By DENISE ELAM
Features Editor
(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — The Faculty Senate at the University of Central Missouri is scheduled to discuss proposed revisions to the university’s Intellectual Property Rights Policy during its meeting Wednesday.
The meeting is set for 3:15 p.m. in the Elliott Student Union, Room 237A.
The proposal defines intellectual property as any inventions, discoveries, know-how, processes, unique materials, works of authorship, copyrightable works, traditional and online course materials, original data and any other creative works that may have value.
The revised policy proposal says that unless a specific agreement between the creator of the work and the university exists, the university would own all rights, title and interest in any patentable intellectual property resulting from university sponsored research activities.
This includes any student or employee research assigned by an employer, research conducted using university facilities or equipment and research specifically commissioned by the university.
The proposed change was announced Monday in a campuswide email newsletter.
Stephen Price, associate professor and vice president of the Faculty Senate, said the meeting rules may be suspended to allow people to freely talk about the policy proposal. This means the Faculty Senate may set aside the agenda and won’t strictly follow the formal meeting procedures concerning who can speak when.
“I do think it’s a pretty important topic for faculty, and the feedback that we’re getting from people right now, from faculty members, just confirms that,” Price said.
Price said administrators have asked to receive feedback concerning the proposal by March 28.
“They’ve given faculty a while to read over and send feedback to the policy office,” Price said. “It’s just that our Faculty Senate meetings are only once a month, so because we have a meeting (Wednesday) we’re trying to kind of get ahead of this so we don’t have to wait a whole other month to talk about it.”
Price said Faculty Senate meetings are open to the public.
The proposed revisions to the policy can be found at www.ucmo.edu/upo/.
Written comments from UCM faculty and staff can be sent to Shelly Bachus, policy director in the Office of General Counsel, in the Administration Building, Room 208, or via email at [email protected].