PATENT POLICY In view of the far-reaching research in the various divisions of the University, it is inevitable that new discoveries and inventions will be made. The University of North Alabama recognizes that the protection and control provided under the patent laws may have to be invoked to obtain the greatest public benefit and usefulness from the products of scientific research. It is recognized that employees of the University might need assistance in determining and evaluating patentability and in prosecuting patent applications of inventions made by them. Many such inventions involve equities beyond those of the inventor himself or herself since the use of university facilities, the assignment of duties as a condition of employment, and the use of research funds with contractual obligations regarding patent rights give rise to complicated questions concerning rights and equities of all concerned. Therefore, in order to appraise relative rights and equities of all parties concerned, to facilitate patent applications, licensing, equitable distribution of royalties or other financial returns, to provide a uniform procedure in patent matters, and to serve the public benefit and interest, the Board of Trustees for the University of North Alabama (herein called the University), on recommendation of the President of the University, authorizes the establishment of a Patent Committee and the adoption of the patent policy as set forth herein. 1. The President of the University is hereby authorized to appoint a University Patent Committee composed of members representative of the entire university to administer the patent policy and to designate a Patent Administrator to administer the policies of the committee. This committee and the Patent Administrator shall serve at the pleasure of, and their actions shall be subject to the approval and right of review of, the President of the University. 2. Subject to the approval of the President, the Patent Committee shall have the power to adopt such rules and procedures as are deemed appropriate; to determine the interest of the University in all reported inventions; to cause all reported inventions to be investigated in order to evaluate the interest of the University in said invention (with due consideration given to the achievement of the inventor and the financial returns to the inventor and the University); to authorize the Patent Administrator to execute a release when the Patent Committee decides that the University has no interest in the invention or decides that the University does not desire to pursue the patenting or development of the patent; to authorize applications for patents on reported inventions and to retain patent counsel, in association with the University Attorney, for matters pertaining to patent applications; and to make recommendations to the President with regard to the prosecution and protection thereof and any litigation that may arise therefrom. The Patent Committee shall have power also to do all things appropriate for the investigation of patent rights and for the exploitation of patent rights by direct exercise, exclusive or non- exclusive licensing, and make recommendations to the President with regard to partial or total assignment or sale thereof. All questions concerning the methods by which the patent shall be commercially exploited shall be decided by the Patent Committee.
3. All faculty members and university employees, both while employed by the University and thereafter, shall report to the Patent Committee any invention or
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