Assignment of Textbooks and other Intellectual Property

• Background and reasons for the Policy:  The Code of Ethics for Public Officials precludes the use of one's public position for personal financial gain.  This policy is intended to support compliance with the Code.

• Purpose of Policy:  To provide guidance on the circumstances under which one may assign a textbook or other intellectual property authored or developed by the professor to a course s/he may teach.

• Expected Institutional Outcome:   Compliance with the Code of Ethics.

• Applicability of Policy:   All Faculty.

• Policy Statement:  No public official or state employee shall use his/her public office or position or confidential information received through his holding such public office or position to obtain financial gain for himself/herself, his/her spouse, child, child's spouse, parent, brother or sister or a business with which he/she is associated.  Connecticut General Statutes Section 1-84(c) of the Code of Ethics for Public Officials.

In a course taught by a faculty member, the assignment of a required textbook s/he authored or of intellectual property s/he prepared may be interpreted as "obtaining financial gain for himself/herself" unless the faculty member receives prior approval for such use or directs any financial gain to a University of Connecticut student scholarship fund within thirty (30) days of receipt.  If the professor directs any financial gain to a University of Connecticut student scholarship fund, no review is needed.  

• Responsibilities:   All Faculty are responsible for compliance with this policy.  Deans and Department Heads should work with their faculty to ensure that the implementation guidelines (see below) are enforced.

• Policy Implementation Guidelines:  Approval for use of a textbook or other intellectual property authored by the faculty member in a course taught by that individual should be obtained through a departmental or school/college review of the intellectual property in question. The review will address the appropriateness of this specific piece of intellectual property consistent with the guidelines established in Advisory Opinion No. 2001-7.  A small committee of faculty members, not subordinate to the professor, will complete the review, and a determination report will be filed with the Provost's office.

Failure to comply constitutes a violation of the State ethics code and University policy and is subject to disciplinary procedures of both.

Last updated 6/23/08