Intellectual Property & Copyright Infringement

The CWU is a strong proponent of copyright law and other protections for intellectual property rights. We depend on such laws to protect the fruits of our research and teaching activities. CWU has been actively promoting awareness about copyrights for more than nine years, yet illegal file sharing is still an issue on this campus and on others across the country.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) established protection for all copyrighted materials in 1998. CWU has received a total of 23 DMCA takedown notices since 2000. We feel this well below the national average for higher education.

Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 had placed an additional requirements on all higher education institutions to provide the following :

• An annual disclosure to students describing copyright law and campus policies related to violating copyright law.
• A plan to "effectively combat" copyright abuse on the campus network using "a variety of technology-based deterrents".
• Agreement to "offer alternatives to illegal downloading".

Resources on Copyright Usage

• Electronic Frontier Foundation
• Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
• Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
• Tales from the Public Domain: Bound by Law Comic Book
• Digital Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)
• Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008
• US Copyright Office
• CWU ResNet Appropriate Use Policy
• CWU Appropriate Use Policy

Intellectual Property Video

Hear what students from around the country are saying about music and intellectual property via
candid interviews, and from Jane, the aspiring rock star.

• WMV File   (Windows Media File)
• MOV File   (QuickTime File)

Campus Downloading Video (P2P)

Learn what college students are saying about music and illegal downloading, and from one UNC student who was
charged and convicted of a felony for his downloading activities.

• WMV File   (Windows Media File)
• MOV File   (QuickTime File)