Seminar on Copyright, Distance Learning & Open Access

January 27, 2012

University of South Florida St. Petersburg

Location: Gallery, Harbor Hall

Registration Required for Attendance

Free to USFSP Faculty and Staff

$25 for other interested parties

Copyright has emerged as a hot-button global policy issue as the Internet and new technologies transform the way millions of people create, access, use, and reuse content. The implications for education are very significant with the emergence of open access, open educational resources, and new distance learning opportunities. Join Dr. Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law of the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law and Dr. Kenneth Crews, Director, Copyright Advisory Office, Columbia University for a seminar on copyright and its impact on the academy.

To register for the seminar or for more information, please contact Carol Hixson, Dean of Library, USFSP at hixson@usfsp.edu

For more Information: USF – St. Petersburg Website

Download Flyer: Copyright Panel

8:00-9:00
Registration and continental breakfast

9:00-9:10
Welcome from Dean of Library Carol Hixson and Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Norine Noonan, USFSP

9:10-9:30
Opening session

Kenneth Crews “Putting Copyright in Perspective: Its Immediacy for Education and Research”

Copyright law today applies instantly and automatically to nearly all materials that we use in our teaching, research, and scholarly activities.  Our success as academics depends on understanding and working creatively with principles of copyright.  We need to grasp that we are all copyright owners and have the authority to make critical decisions about the publication and availability of our new works.  We are also all users of copyright works, as we expand our teaching through distance education and explore new research ventures.  We need to apply fair use and other copyright exceptions in a manner that best supports the needs of advancing knowledge.  Coming to terms with copyright is essential for promoting the university’s central mission.

9:30-10:30

Lecture and discussion

Michael Geist “Copyright in the International Arena”

Lecture and discussion on global intellectual property issues including the development of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, the WIPO Development Agenda, and global IP trade policy. The lecture will focus on the digital advocacy efforts and linkages between copyright reform and open access.

10:30-11:00
Break

11:00-11:40
Lecture and discussion
Kenneth Crews “Copyright in Transition: Legislation and Lawsuits”

The copyright law of the United States may have been last fully overhauled in 1976, but it is today in rapid transformation. Court rulings offer new interpretations of fair use, and bills and Congress have held out the possibility of heightened legal liabilities as well as limited opportunities for distance education, the use of “orphan works,” and more. On the other hand, much of the law is now in front of the courts. Rulings about digital books, electronic reserves, video streaming, interlibrary loans, and many other familiar activities are now the subject of litigation and threatening demands. This is the time to know your rights under the law and to advocate for a constructive transformation of the law and creative implementation of university policies.

11:40-12:15 
Questions and answers K. Crews and M. Geist

2:30-4:30

Private Session for Invited Participants from USFSP K. Crews and M. Geist

2 hour session will discuss best practices for open access adoption, development of open educational resources, and the implementation of distance learning initiatives.  Will also discuss fair use and copyright on campus.