May 4, 2015

To: Deans, Dept. Chairs, Professors, Lecturers, and Instructors

From: Course Material Services Team & Academic Senate Leadership

Steve Alder, Academic Senate President
Bill Johnson, Academic Senate President-Elect
Allyson Mower, Academic Senate Past-President

Subject: Fair Use Evaluations Now Part of U Policy 7-013 "Copying of Copyrighted Works"

Background:

In October 2014, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision regarding the 2008 lawsuit of Cambridge University Press v. Patton, in which Georgia State University's practice of facilitating course materials online came into question.

In May/June 2014, The University of Utah Academic Senate and Board of Trustees made revisions to U Policy 7-013, "Copying of Copyrighted Works" http://regulations.utah.edu/research/7-013.php. These revisions will impact course material services in Fall Semester 2015.

Additionally, The Academic Senate's 2014 Student Textbook Savings Report recommended three ways of addressing high textbook costs:

1. Use low-cost versions of existing materials
2. Adopt available open course materials
3. Consider copyright & Fair Use guidelines

What this Means for You:

Fair use evaluations are the responsibility of faculty/course instructors; however, our team and resources can help.