Austin Community College District recognizes and respects intellectual property ownership, including copyrights. Copyright infringement violates the reasonable expectations of the copyright owner to have exclusive control over the materials they create. Copyrights are property rights and are protected by federal statute. Copying or reproduction of materials without permission of the copyright owner, or distribution or republication of those materials without permission, is copyright infringement. This includes the making and disseminating of copies by or on electronic media, as well as the more familiar method of copy machine reproduction. In particular, the posting of materials on the Internet, or the transmission of documents by electronic mail, is an infringing use of materials when it is done without permission.

The ACC District expects its students to respect the rights of the college and of their professors and other instructors or staff who use or permit the use of copyright protected materials for instruction. Of course, textbooks and other commercial publications used as text or supplemental materials are copyright protected. It is copyright infringement to make or disseminate copies of such materials in whole or part without permission. Most, if not all, other course materials—course syllabi or outlines, course bibliographies or reading lists, lecture or other supplemental handouts, review notes or outlines that are handed out, tests or individual test questions, test answers, and other instructional materials provided to you by your professor or
other instructors—are also copyright protected materials. The content of materials does not belong to the student. The student enrolled in a course has only limited permission, a non-exclusive license, to use those materials, and that permission is limited to use strictly in conjunction with that student’s participation in the course in which the student is enrolled.

Following the intent of the Administrative Rule 4.02.007 of the ACC District, no instructional materials may be reproduced or disseminated by students except for the exclusive use of students enrolled in the course in which such materials have been provided. In particular, course materials may not be posted on the Internet without express written permission. Violations are subject to civil penalties or criminal prosecution under the federal Copyright Act of 1976, as amended. In addition, students who violate this rule regarding copyright infringement are subject to college disciplinary action. It is a condition of a student’s enrollment in courses at Austin Community College that he or she respect the copyrights of others and adhere to the Copyright Administrative Rule.

If a student has any questions about whether he or she is permitted to make copies of or disseminate instructional materials the student should inquire at the associate vice chancellor of instructional resources and technology (223.7667).