Copyright & DMCA Response Plan

In the United States, the protection of music, writings, and art dates back to the drafting of the Constitution. While many people associate copyrights only with copying, they actually afford a much wider range of protections. Copyrights provide authors, composers, and artists with a bundle of exclusive rights to their works. These rights include: the right to reproduce (copy), the right to distribute, the right to make derivative works, the right to perform the work publicly, the right to display the work publicly, and the right to produce recordings.

Copyrights extend to all original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression (17 U.S.C. § 102). Copyrights attach to such works regardless of their format. Musical works and motion pictures that have been converted to electronic format receive the same copyright protections as the original recordings.

Any violation of any of the exclusive rights of a copyright owner constitutes copyright infringement.   Uploading or downloading an electronic file containing music or a motion picture without the copyright owner’s permission interferes with the copyright owner’s rights to reproduce and distribute his/her work. In other words, unauthorized peer-2-peer file sharing is copyright infringement. 

Illegal downloading may constitute a violation of one or more University policies, including the Acceptable Use Policy/Network Security, the Copyright and Fair Use Policy, and the Code of Student Responsibility.  In addition to any actions taken internally by the University, copyright infringers may be subject to the civil and criminal penalties described below.

Copyright 101 - an Online Training Course (NEW!)

Members of the University community who are interested in learning more about copyrights are strongly encouraged to view this 20-minute educational video created by the Office of the General Counsel, which covers the basics of copyright protection, infringement, and fair use.  Click here to view. 

Annual Notification to Students

Pursuant to 34 CFR § 668.43(a)(10), the Dean of Students Office sends an annual notification to all enrolled students that includes the following: (a) a reminder that unauthorized distribution of copyright material may subject students to civil and criminal liabilities, a summary of the penalties for violation of Federal copyright laws, a description of the institution’s policies with respect to peer-to-peer file sharing, including disciplinary actions that are taken against students who engage in illegal downloading or unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials using the institution’s computer networks..

New Student Orientation

The Dean of Students Office speaks to every Premiere DePaul session held throughout the summer. The consequences of illegal downloading, both internal at DePaul and external through litigation, are discussed.

Residence Hall Meetings

Individual Floor Meetings – Every floor on campus has a meeting with the Resident Assistant (RA).  The Assistant Dean gives the RA information to share with her/his residents about illegal downloading.

New Employee Orientation

Every new full-time employee is educated during an in-person new employee orientation program by CSRT staff about the DMCA and the university’s policies against illegal downloading. Educational materials regarding illegal downloading are also included in the University’s online orientation program, which focuses primarily on new part-time employees.

Code of Conduct

The University’s Code of Conduct for employees highlights University policies related to illegal downloading and copyright infringement within the Acceptable Use of Technology section. The Code of Conduct is presented at New Employee Orientation and is reviewed annually during General Compliance Training.

General Compliance Training

General Compliance Training, an annual requirement for all faculty, staff and student employees, frequently includes scenarios and test questions that address copyright and illegal downloading issues relevant to all DePaul employees.

Management Standards Training

On an annual basis, a System Access and Security training class is offered at Management Standards Training for managers. This training session covers DePaul Information Security policies and provides information about consequences of illegal downloading.

Please visit Educause for a list of sites that provide access to lega music, movies, and other copyrighted content online:

http://www.educause.edu/focus-areas-and-initiatives/policy-and-security/educause-policy/issues-and-positions/intellectual-property/legal-sources-onli