Copyright Infringement Policy Information

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) amends federal copyright law to provide certain liability protections to Louisburg College when their computer systems or networks carry materials that infringe copyright law. The Information Technology Director and the Library Director are the designated agents to receive notification of alleged copyright infringement occurring through the College’s networks.

 

Louisburg College is required to have a policy under which the computer accounts of users will be investigated and possibly terminated if they repeatedly infringe the copyrighted works of others. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Louisburg College will respond quickly to investigate any occurrences of alleged copyright infringement and take reasonable and necessary actions to restore compliance with the federal copyright law. This may include removing or disabling access to the material at issue. Louisburg College will follow procedures outlined in the DMCA. Depending on the use and method of access, Fair Use may be a defense to an assertion of copyright infringement under the DMCA.  Louisburg College will evaluate Fair Use justification when considering infringement requests.

 

 

At Louisburg College, compliance with federal copyright law is expected of all students, faculty and staff. “Copyright” is legal protection for creative intellectual works, which is broadly interpreted to cover just about any expression of an idea. Text (including email and web information), graphics, art, photographs, music, and software are examples of types of work protected by copyright.  The creator of the work, or sometimes the person who hired the creator, is the initial copyright owner.

 

You may “use” all or part of a copyrighted work only if (a) you have the copyright owner’s permission, or (b) you qualify for a legal exception (the most common exception is called “fair use”).  “Use” of a work is defined for copyright purposes as copying, distributing, making derivative works, publicly displaying, or publicly performing the work.

 

Copying, distributing, downloading, and uploading information on the Internet may infringe the copyright for that information.  Even an innocent, unintentional infringement violates the law.  Violations of copyright law that occur on or over the college's networks or other computer resources may create liability for the college as well as the computer user.  Accordingly, repeat infringers will have their computer account and other access privileges terminated by Louisburg College.

Students who fail to follow this Copyright Infringement Policy could be sanctioned under the Student Code of Conduct which could lead to expulsion.  For administrators, faculty, and staff who fail to follow this Copyright Infringement Policy, it could lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Additional consequences for non-compliance could include termination of all computing privileges and repeat offenders could endure greater consequences.