A new copyright policy regarding the use of copyright-protected works at Kent State will go into effect Jan. 19, 2016.

The Kent State University Board of Trustees approved the copyright policy at its September meeting. 

This policy is part of the Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act, which requires educational institutions to have a policy regarding copyrighted works. It allows educational online institutions to display copyrighted materials without permission.

“The policy requirement of the TEACH Act is to promote compliance with federal copyright laws,” Associate University Counsel Douglas Kubinski said. “The new policy, I think, achieves that goal, but it also serves to provide options available for use of copyright-protected works,” 

The TEACH Act was implemented in 2002 as an attempt to fix discrimination faced by instructors and students in distance education.

“They were taking distance and online education into account when they created this law,” said Cynthia Kristof, head of copyright and document services. “This is kind of an expansion to the online world.” 

Kubinski and Kristof both helped draft and rewrite the policy. They both said they hope the university takes advantage of the available resources.

“It gives professors something to look back to for a good foundation,” Kristof said. “The more sources that you draw into a learning experience, and the more you can make it like real life, the better is it.”

Visit here for more information on copyright services at Kent State.

Tess Cottom is the technology reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact Tess Cottom at [email protected].