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Proposer: |
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Section: 2100s – College Operations, General |
Last Review Date: 02/11/2026 |
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Responsible Area: Learning & Student Services |
Effective Date: 03/02/2026 |
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Policy/policies the procedure is based on: #1170 |
Procedures that may be impacted by revisions: |
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Revision History: minor edit on 02/11/2026 |
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1.0 Scope
All employees and students of Northland Pioneer College (NPC).
2.0 Purpose
In the event Northland Pioneer College (NPC) employees or students take the initiative to create intellectual property, NPC will utilize this procedure to determine ownership, compensation, and division of revenues. Because NPC recognizes that the fields of instructional technology and intellectual property are rapidly changing, this procedure will be reviewed periodically by representatives from NPC’s instructional team, legal counsel and the President's Cabinet.
3.0 Definitions
3.1 Author - refers to the person who creates or invents intellectual or scholarly property.
3.2 Intellectual property - refers to creative or scholarly work, protectable by patent, copyright, trademark or trade-secret laws. Intellectual property includes, but is not limited to, creative or inventive works, traditional or technology-based media, inventions, software programs, the content and presentation of materials using Internet, web or video technology, documents and lab manuals. It does not include ownership of course numbers, titles, descriptions and outcomes.
3.3 Significant use - refers to Intellectual Property that is produced by an Author, whereby at least thirty percent of the work was accomplished using NPC’s resources (as documented by time and effort logs, notes-to-files, and similar methods). Use of traditional library resources, office space, computers and peripherals, and normal allocation of network access and server space shall not be defined as "Significant Use."
4.0 Procedure
Administrative Responsibility
NPC’s president shall be responsible for administrative matters relating to Intellectual Property and shall represent NPC in all matters of policy affecting NPC’s relations with authors, government agencies, private sector entities, and the public. The president may designate an administrative officer and/or an appropriate committee to carry out these responsibilities in whole or in part.
4.1 Ownership of copyrightable intellectual property and supportive technologies
a. Intellectual property resulting from work conducted by NPC employees or students, wholly on their own time, and without use of NPC funds, facilities, or technical consultation/assistance, shall be considered the property of the author and may be protected and commercialized by the author at the author's expense.
b. Intellectual property, resulting from work conducted by NPC employees or students, wholly on their own time, with some, but not significant use of NPC funds or facilities, shall be reported to the Vice President for Learning and Student Services. Such intellectual property shall be considered the property of the author and may be protected and commercialized by the author at the author's expense.
c. Intellectual property, resulting from work conducted by NPC employees or students, within the scope of employment, or with significant use of NPC funds or facilities, shall be reported to the Vice President for Learning and Student Services. Such intellectual property shall be the property of NPC and the employee or student with the co-ownership percentages, royalties and rights defined by contract.
5.0 Division of Income
a. All royalties derived from intellectual property falling within 4.1 (a & b) shall belong to the author.
b. Authors of commercialized intellectual property falling within 4.1 (c) shall provide for periodic reports of sales and shall pay to NPC the royalty percentage specified in the contract.
Adapted from Coconino Community College with their permission.
