Student Ownership Policy

Under the Office of Technology Transfer’s policy, students will own all IP they create unless the student creates the IP in his or her capacity as an employee. In other words, if a student creates IP, and the IP does not derive from the student’s employment for the University, the student will own the IP.

Under certain limited circumstances, the University may ask students to agree to assign their IP to the University in exchange for students having access to University IP in a classroom setting as part of a particular group project. In these circumstances, students should have the option of taking part in another group project in that class where an assignment of student IP is not required. Student-created IP may also be subject to other obligations students have to non-University employers, such as those created through summer jobs or internships.

In a few unique situations, students might be able to assign their rights to the University in order to take advantage of the Office of Technology Transfer’s support in protecting and marketing the IP. In such cases, students will be treated as employee inventors for purposes of royalty sharing under University policy.