These Terms of Service were last updated as of June 23, 2025.

The Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics (the “Center”, “we“, “us” or “our”) a unit of Emory University provides this website and any related mobile applications (collectively, the “Site”), including the Center’s Compassion U™ platform, for its permitted users.  “You” and “your” means you as an individual user of this Site, whether your use is on your own behalf or on behalf of an entity (such as your employer).

The Site is designed to serve as an informational and  digital learning platform for the Center and its programs, as well as to facilitate opportunities for connection, learning and community between and among the Center’s staff and certified CBCT® (Cognitively Based Compassion Training) teachers and participants in the Center’s programs.

Although the Center is affiliated with Emory University and the website (the “Emory Website”) for Emory University and certain of its policies are accessible from this Site, only the Terms and policies of the Center referenced in these Terms apply to your use of the Site.

We’ve sought to give you the essential information here and elsewhere on our Site to help make it useful to you.  These Terms of Use (the “Terms”) help us to provide you with the programs, services, other content and features available through our Site, and govern your use of the Site when you use the interactive features of the Site, when you enroll in, subscribe for or purchase any training programs, courses, content-based offerings, services or products (collectively, “Center Offerings”)  from us through use of this Site, or when you otherwise conduct a transaction with us through use of this Site.

 

THESE TERMS REQUIRE THE USE OF ARBITRATION ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS TO RESOLVE DISPUTES, RATHER THAN JURY TRIALS OR CLASS ACTIONS.

YOUR USE OF THE SITE FOR THE PURPOSES DESCRIBED IN THESE TERMS INDICATES YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF, AND AGREEMENT TO, THESE TERMS.  IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS, YOU SHOULD NOT USE THE SITE OR COMPLETE A  TRANSACTION THROUGH USE OF THIS SITE.

GENERAL ACCESS AND USE CONDITIONS FOR SITE, COURSE OFFERINGS AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS

1. By using the Site to enroll in, subscribe for or purchase any Center Offerings from us through the Site or to otherwise conduct another transaction with Us, you agree to the following: (a) these Terms, (b) the Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy for the Site, (c) the Community Guidelines, and (d) the Center’s Payment Terms, which policies are posted on the Site and may be accessed here: https://compassionu.app/open-policies/, and (c) any additional terms and conditions (the “Additional Transaction Terms”) that are applicable to a particular Center Offering or Site transaction and which Additional Transaction Terms are provided to you by the Center during the course of enrolling in, subscribing for, purchasing or otherwise completing such Center Offering or transaction.  In the event of any conflict between the provisions of these Terms and the provisions of any Additional Transaction Terms, the provisions of the Additional Transaction Terms shall control as to the matter in question.


2.      Some features of our Site may allow you to register and create an account (an “Account”) to enroll in, subscribe for or purchase or manage Center Offerings.  Some features of our Site may not be available to the general public and may require you to create an Account to access those features.


3. You must be at least eighteen (18) years old to use the Site and to have an Account. By creating an Account, you represent that you meet this minimum age requirement.


4. You are solely responsible for securing access to your login credentials and password, and for any use of your Account, even if not authorized by you.


5. In addition to the Center’s Payment Terms, which address certain payment matters for Center Offerings, we may from time to time use one or more third parties (a “Payment Processor”) to process payments for Center Offerings and other transactions made available through our Site.  The processing of payments will be subject to the terms, conditions and privacy policies of the Payment Processor in addition to those matters covered in these Terms.  If an error occurs when making a payment through a Payment Processor, we are not responsible for such error, but we will use reasonable efforts to assist with such an error if we are notified about it by you. You agree that billing and registration information you provide on or through the Site will be accurate and complete.


6. As to any particular Site user, the Center reserves the right to refuse Center Offerings, Site usage or service, to terminate Accounts, or to cancel enrollments, subscriptions or purchases in its sole discretion.

MODIFICATIONS TO SITE AND THESE TERMS

1. We reserve the right at any time and without notice to add or modify the eligibility requirements, rules, features and functionality for Center Offerings, Accounts and the Site. Charges for Center Offerings are also subject to change at any time without notice.  We shall not be liable to you or to any third-party for any such modifications or price changes.


2. Without limitation of the foregoing, we reserve the right to remove or edit any Site content, to modify, suspend or discontinue the Site or any portion thereof at any time, including the availability of any features of the Site. We may also impose limits on certain features, functions and Center Offerings or restrict your access to parts or all of the Site without notice or liability.


3. We also reserve the right at any time, and without notice, to update, change or replace any part of these Terms by posting updates and/or changes on our Site. You can review the most current version of the Terms at any time on this page. The date of the most recent update to the Terms is posted on the first page of these Terms and it is your responsibility to check this page periodically for changes. Your continued use of or access to the Site following the posting of any changes to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of those changes.

PROPRIETARY RIGHTS

1. The Site and Center Offerings includes original works of authorship (including, but not limited to, derivative works based on graphical scans or typed text of public domain materials) that are both proprietary to, and the intellectual property of, the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University or its suppliers and are protected by U.S. and non-U.S. intellectual property laws, including but not limited to copyright, trademark, patent, and trade secret laws.  The Center grants you a limited, personal, revocable license to access and use of the Site only for your personal use and subject to your compliance with these Terms.


2. Without limitation of the foregoing:

(i)        All content included on this Site, such as text, graphics, logos, button icons, images, audio clips, digital downloads, data compilations, other compilations of content and software, is the property of the Center or its licensors and other content providers, and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. The respective owners and licensors of any copyrighted content included in the Site retain and reserve all of their rights related to such content and the copyrights therein.

(ii)                   The marks Compassion Shift™, CBCT®,  SEE Learning®, Emory-Tibet Partnership, Emory-Tibet Science Initiative, ETSI and the Center’s hand-held lotus petal logo, blue flower logo,  apple-heart logo, ETSI’s atom with lotus logo, and the Compassion Shift™  water drop logo, among other marks, are trademarks or service marks of the Center or of Emory University.

The Site may include other registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of the Center, Emory University or their respective suppliers or licensors. The respective owners and licensors of any marks included in the Site retain and reserve all of their rights related to such marks.

1. The Center grants to you a non-exclusive and non-transferable license to:

(i)        Use the Site as provided herein, until such time as we terminate such use rights, which we may do in our discretion;

• Access, load, store and operate the Site with browser software; and

(iii)      Display, download and print portions of the Site to evaluate  and/or enroll in, subscribe for or purchase Center Offerings, subject to the limitations applicable to use of the Site and any Center Offerings.

1. The Site may include technological protection measures that control access, reproduction or distribution of the proprietary or intellectual properties accessible through the Site. Any attempt to tamper or dismantle these protections is a breach of these Terms and may also be a violation of applicable law (including the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act).

USER CONDUCT AND SITE RESTRICTIONS

1. Notwithstanding the above, without the prior written consent of the Center, you are not permitted to:

(i)        Decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble and/or create derivative works from the Site;

• Remove or obscure any proprietary notices, including, but not limited to, any and all copyright, trademark and patent designations, contained in the Site;

(iii)      Upload, post, email, transmit, publish, re-publish, distribute, display or otherwise make available the Site to any third parties;

(iv)      Use the Site for any commercial, financial or other beneficial purpose, including, but not limited to, the advertising, the exploitation of, rental, lease, sale or resale of the Site;

• Store the accessed, used, or downloaded Site in any electronic, magnetic, optical or other format now known or hereinafter created for more than thirty (30) days;


• Assign, rent, lend, lease, sell, sublicense, transfer, export from the United States, copy, reproduce, modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, extract components or create derivative works of the Site;


• Remove, modify, hide or otherwise make unreadable or non-viewable any notice, legend, advice, watermark or other designation contained on the Site, component thereof or output therefrom;


• (a) Co-brand the Site, (b) frame the Site, , or (c) authorize or engage any other party to do any of the foregoing, without the express prior written permission of an authorized representative of the Center. (For purposes of these Terms, “co-brand” or “co-branding” means to display a name, logo, trademark, or other means of attribution or identification of any party in such a manner as is reasonably likely to give a user the impression that such other party has the right to display, publish, or distribute this site or content accessible within this Site); or


• Interrupt, or attempt to interrupt, the operation of the Site in any way.

1. We may offer chat rooms, message boards, other public forums or communications features on the Site that you and others can use to share information and to communicate with one another. We ask that Site users be respectful of one another when using these and other Site features. Site users are also required to adhere to the Site’s Community Guidelines which may be accessed here: https://compassionu.app/open-policies/community-guidelines


2. Harassment in any manner or form on the Site is strictly forbidden. Impersonation of others, including of any of the staff of the Center or other Site users is prohibited. You may not upload to, distribute, or otherwise publish through the Site any content which is libelous, defamatory, obscene, threatening, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, abusive, illegal, or which may constitute or encourage a criminal offense, violate the rights of any party or which may otherwise give rise to liability or violate any law. You may not upload commercial content on the Site or use the Site to solicit others to join or become members of any other commercial online service or other organization.


3. Any conduct by you that we believe restricts or inhibits any other user from using or enjoying the Site, is harmful or disruptive to the Site or which could breach any agreement between us and any third party is prohibited. You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes. We reserve the right to terminate your access, or suspend any third party’s access, to all or part of the Site, without notice, for any conduct or posting of any content that we believe is harmful to any Site user, the Center, our affiliates, our suppliers or licensors or any other third party.  We reserve the right to terminate your access, or suspend any third party’s access, to all or part of the Site, without notice, for any conduct or posting of any content that (a) we believe is harmful to any Site user, the Center, our affiliates, our suppliers or licensors or any other third party; or (b) we believe is inconsistent with the mission or philosophy of the Center and its programs.

THIRD PARTY LINKS

The Site may contain links to other websites that are operated by third parties and not by the Center (a “Linked Site”).  Linked Sites, including the Emory Website, are not under the control of the Center, and the Center does not endorse and is not responsible for, the functionality of the links to or from, content or applications provided by or through, or the privacy practices and policies or other agreements applicable to a Linked Site. The Center is not responsible for licensing to you any content or application provided by or through a Linked Site, and your use of content or application(s) provided by or through Linked Sites is governed solely by your agreement, if any, with the owner and/or provider of the Linked Site. Your use of any Linked Sites, and links to and from any third-party website, is at your sole risk. For example, and without limitation of the foregoing, the Center is not responsible for any incorrect data, errors in computation, improper transmission of data, or any security breach resulting from your use of a Linked Site or a link to or from a Linked Site.  The Center provides links to a Linked Site to you only as a convenience for you.

USER SUBMISSIONS

‍A.        For those portions of the Site that allow you to post content of any type, you are responsible for any such text, comments, feedback, materials or other content and information that you submit, post or otherwise make available on the Site (as applicable, a “User Submission“), including its legality, accuracy, appropriateness, and trademark and copyright ownership. Without limitation of the foregoing, you may not post any User Submission that: (i) is not your original content, unless you have obtained permission to post such content form its lawful owner, (ii) defames, slanders, libels, harasses, threatens or invades the privacy of others; (ii) violates federal, state or local law or is unlawful in any other way; (iii) is obscene; (iv) violates the intellectual property rights of any person or entity; or (v) violates Community Guidelines.

1. You agree that any User Submissions provided by you in connection with this Site are provided on a non-proprietary and non-confidential basis. Please note that, generally, User Submissions on publicly viewable areas of the Site will be accessible by other users on the Site. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Center as to a specific User Submission, you agree that the Center is free to use any of your User Submissions on an unrestricted basis for any purpose and you grant the Center a sublicensable, non-exclusive, fully-paid and royalty-free, worldwide license to (in any media, whether now known or not currently known or invented) link to, utilize, use, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce, distribute, modify and prepare derivative works of your User Submissions.

PRIVACY PRACTICES

1. The collection of personal information through the Site is made in accordance with the Center’s Privacy Policy, which may be accessed here: https://compassionu.app/privacy-policy


2. The Center uses cookies on its Site for certain tracking purposes and other functions. Our Cookie Policy provides more information and can be accessed here: Cookie Policy (PDF)

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to collect information about site usage, performance metrics, and user interactions to improve our Services.

Your use of this Site constitutes consent to our deployment of Google Analytics under the Google Analytics Terms of Service.  For more information about our use of Google Analytics, see “Our Use of Google Analytics” in our Privacy Policy: https://compassionu.app/privacy-policy/

To prevent your data from being used by Google Analytics, you may install the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on  or follow the opt-out instructions.

Google Tag Manager

We use Google Tag Manager to deploy and manage marketing, analytics, and tracking tags on our Site without editing code for each change.

DISCLAIMERS OF WARRANTIES

IN ADDITION TO THE DISCLAIMERS NOTED IN THE CONSENT, RELEASE AND WAIVER REFERENCED IN SECTION 10 BELOW, THE CENTER MAKES NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, COMPATIBILITY, SECURITY, ACCURACY OR NON-INFRINGEMENT CONCERNING THE SITE, ITS CONTENTS OR CENTER OFFERINGS.  WITHOUT LIMITATION, WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT (A) THE FUNCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE SITE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE OR ERROR-FREE; (B) THE SITE, INCLUDING THE SERVERS ON WHICH THE SITE IS OPERATED, ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS; OR (C) INFORMATION PROVIDED BY US ON THE SITE IS COMPLETE, ACCURATE, ERROR-FREE OR UP-TO-DATE.

LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY

1. USE OF THE SITE AND ITS CONTENT IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SITE AND ITS CONTENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO YOUR HAVING INPUT YOUR INFORMATION INTO THE SITE.


2. THE CENTER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY DAMAGES BASED ON YOUR USE OF THE SITE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, ATTORNEYS FEES, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES OR SIMILAR DAMAGES EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.


3. THE LIABILITY OF THE CENTER, IF ANY, ARISING OUT OF ANY KIND OF LEGAL CLAIM, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE SITE, ITS CONTENT OR CENTER OFFERINGS IS LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT PAID TO THE CENTER BY YOU FOR THE APPLICABLE CENTER OFFERING DURING THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRIOR TO THE CLAIM THAT GIVES RISE TO THE LIABILITY.

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE

To participate in Center Offerings, you must understand that the services and tools offered or accessible through the Site are not intended to replace or be a substitute for medical or psychiatric care in accordance with the Center’s Consent to Participate, Release and Waiver of Liability (the “Consent, Release and Waiver”), and by agreeing to these Terms of Service, you are agreeing to the Consent, Release and Waiver terms, which may be accessed here: Consent, Release and Waiver (PDF)

TERMINATION MATTERS

1. In addition to the modification, update and change rights addressed in Section 2 above of these Terms, we reserve the right to terminate your use of the Site and your Account at any time and without notice.


2. The termination of any of your or our rights or obligations with respect to Center Offerings that you may enroll in, subscribe for or purchase through the Site shall be governed by the Additional Transaction Terms applicable to such Center Offerings.


3. Upon any termination of your use of the Site or your Account, the following provisions of these Terms shall remain in effect: Sections 2 through 13.


4. DISPUTE RESOLUTION, GOVERNING LAW AND RELATED MATTERS


5. Informal Negotiations. To expedite resolution and control the cost of any dispute, controversy or claim related to the Site, these Terms or any Center Offerings (each a “Dispute” and collectively, “Disputes”) brought by either you or us (individually, a “Party” and collectively, the “Parties”), the Parties agree to first attempt to discuss and resolve any Dispute (except those Disputes that are noted below as Excepted Matters) informally and in good faith for at least thirty (30) days before initiating arbitration. Such informal negotiations shall commence upon written notice of a Dispute from one Party to the other Party.


6. Binding Arbitration. If the Parties are unable to resolve a Dispute through informal negotiations, the Dispute (except an Excepted Matter) will be finally and exclusively resolved by binding arbitration. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WITHOUT THIS PROVISION, YOU WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO SUE IN COURT AND HAVE A JURY TRIAL. The arbitration shall be commenced and conducted before one (1) arbitrator under the Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures of JAMS (the “JAMS Rules”), which is available at the JAMS website www.jamsadr.com. Your arbitration fees and your share of arbitrator compensation shall be governed by the JAMS Rules. The arbitration may be conducted in person, through the submission of documents, by phone, or online. The arbitrator will make a decision in writing but need not provide a statement of reasons unless requested by either Party. The arbitrator must follow applicable law, and any award may be challenged if the arbitrator fails to do so. Except where otherwise required by the applicable provisions of the JAMS Rules or applicable law, any in-person arbitration will take place in Atlanta, Georgia. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Parties may litigate in court to compel arbitration, stay proceedings pending arbitration, or to confirm, modify, vacate, or enter judgment on the award entered by the arbitrator.


7. Restrictions and Limitations. The Parties agree that any arbitration shall be limited to the Dispute between the Parties individually. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, (a) no arbitration shall be joined with any other proceeding; (b) there is no right or authority for any Dispute to be arbitrated on a class-action basis or to utilize class action procedures; and (c) there is no right or authority for any Dispute to be brought in a purported representative capacity on behalf of the general public or any other persons.

In no event shall any Dispute brought by either Party related in any way to the Site, these Terms or a Center Offering be commenced more than one (1) year after the cause of action first arose. If this provision is found to be unenforceable, then neither Party will elect to arbitrate any Dispute falling within that portion of this provision found to be unenforceable and such Dispute shall be decided by a court of competent jurisdiction within the courts listed for jurisdiction above, and the Parties agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of that court.

1. Exceptions to Informal Negotiations and Arbitration. The Parties agree that the following Disputes shall not be subject to the above provisions concerning informal negotiations and binding arbitration (each an “Excepted Matter”): (a) any Disputes seeking to enforce or protect, or concerning the validity of, any of the intellectual property rights of a Party; (b) any Dispute related to, or arising from, allegations of theft, piracy, invasion of privacy or unauthorized use; (c) any claim for injunctive relief; and (d) any pursuit of a remedy by a Party that is expressly provided for in the Terms in connection with a matter that might constitute a Dispute (for instance, the ability of the Center to suspend or terminate access to the Site or an Account in the event of a breach of the Terms, Center policies or  for non-payment). If this provision is found to be unenforceable, then the applicable matter shall be treated as a Dispute subject to arbitration as provided above.


2. CHOICE OF LAW. These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia, without regard to such state’s conflict of laws principles.


3. JURISDICTION AND VENUE. Other than a matter subject to arbitration as noted above, all other claims or controversies arising under these Terms or a transaction conducted through the Site, (i) where subject matter jurisdiction lies for adjudication in the federal courts, any such claim or controversy, shall be adjudicated in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, and (ii) in all other cases, in the state and local courts located in Dekalb County, Georgia.


4. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. YOU KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT YOU MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THESE TERMS.

MISCELLANEOUS

1. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of these Terms is found by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, the invalidity of such provision shall not affect the other provisions of these Terms, and all provisions not affected by such invalidity shall remain in full force and effect.


2. WAIVER. The waiver by either party of a breach or default in any of the provisions of these Terms by the other party shall not be construed as a waiver of any other breach of the same or other provisions; nor shall any delay or omission on the part of either party to exercise or avail itself of any right, power or privilege that it has or may have hereunder operate as a waiver of any breach or default by the other party.


3. NOTICE. Any notice provided pursuant to these Terms, if specified to be in writing, shall be in writing and shall be deemed given (i) if by hand delivery, upon receipt thereof, (ii) if by mail, thirty (30) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, certified mail, return receipt requested, or (iii) if by next day or other direct delivery service, upon such confirmed delivery.


4. HEADINGS. The section headings used in these Terms are for reference and convenience only and shall not enter into the interpretation of these Terms.


5. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, the Cookie Policy, the Community Guidelines, the Payment Terms and any applicable Additional Transaction Terms, constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter of these Terms and the transactions entered into for specific Center Offerings offered by Us, and supersedes all prior agreements between the parties, whether written or oral, relating to such subject matter.

Other Policies

• Privacy Policy


• Legal Notices


• Cookie Policy


• Community Guidelines


• Course and Account Policy


• Consent, Release and Waiver