Copyright Policy
Copyright law is highly complex and what follows is offered as only a general guide. Ownership of a dissertation, thesis or
project begins at the moment the manuscript or "object" is created. Although no further act of the author is required, the law
does provide some advantages in giving formal notice and registration of a copyright.
Formal notice of copyright is given
by including a copyright page in the manuscript as described in the
SDSU Dissertation & Thesis Manual.
This notice does not establish any copyright privileges, but it does signal acknowledgment of a legal right and copyright
ownership. Registration with the U.S. Copyright Office is optional, but it provides a record of the work, the fact of copyright,
and the author's name and address. Registration would probably be most important if the author wished to file in the future a
lawsuit over copyright infringement.
The university assumes that a dissertation, thesis or project approved by a faculty
committee is primarily the product of the student's efforts. Thus, the student will usually be considered the owner of the
copyrights associated with the manuscript. Students should be aware, however, that the dissertation, thesis or project is the
actual product submitted in satisfaction of one of the requirements for an advanced degree rather than the basic research, the
results of which it reports. In some instances, therefore, individual faculty members may retain some copyright or patent
interest in the data or other jointly developed work included in the thesis or dissertation. Students are, therefore, strongly
advised to resolve any questions about ownership rights to data or other elements of the thesis/dissertation in which the faculty
committee chair may have an interest. Agreement over such issues should be obtained in writing before beginning research on the
dissertation, thesis or project.
See also "Rights to Dissertation/Thesis Data and
Publication Authorship."
In order to foster broad dissemination of the results of scholarly research, the student, upon submission of the dissertation,
thesis or project to the SDSU Graduate Division, agrees to convey to the university a license for the following uses of the
product:
(1) copying of the work for distribution to other libraries upon the request of those libraries;
(2) inter-library loans of the work;
(3) display and use of the work in the University Library; and
(4) circulation of the work by the University Library. These rights become effective upon the shelving of the work in the
SDSU University Library. The shelving of the work may be postponed for a period of usually up to one year upon written request
of the student and consent of the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate Division, Office of Graduate and Research
Affairs. (See Requests for Restricted Use
of Theses.)
Students wishing more information should access a copy of the U.S. Copyright Office Circular R1,
"Copyright Basics." On campus, Circular R1 is available from the Government Section of the SDSU Library (LC 3.4/2:1,
Gov Pubs Ref) as well as via its web site:
http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/gov/copyright.shtml.
The federal government has a very good web site -
http://www.copyright.gov/index.html
with complete copyright information including application forms. They also provide a forms hotline (202-707-2600) that one
may call to request faxed copies of Circular R1 or
other publications about copyrights. To speak with an information specialist, call (202) 707-3000 or TTY: (202) 707-6737.
Lastly, students or faculty requiring additional information about copyrights may contact the SDSU Foundation Technology
Transfer Office at 594-3176.
