Preamble:
A thesis or dissertation project may result in the development of
intellectual
property, and it may be necessary for the sake of completeness to
include
information about the discovery in the written document that is
presented
to the Graduate School in partial fulfillment of degree
requirements.
The faculty advisor, the student, and/or the University may have,
consistent
with University policy, an interest in pursuing a patent for such
intellectual
property, and the usual practice of making the thesis or dissertation
available
to the public could jeopardize the ability to obtain a patent.
Policy Statement:
Upon written request by a faculty thesis or dissertation advisor, a
graduate student who is the author of a thesis or dissertation, or the
University Patent Officer, the Dean of the Graduate School may, after
giving
consideration to the respective interests of all concerned, sequester
the
academic document in question; i.e., prohibit public disclosure, for a
period of one year from the date of the decision to sequester. In
reviewing such requests, the Dean should consider the full implication
of sequestration on ongoing and future academic and scholarly work at
the
University.
If a decision is made to sequester a thesis or dissertation, all components of the sequestered thesis or dissertation, including all digital and mediated materials, will be maintained in the office of the Dean of the Graduate School to assure that such components are not separated. The Dean of the Graduate School will inform the Dean of University Libraries of all sequestration decisions made relative to this policy, and will provide pertinent information concerning a thesis or dissertation to be sequestered, such as title, student name and graduation date, department, and thesis or dissertation director's name to the Dean of University Libraries.
At the end of the one year period, the Dean of the Graduate School will initiate a review of the sequestered thesis or dissertation with the appropriate individuals and determine whether it is reasonable and proper to continue the sequestration for a second year. Continued withholding of the thesis or dissertation beyond the second year will be considered only in special and very unusual circumstances. The completion of the requirements for a graduate degree will not be affected in any way by the sequestration of a thesis or dissertation.
Pursuant to the University patent policy, it is the responsibility of the faculty advisor and the student to protect the intellectual property during the conduct of the project and the writing of the document, and in any examinations over the contents of the document. The faculty advisor and the student should consult with the Dean of the Graduate School and the University Patent Officer about these matters.
Implementation:
This policy will be disseminated to faculty through campus mail.
Revision Date:
May 1, 2001