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Digital Copyright Violations Policy

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) became law in 1998. The Act demands effective response by the College when notified of potential copyright violations on our campus—most commonly, music and movie files being distributed without the owner’s permission. Copyright owners and their agents often scan file-sharing networks looking for such files and their sources. When these groups complain to the College about potential violations coming from our campus, the DMCA requires that we respond quickly and thoroughly.

Downloading and sharing copyrighted materials without permission from the copyright holder means you could face prosecution, fines and imprisonment. Claiming “I didn’t know” will not protect you. Both the federal No Electronic Theft Act of 1997 which extends criminal copyright law to cases even where there is no clear profit motive and the DMCA are capable of imposing very serious penalties for copying and/or illegally distributing copyrighted works.

Response to Copyright Notices

  1. All DMCA notices are logged through the ITS Help Desk tracking system under Dean of Students for reference purposes. Responsibility is transferred to Information Security Officer.
  2. Upon receipt of first complaint, an email message is sent to the student. A response from student is expected within one week. No follow-up is made to determine whether materials have been removed but a note is made in a tracking database if the student does not contact the Information Security Officer within one week.
  3. If the student calls the ITS Help Desk, a staff member explains the policy and the infraction. The student is instructed to contact the Information Security Officer using the contact information provided in the original message.
  4. Upon receipt of a second complaint for the same student, a message will be sent informing student that a second offense is indicated, Internet access will be disabled for all registered devices, and a referral to Dean of Students will be made.
  5. Following consultation, network service for the student will be restored upon direction of Dean of Students.