5.10 Copyright

adopted: May-1996
last revised: ay-2014

It is the policy of the Board of Trustees of Richland Community College to adhere to the provisions of the Copyright Act of 1976 (17 U.S.C. Sec.101 et seq) The College recognizes and respects intellectual property rights and academic freedom. Faculty, staff, and students of Richland Community College are directed to avoid violation of any and all federal laws protecting copyright and to follow the guidelines recommending the best practices of the use of intellectual property in higher education.

Faculty, staff, and students will be made aware of the laws and guidelines through professional development opportunities and distributed materials. Faculty, staff, and students should consult the following publications for direction on permissible copying and other copyright issues: Guidelines for Classroom Copying in Nonprofit Educational Institutions; the Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act, the Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia, the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Academic and Research Libraries; and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

Individuals found to be intentionally in noncompliance with this policy may receive discipline up to and including termination or expulsion.