Copyright Use

Copyright © 2023 Jackson State Community College. This website is owned and operated by Jackson State Community College. All documents, graphics, images, information, trademarks, service marks, and trade names displayed on this site are proprietary to Jackson State Community College, except as explicitly noted.

Disclaimer

Personal web pages of Jackson State students, faculty, staff, and clubs do not in any way constitute 'official' Jackson State content. The views and opinions expressed in individual 'unofficial' sites are strictly those of the page author. The contents have not been reviewed or approved by Jackson State. If you feel an 'unofficial' page contains obscene or offensive material, or incorrect data please contact the campus webmaster via the Contact Us form.

Digital Millennium Copyright Act Compliance

In compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Jackson State Community College has appointed Scott Cohen, Director of Library Services, as the College's agent to receive notification of claimed infringement from a copyright owner. The Act requires the complainant to include certain information in a complaint. Send any such allegations to:

Digital Millennium Copyright Agent
Attention: Sylvia Rowe, Copyright Agent
Jackson State Community College
2046 North Parkway
Jackson, TN 38305
PH: (731) 424-3520, extension 50328
Email: srowe1@jscc.edu

In notifying us of alleged copyright infringement, please be sure to include the following information:

  • a description of the copyrighted work that is the subject of the claimed infringement (if multiple works are being infringed at a single site, a representative list of such works at that site is adequate);
  • a description of the infringing material and information sufficient to permit Jackson State Community College to locate the material;
  • contact information for you, including your address, telephone number, and/or email address;
  • a statement by you that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, or its agent, or the law;
  • a statement by you, signed under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that you have the authority to enforce the copyrights that are claimed to be infringed; and
  • a physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on its behalf.

Failure to include all of the above-listed information may result in a delay of the processing of your complaint. Jackson State Community College will terminate the online privileges of users who infringe the copyright of others.

Additional copyright information is available from the U.S. Copyright Office.

Basic Copyright Information

Copyright is a very important issue. This page is designed to keep the JSCC faculty, students and staff aware of copyright and its effect on Jackson State Community College.

Copyright provides protection to those who create materials in various media.

There are penalties for infringement of copyright. The unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, may subject those who infringe on copyright (JSCC employees and students) to civil and criminal liabilities. It is important that all JSCC students, faculty and staff understand the basics of copyright.

Summary of Civil and Criminal Penalties for Violation of Federal Copyright Laws

Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.

Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or "statutory" damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For "willful" infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys' fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505.

Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense.

For more information, please see the Web site of the U.S. Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov, especially their FAQ's at www.copyright.gov/help/faq

The US Copyright Office on Copyright

What is Copyright?

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to do the following:

  • To reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords;
  • To prepare derivative works based upon the work;
  • To distribute copies or phonorecords of the work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending;
  • To perform the work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works;
  • To display the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work; and
  • In the case of sound recordings, to perform the work publiclyby means of a digital audio transmission.

From: U.S. Copyright Office. Circular 1 "Copyright Basics" September, 2000. 20 July, 2004 (http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf) 20 July, 2004.

Fair Use

Though materials are copyrighted, there are instances when these materials can be used without getting permission from the copyright holder. This is known as the doctrine of "fair use"

Here is a very useful link to information about fair use in the classroom and for online courses.

Information on Fair Use

There have been several copyright acts that relate to faculty and students since 1976. The Digital MillenniumCopyright Act of 1998 has a lot to say about violation of copyright.

The Act prohibits circumvention of any technology used by a copyright owner to limit access to a copyrighted work.

The TEACH Act ("Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act) has recently given more leeway for faculty to use copyrighted material in their online courses. Enacted in 2002, the law allows virtual use of the same materials that are allowed in physical classrooms.

JSCC and Copyright

Per the JSCC Catalog and Student Handbook, Use of institutional computer resources and facilities to violate copyright laws, including, but not limited to, the act of unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials using institutional information technology systems is a disciplinary offense subject to disciplinary sanction.  Furthermore, the unauthorized use or distribution of computer software, music videos, movies, or other copyrighted material violates federal laws and the State Computer Crimes Act and considered misuse of computers per the JSCC catalog and student handbook. The making of copies or distributing software, music, videos, movies, or other copyrighted material is subject to federal copyright laws.

Violation of Copyright

Federal law gives the holder of copyright five exclusive rights, including the right to exclude others from reproducing the copyrighted work. Sanctions for violation of copyright can be very substantial.  Beyond the threat of legally imposed sanctions, violation of copyright is an unethical appropriation of the fruits of another’s labor. Pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, the JSCC designated agent for receipt of complaints of copyright infringement occurring with the use of JSCC information technology resources is the Director of Library Resources. Jackson State Community College is authorized to designate agents to serve their specific campus, however the Chief Information Officer for Information Technology shall be promptly informed of all complaints received by such Institutional agents.

Violation of Computer Misuse

Disciplinary procedures: Allegations of violation of this policy shall be referred by the designee of the President (typically, the Senior IT Officer) to the appropriate person(s) for disciplinary action. If a student, the policy violation will be referred to the judicial officer of the institution under TBR Policy 3:02:00:01. If an employee, the policy violation will be referred to the immediate supervisor. If there is a policy violation, which the designee believes rises to the level of a serious violation of this or any other JSCC/TBR policy; the designee is authorized to temporarily revoke access privileges. In those cases, the revocation of access must be reviewed by the appropriate disciplinary authority for review and final determination of access privileges. In such cases the authorization of the designee carries with it the authorization to make subjective judgments, such as whether material or statements violate JSCC/TBR Policy.

Sanctions: Persons violating this policy are subject to revocation or suspension of access privileges to JSCC IT resources. Additionally, other penalties, as outlined in TBR Policy 3:02:00:01, may be imposed upon student users. Sanctions for violation of this policy by employees may extend to termination of employment. Violations of law may be referred for criminal or civil action.

Appeals: Sanctions imposed upon students at Jackson State Community College and imposed at the discretion of the IT Director 2292022/2023Invest in Your Successwww.jscc.edu Back to TOC Student Handbook (or other designee of the President) may be appealed to the Vice President for Student Services. Other sanctions may be appealed under established Institution procedure.

Copyright Links