Faculty members can often wonder how much text, code or movie runtime they are able to include in their course or if they are able to use it at all. Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Fair Use Guide is now available to help make these decisions.
Copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression. Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances.
Broadly, faculty members may incorporate original works into their educational projects in support of curriculum-based instructional activities at educational institutions. Likewise, students may incorporate original works in their educational projects for a specific course. However, the purpose, nature, amount and effect of the use would all be considered if the original creator questioned the use within the course.
This page is intended as a quick guide for faculty members considering use of original works within their courses. However, some examples take more consideration to determine whether they fall within fair-use best practices. Those seeking guidance on a specific question can email Director of Faculty Affairs Sam Jay at [email protected].