Office of the Registrar

The University takes copyright infringement seriously. As set forth in the Acceptable Use of University Computing Resources Policy, all students must abide by federal and state copyright laws when using University computing or network resources. The unauthorized publishing or use of copyrighted material on the University computer network is strictly prohibited and users are personally liable for the consequences of such unauthorized use. This specifically applies to Peer-to-Peer or P2P file-sharing of copyrighted music and movies. Students should be aware that by engaging in unauthorized sharing of copyrighted material, they not only violate university policy, but they may also be held criminally and civilly liable by federal and/or state authorities.

Under current copyright law, criminal cases of copyright violation carry a penalty of up to five (5) years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Civil penalties for copyright infringement include a minimum fine of $750 for each work. Oregon State University will subject students who violate this policy to discipline as appropriate. For a first-time violation of this copyright policy, students are required to pass a copyright quiz within 72-hours or else their network access is disabled. Repeated infringement is subject to disciplinary action by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, up to and including expulsion from the University.

The policy regarding Unauthorized Peer-to-Peer (P2P) File Sharing and Other Copyright Infringement is available in its entirety for review.