WVSOM Copyright Policy
Every student, faculty member, and employee of WVSOM ("WVSOM community") is expected to comply with U.S. Copyright Law and the WVSOM Copyright Guidelines established under the authority of WVSOM Institutional Policy E-40, Copyright.
The purpose of the WVSOM Copyright Guidelines is to summarize United States Copyright laws and provide guidance for the standardized use of copyrighted works by WVSOM faculty, students, staff, and administrators in a manner compliant with Title 17 U.S. Code, the United States Copyright Act, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, and the TEACH Act.
The intended end result of compliance with federal laws and guidelines is to foster the promotion of scientific and medical discovery while encouraging WVSOM community members toward responsible use of copyrighted materials for research, teaching, and service activities.
The guidelines are a living document and will be added to on and/or revised on an as-needed basis.
Applicable Copyright Resources
File Sharing & Copyright
In 2008 the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) was signed into law and required all colleges and universities to combat the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials on campus. The HEOA especially targeted the illegal downloading and sharing of copyrighted materials using the school's computer network. The HEOA further mandated that good-faith efforts to be compliant with the law must be in place by July 1, 2010.
WVSOM has established policies and procedurces to ensure compliance with the HEOA. Requirements for compliance include:
- Annual disclosure to students describing copyright law, civil and criminal penalties, and campus policies regarding violations
- A plan to combat unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials by users of the network, including technology-based deterrents
- A plan to offer alternatives to illegal downloading
- A plan to periodically review the effectiveness of the plans outlined above in combating the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material
More information on the HEOA requirements can be found at the Educause Website http://www.educause.edu/Resources/Browse/HEOA/34600.