Spring Break
Letter to the editor
Issue date: 10/30/09 Section: Ed-Op
Dear Editor,
Is anyone aware of Drexel's progressive patent and copyright policies? Certainly not my students! When I question them about whether they or Drexel own the rights to an invention developed as a class project, the response is typically "Drexel owns everything, we get nothing." However, nothing could be further from the truth.
We are proud to advertise ourselves as a technologically advanced institution, but yet our student body remains misinformed about a very important portion of their academic lives. The Drexel Patent Policy clearly states that "Undergraduate students of the University are not subject to this portion of the patent policy" (requiring faculty, employees and graduate students to assign their rights, but with generous remuneration).
Twenty-five years ago I assisted in the drafting of our intellectual property policies, hoping that such progressive requirements would stimulate student research and innovation. Unfortunately, it hasn't. Whatever information students receive concerning their intellectual property rights is likely to come from other students or even faculty members who are unaware of the policies' generous benefits.
It's time that we educated our students, from the moment they receive their acceptance letter to this great University, to their success as alumni. Drexel should note on every acceptance letter our progressive policies. Drexel should provide course work on the aspects of intellectual property and the Drexel Intellectual Property Policies in every University 101 class. Drexel should have personnel available to advise innovative students in their quest for expanding their creative horizons. Could you imagine what students we could attract by showcasing alumni Mary or Joe, whose invention or copyright reaped them vast financial rewards as students here?
It's time we nurtured our creative genius. The status quo on inventions or copyrights is unacceptable.
Neal Orkin
Associate Professor of Legal Studies
Is anyone aware of Drexel's progressive patent and copyright policies? Certainly not my students! When I question them about whether they or Drexel own the rights to an invention developed as a class project, the response is typically "Drexel owns everything, we get nothing." However, nothing could be further from the truth.
We are proud to advertise ourselves as a technologically advanced institution, but yet our student body remains misinformed about a very important portion of their academic lives. The Drexel Patent Policy clearly states that "Undergraduate students of the University are not subject to this portion of the patent policy" (requiring faculty, employees and graduate students to assign their rights, but with generous remuneration).
Twenty-five years ago I assisted in the drafting of our intellectual property policies, hoping that such progressive requirements would stimulate student research and innovation. Unfortunately, it hasn't. Whatever information students receive concerning their intellectual property rights is likely to come from other students or even faculty members who are unaware of the policies' generous benefits.
It's time that we educated our students, from the moment they receive their acceptance letter to this great University, to their success as alumni. Drexel should note on every acceptance letter our progressive policies. Drexel should provide course work on the aspects of intellectual property and the Drexel Intellectual Property Policies in every University 101 class. Drexel should have personnel available to advise innovative students in their quest for expanding their creative horizons. Could you imagine what students we could attract by showcasing alumni Mary or Joe, whose invention or copyright reaped them vast financial rewards as students here?
It's time we nurtured our creative genius. The status quo on inventions or copyrights is unacceptable.
Neal Orkin
Associate Professor of Legal Studies
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