A. Policy

The educational and research activities of employees of the University of Oregon (University) frequently result in the discovery of new knowledge in the form of inventions, technological improvements, and the production of educational and professional materials. It shall be the general policy of the University that such results be made available to the public in the most expeditious manner.

B. Objective of Policies

It is University intent to:

(1) Provide systematic means of bringing inventions, technological improvements and educational and professional materials into the public domain.

(2) Encourage the development of new knowledge while protecting traditional academic freedom of employees in the publication of materials, development of inventions and discovery of technological improvements.

(3) Establish principles and procedures for equitably sharing net royalty income with employees, and with sponsoring agencies when required by an agreement.

C. Employee Responsibilities and Rights

(1) As a condition of employment, all University employees shall agree to assign to the University rights to:

(a) Any invention or improvement in technology conceived or developed using University facilities, personnel, information or other resources; and

(b) Educational and professional materials, whether or not registered for copyright, that result from the instructional, research or public service activities of the University.

(2) Employees shall be responsible for disclosing to designated University representatives all inventions, technological improvements and educational and professional materials conceived, developed and/or produced during the conduct of normal activities.

(3) Employees shall be responsible for cooperating and assisting University representatives responsible for patenting, licensing, registering for copyright, publishing and generally assisting public access to new knowledge resulting from employee activities.

(4) Employees shall be eligible to share in net royalty income from each invention or separate improvement thereof, an amount not to exceed:

(a) 40 percent of the first $50,000, 35 percent of the next $50,000, and 30 percent of all additional net royalty income received by the University for inventions and technological improvements; and

(b) 50 percent of net royalty income from educational and professional materials.

(5) For the limited purposes of administering UO Policy 580.043, persons acting in the following capacities shall be entitled to the benefits and subject to the responsibilities of said policy: graduate teaching assistants, graduate teaching fellows, graduate research assistants and student employees.

D. University Responsibilities

To manage inventions, technological improvements and educational and professional materials developed by employees, the University shall:

(1) Apply University-adopted policies and procedures.

(2) Encourage employee activities that lead to new knowledge.

(3) Actively seek applications for new knowledge developed by employees.

(4) Anticipate and comply with conditions in contracts, grants and agreements with sponsoring agencies.

(5) Recommend to the Vice President for Finance and Administration or designee contractual agreements, patent applications and equitable sharing of net royalty income.