Copyright Policy at Edgewood College: Films & Videos

Films, videos, and DVDs are protected under copyright law. Showing rented or purchased videocassettes or DVDs is considered a "performance" and in most cases is limited to use inside the home. Residence hall rooms would be considered the student's home. Showing outside the home requires a Movie Copyright Compliance Site License.

Fair use allows the showing of films, videos, etc. in the classroom under these circumstances:

• Professor is in attendance using "face to face teaching."
• Showing takes place in the classroom.
• Video must be used as an essential part of the current curriculum being taught.
• Broadcast programs taped off the air may be used in the classroom but not retained indefinitely without permission; purchase the program or a license whenever possible.

Exceptions (i.e., may be shown out of the classroom)

• Short segments (10% or three minutes which ever is less) may be incorporated into multimedia projects.
• Some Library videos may include performance rights; those with rights will be labeled.
• In some cases cable programs may be less restrictive than network / local station programs.

Faculty and staff may show a video outside of the classroom and open the program to the entire Edgewood College community if they arrange for a Movie Copyright Compliance Site License. Here are two ways of doing this:

1. Contact the Director of Student Activities. That person will then contact movie companies to purchase the rights for the film. The faculty or staff member will be responsible for the cost of the performance rights. Costs range from $300-$600 depending on how recent the film is. A minimum of 2 weeks notice is necessary to arrange this.
2. The Office of Student Activities (OSA) sponsors a limited number (6-10) movies per year at no cost to the faculty or staff member. Faculty and staff must submit a written proposal to the OSA. Proposals will be distributed to faculty and staff via e-mail. Please see the guidelines below:

• All proposals must be submitted to the OSA by the September deadline for the entire academic year. You will be notified if your proposal has been accepted.
• The event must be open to all faculty, staff, and students of Edgewood College.
• If approved, the contact person will need to meet with the Director of Student Activities one to two weeks prior to the movie showing to review details of showing and evaluation.
• The staff or faculty contact person must be present at the movie showing.
• The contact person must submit an evaluation to the Office of Student Activities no later than one week after the showing.
• The sponsored party is responsible for returning the film within 1 day of the viewing.