Copyright and Other Intellectual Property Issues

W&L’s Intellectual Property policy provides that it is the general policy of W&L that intellectual property shall be the property of the author or creator. However, creators will be expected to grant non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual licenses to the University for intellectual property that is developed for University courses or curriculum, so that the University’s continued use of such material for educational purposes at W&L would not be jeopardized.

In keeping with this policy, W&L prohibits the recording of classes without the advance written permission of the instructor, except in cases where W&L is required by law to provide for recording of a class as a reasonable accommodation for a qualified student with a disability. Students are advised of this policy in the student handbook; however, faculty are encouraged to include a statement regarding the policy in their syllabi.

Washington and Lee University encourages the production of creative and scholarly research, works and inventions, known broadly as intellectual property, among faculty, students and staff. The products of this scholarship may create rights and interests on behalf of the creator, author, inventor, public, sponsor and W&L. The purpose of this policy is to support and reward scientific research and scholarship, and help faculty, students and staff identify, protect, and administer intellectual property matters and define the rights and responsibilities of all involved. W&L faculty and employees are encouraged to retain a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to allow them and W&L to use work they author or create and intend to publish in furtherance of W&L’s academic mission (e.g., in the classroom, at lectures, etc.).

This policy governs the use of peer-to-peer computer file sharing programs (e.g., KaZaA, Morpheus, Limewire, iMesh, Gnuttella, Grokster, and all similar programs and their successors) that are primarily employed to share copyrighted works on the Washington and Lee University network.

In compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), Washington and Lee University adopts the following plan in order to deter unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material by users of the university’s network, while at the same time not unduly interfering with educational and research-related use of the network. Applicability: This policy applies to all users of University owned or managed computer-related equipment, computer systems, and interconnecting networks, as well as all information contained therein.

It is the intent of Washington and Lee University that all members of the University community adhere to the provisions of the United States Copyright Law. Each member of the University community must take some individual responsibility for copyright compliance, and these extensive guidelines flow from this premise. Conforming to this policy may in some cases result in additional costs to the student for course materials and some additional inconvenience and time delay in the preparation procedure of those materials. Members of the University community who willfully disregard the copyright policy do so at their own risk and assume all liability.