Copyright Infringement

Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement. Copyright infringement by college and university students has been so widespread that there are specific provisions in federal legislation to deal with this issue. Copyright rules for education and academia are not stringent. However, they serve as a guideline for current practices in higher education regarding intellectual property. Students are personally responsible for complying with copyright law. It is important students review the copyright rules found on the U. S. Copyright Office website http://www.copyright.gov and understand the following terms:

• Copyright laws and regulations
• Public Domain (for updated information about Public Domain materials, consult the U. S. Copyright Office website)
• Fair Use: Fair Use is not clearly defined and is often is only defined in individually in legal cases. Judges consider these four factors:
  1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
  2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
  3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
  4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

Actions Taken

If Meridian is informed of a suspected copyright infringement, the following steps will be taken:

1. The student’s access to the network will be blocked.
2. The student will be notified that you are in violation.
3. The Student Services Team will be notified of the violation.
4. The student must call or email the Student Services Team to set up an appointment.
5. Before meeting with a member of the Student Development Committee, the student must:
   • Remove the copyrighted material from the computer.
   • Remove any peer-to-peer file sharing software.
   • Read the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and Policy.

Once these tasks are completed, the student must meet with a member of the Student Development Committee in-person to discuss the violation and the student’s understanding of the DMCA policies. After the Student Development Committee is satisfied that the student is in compliance with the policies, they will ask IT Services to restore the student’s access to the network.