Because commercial firms have been paying students to take notes and collect course materials, which are then copied and sold, faculty members may wish to notify students at the beginning of the course that these materials are copyrighted. Course materials that exist in a tangible medium, such as written or recorded lectures, Power Point presentations, handouts and tests, are copyright protected. Students may not copy and distribute such materials except for personal use and with the instructor's permission. Course materials may also be marked copyrighted (e.g. © 2001 Smith). More information is available from the Office of Legal Affairs.
Faculty must acknowledge significant student assistance in the preparation of materials, articles, books, devices, and the like. Students retain their intellectual property rights as set forth in the University of Maryland Policy on Intellectual Property.