

Any failure by PTS to insist upon or enforce strict performance of any provision of these Terms & Conditions shall not be construed as a waiver of any provision or right.

18. Changes to the Terms & Conditions

No changes to these Terms & Conditions shall be made except by a revised posting on this page, and no advice or other information provided by the Sites or its representatives to any User in any manner which is not posted on this page will constitute any amendment of, waiver, or change to these Terms & Conditions, unless such an amendment, waiver, or change is in writing from an authorized officer or representative of PTS.

19. Complete Understanding

These Terms & Conditions constitute the entire understanding between PTS and You with respect to the Sites.

BY USING THE SITES, YOU SIGNIFY YOUR ASSENT TO THESE TERMS & CONDITIONS AND ANY SUBSEQUENT MODIFICATIONS. AS A CONDITION OF YOUR USE OF THE SITES, YOU WARRANT THAT YOU WILL NOT USE THE SITES FOR ANY PURPOSE THAT IS UNLAWFUL.

For more information about PTS or if You have any questions about our Terms & Conditions, please contact us by email.

Please note: No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All other categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.