Human Resources Management Policy

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

POLICY 43

NOTE: THIS POLICY, LIKE ALL OTHER MUSC HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES, IS NOT A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS SUCH. THIS POLICY MAY BE CHANGED AT ANY TIME BY THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

1. POLICY
   1. The Medical University of South Carolina is a non-profit Institution striving to alleviate human suffering by engaging in the investigation, prevention, and treatment of disease and in the education of health care professionals.
   2. The intellectual endeavors and activities of its employees and trainees may result in products of a tangible nature for which the University and the employee or trainee may deem it advantageous to enter these products into commerce.
   3. These products may be the subject of a patent application or a copyrightable work or other tangible material and are known collectively as "Intellectual Property."
   4. This Policy is intended to:
      1. Provide an incentive to creative intellectual effort and the advancement of knowledge for the welfare of the people, particularly the people of South Carolina;
      2. Ensure that the respective interests of the employee or trainee, the University and supporting sponsor and society are considered and protected through the development of fair contracts and procedures;
      3. Assist the employee or trainee and the University to realize tangible benefits from Intellectual Property; and,
      4. Advance and encourage further research within the University with whatever funds accrue to the University from Intellectual Property resulting from University research.
2. INFORMATION
   This Policy applies as a condition of appointment or employment by the University to every member of the staff, who during the period of their appointment or employment by the University shall:
   1. Conceive or first reduce to practice actually or constructively, any invention;
   2. Prepare any University Copyrightable Work; or
   3. Contribute substantially to the existence of any Tangible Result of Research.

   
   The full text of this Policy is in the Faculty Handbook, Policy 10.3, Intellectual Property, and can also be accessed on-line at:
   http://www.musc.edu/facsen/handbook/handbook.pdf.
   It is mandatory that the entire Policy be read to understand its provisions and one’s responsibilities.