Rules

The SER Regional Contest is governed by the rules of the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), see the ICPC Rules. Below is a summary and interpretation of the rules.

Introduction

The ICPC is a multi-tiered competition among teams of students representing institutions of higher education. Teams first compete in regional contests held around the world from September to November each year. The winning team from each regional contest advances to the ACM ICPC World Finals, typically held the following spring. Additional high-ranking teams may be invited to the World Finals as wild card teams.

Eligibility

Eligible participants are students who are enrolled at least half time at a post-secondary institution. Students enrolled in high school are not eligible. Participants must be eligible, willing, and able to compete in the ICPC World Finals. Graduate students are eligible. Consult the diagram on the right for more details.

A team at the SE USA region is comprised of three people and an optional alternate. All must be registered in advance with the ICPC Registration System. The alternate may participate in place of one of the other members of the team by notifying the contest staff at check-in. Every team must be under the auspices of an appropriate institution. Only the three contestants participating and winning the region are invited to the ICPC World Finals. (Teams at the World Finals have no reserves or alternates.)

Reference Materials

No electronic media and no electronic devices of any kind (calculators, cell phones, pagers, pdas, etc) may be brought into the contest area. Each team may bring books and notebooks (no loose paper, please) weighing up to 4 pounds for use during the contest.

Conduct

During the contest the team may not receive outside help in solving the problems. The participants may not communicate with anyone other than their teammates (if necessary, participants may talk with the contest staff). A team may be disqualified by the regional contest director for trying to obtain any outside help, or for any activity that disrupts the contest or disturbs others.

Scoring

The time assessed for a solved problem is the time elapsed from the beginning of the contest to the submit time of the earliest correct submission. Twenty penalty minutes are added for every incorrect submission for that problem no matter what the submit time (even after a correct submission). There are no penalty minutes for correct submissions (no matter how many), and no penalty minutes for a problem that is not solved.

Appeals

If irregularities or misconduct are observed during the contest, team members or coaches should bring them to the attention of the contest officials so that action may be taken as soon as possible. There is an appeals process described in the ICPC rules.

Changes Since Last Year

Added eligibility diagram.