Copyright for Faculty

What is Copyright?

“Copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works.”

U.S. Copyright Office. (n.d.). Frequently asked questions about copyright. Retrieved from http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/

How Copyright Affects Faculty

There are many reasons why being knowledgeable about copyright law is important for faculty members:

1.) You are the creator of copyrighted works so you should know how the law applies to your own creations

2.) You and your students will be using copyrighted materials and infringement can result in significant penalties

3.) Copyright law affects what materials are available for use in your classroom and how you can use them

4.) As a faculty member you should model ethical use of copyrighted materials for your students 

5.) Copyright is the law, disregarding it is illegal