Waterloo Daily Bulletin, September 1, 2011

New copyright rules come to campus today

The university’s licence with Access Copyright expired yesterday, and as a result the rules about photocopying and other uses of printed material, especially multiple copies for teaching, are very different from this moment on.

“It is very important that faculty, staff and students abide by the provisions of the Copyright Act when making copies,” provost Geoff McBoyle warned in a memo that was sent across campus earlier this summer. “A breach can have serious financial consequences for the university. In the event that the university is found liable for a breach, the university has the right to claim contribution and indemnification from the wrongdoer.”

Rules and procedures have changed because the university — like many other Canadian institutions — has parted ways with Access Copyright, an agency that represents Canadian authors and publishers. A series of licences with Access Copyright (formerly CanCopy) had been in effect since 1994.

Instead, the university will rely on direct licensing from the copyright owners, as well as the “fair dealing” provision that is a key part of Canada’s copyright law.

Here’s what McBoyle said in his memo, dated July 28: “As indicated in my memo of July 14, effective August 31, 2011 the University of Waterloo and the federated university and affiliated colleges will no longer have an agreement with Access Copyright. As a result, we are transitioning into a new copyright environment.

“We are committed to providing support and advice to assist faculty, staff and students as we move forward. The updated copyright web site provides quick access to helpful information. Copyright at the University of Waterloo: A Guide for Those Teaching Courses gives a brief overview of the rules related to copying for instructional purposes. The Waterloo Copyright FAQ provides guidance and detailed answers to specific questions you may have. Both include a list of copyright contacts at UW — individuals with copyright expertise who are available to answer your questions.

“In addition, the Fair Dealing Advisory recommended by the legal counsel of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada) may help you determine what may be legally copied. The guidelines reflect recent legal rulings on copyright issues in the educational sector, including the ruling that making copies for the purpose of instruction cannot be considered fair dealing.”

The “Guide for Those Teaching Courses” reiterates that “Instructors will no longer be able to continue the past practice under the Access Copyright licence of copying and handing out limited sections of copyrighted works. Note, however, that it is generally acceptable to make print copies for students from electronic resources licensed by the Library.”

Among the alternatives it suggests: “Provide students with the content electronically, using electronic reserves. All eReserves content is copyright cleared, and can be linked to via the Waterloo learning management systems.”

The copyright documents stress that the library, the bookstore (which produces course packs of readings and reprints) and the Centre for Extended Learning (which handles materials for online courses) all have procedures to make sure that permission is given before copyrighted materials are copied in the products they’re responsible for.

UWaterloo@Toronto backs cancer technology

by Janet Janes, office of research

Kenneth Pritzker has dedicated his career to diagnosing disease. As a scientist himself, he’s embraced the research that has uncovered new information about how disease occurs as well as new knowledge about how to manage it. But the former chief pathologist at Mount Sinai Hospital and now chief executive officer of Rna Diagnostics Inc. is taking a business approach to getting a medical technology more quickly and efficiently to the people who need it most. And he’s turned to the University of Waterloo to help him do so.

Attracted to Waterloo’s reputation in technology transfer, Pritzker and his new company, Rna Diagnostics, collaborated with UWaterloo@Toronto, an entrepreneurial team based in the Atrium on Bay complex in downtown Toronto and supported by Waterloo’s Office of Research.

“Once we got there, our hunch was right. It was a good thing to relocate,” Pritzker says. “We were actively looking for an arrangement that would be synergistic.”

One of the team’s first successes was to work through the Waterloo Commercialization Office to develop a collaborative agreement, which impressed Pritzker because it was created in less than 48 hours. “They had the capacity to understand our needs. It was really amazing; ordinarily things take much longer.”

Just a year later, Rna Diagnostics is developing a test called RNA Disruption Assay (RDA) that can determine whether breast cancer chemotherapy is working, offering significant cost savings to health care, but most importantly, ensuring the most effective and efficient treatment for cancer patients when time is critical. RDA was developed after Pritzker’s colleague, Amadeo Parissenti, discovered during a clinical trial that a disruption in a patient’s RNA molecules can lead to a better response to chemotherapy. The UWaterloo@Toronto team helped find the Waterloo scientist most suited to assist in refining the RDA technology to meet patient needs. UWaterloo@Toronto staff are working with Rna Diagnostics [Cheque presentation] through the commercialization process, creating new connections, and opening doors to new funding and commercialization opportunities.

Since then, Rna Diagnostics has won first place in the TiEQuest 2011 Business Venture competition, as well as Best Healthcare Company and co-winner for Best Intellectual Property through TiEQuest (left). The company is continuing to enhance the test with scientists at Waterloo.

Looking forward, Pritzker sees the potential for using this technology initially for women with breast cancer, then for other cancer patients. “When they learn of it, they would want to have it right now. And we want to get it to them right now, so we’re trying to get it out as fast as we can,” he says.

“Our relationship with UWaterloo@Toronto is accelerating our commercialization process. We look at this as the start of a synergistic research collaboration with Waterloo,” says Pritzker.

CAR

Thursday, September 1, 2011

New copyright rules come to campus today

UWaterloo@Toronto backs cancer technology

Link of the day

New on the first day of September

College staff strike

When and where

Positions available