Policies & Procedures

Policy

Traditional/Individual/Aesthetic Products. This term refers to work reflecting research and/or creativity, normally considered as evidence of professional advancement and scholarship. It includes scholarly publications, journal articles, speeches, reports (contracted or otherwise), research bulletins, monographs, books, plays, software, and works of art. Such products are protected by traditional copyright and solely belong to the author(s). Unless specifically stipulated by the categories below, all intellectual property produced by faculty, staff, or students belongs to its creator.

• Sponsored Research. This term refers to products in which faculty or staff has received additional research funding or support. If Belmont Abbey College sponsors the research it may assert ownership with the creator, but only with a written agreement authorizing the sponsored research; Belmont Abbey College cannot at a later date claim ownership. If a body other than Belmont Abbey College is sponsoring research, then Belmont Abbey College should ensure that any external sponsorship written agreements are explicit about ownership issues for the creator and for Belmont Abbey College. In the absence of any written agreements regarding ownership of results of the sponsored research, the intellectual property will belong to the creator.
• Online or Digitized Course Material. Ownership of online or digitalized course materials remains with creator. Faculty, staff and students shall not license, sell, or grant third parties a right to use online materials they have created, own, and that is technologically mediated by Belmont Abbey College when the material contains the imprint of Belmont Abbey College without the prior approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designee.
• Work for Hire. This term refers to intellectual property created by Belmont Abbey College faculty, staff or students assigned as part of their normal paid employment or specially commissioned to produce defined works of intellectual property in which the creator knows property will be used by Belmont Abbey College to improve its operations or to further its stated mission and objectives. In cases in which the parties have agreed that ownership will not be on a work for hire basis, said ownership must be governed by a separate written agreement that is (a) signed by employer and employee at the commencement of employment or when the work is commissioned and (b) explicit about ownership of intellectual property.

Definitions

• Course Content refers to the expression of intellectual content of the course as taught at or through Belmont Abbey College.
• Creator is used to describe the author(s) of a copyrightable work or the inventor(s) of a patentable invention. The creator may be any faculty, staff, or student at Belmont Abbey College.
• Imprint is the pattern, design, or mark to indicate origin.
• Intellectual property includes works eligible for copyright protection and inventions eligible for patent protection under U.S. and international law.
• Ownership is legal title coupled with exclusive legal right to possession.
• Sponsored Research refers to intellectual property created as a result of work conducted under an agreement between an external sponsor and the College, or between the College and employee (faculty, staff, and/or student), that specifies the ownership of such intellectual property shall be owned as specified in said agreement. within in the scope of his/her employment, or a work specially ordered or commissioned by Belmont Abbey College.