Intellectual Property Policy

Surry Community College is committed to providing an environment in which scholarship and innovation can flourish, and where those involved in such pursuits can be justly rewarded for their efforts. The college encourages the development of educational materials supportive of its mission, and evidences this encouragement through the assistance it often provides to faculty and staff in the preparation of such materials. At the same time, recognizing that certain intellectual properties are developed as a result of the environment provided, the college believes it appropriate that benefits from such properties should flow freely to future generations of staff and students.

The purpose of this policy is to establish written guidelines delineating the ownership of intellectual properties created by faculty or staff while employed by the College; it also includes student creations resulting from specific circumstances. Except as otherwise agreed in writing or stated in this policy, the College asserts ownership of intellectual property:

1. Created by faculty and staff as a result of their employment by the College and using College resources.
2. Created by students where:
   1. Generation of the intellectual property has required substantial use of institutional resources.
   2. Generation of the intellectual property has resulted from the use of pre-existing intellectual property owned by the college.
   3. The intellectual property belongs to a set of intellectual property generated by a team of which the student is a member.
   4. The intellectual property has been generated as a result of funding provided by or obtained by the institution.
3. This assertion means that faculty, staff, or students accepting College resources in support of their activities agree that their approval for internal College use and ownership is acknowledged by their acceptance of College support. College resources may include all tangible resources provided, including office, lab, and studio space and equipment; computer hardware, software and support; secretarial services; research and lab assistance; supplies; reduced workload; extra financial payments; and other support which contributes to the accomplishment of the task.
4. The College is responsible for copyright registration of works owned by it. Any revenue generated by such works will be used by the college for the direct benefit of students.
5. The College reserves the right to modify this policy at any time, and significant changes will be promptly communicated to faculty and staff. Individual faculty and staff preparing or planning to prepare educational materials are encouraged to ask for clarification of any points in this policy that are not clear to them.

Approved by the President’s Cabinet, February 7, 2001
Approved by the Board of Trustees, August 13, 2012
Amended by the Board of Trustees, November 13, 2023