It is the policy of New Mexico State University to fully respect all rights that exist in any material protected by the copyright laws of the United States while also encouraging usage of the material that furthers the research mission of the university. The details of this policy can be downloaded here. This site provides guidance to creators (faculty, staff, and students) on the ownership of copyrighted material; however, this site is not comprehensive. For more information about copyrights, especially as they pertain to copyright usage, please visit the library page here.

Please note, this guide is defined as a basic informational resource for the NMSU community. It is not a substitute for legal advice. Instead, it provides a framework for understanding and working with legal issues, including lawfully using and sharing copyrighted works, as well as protecting one’s own creative rights.

The Office of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer (IP Office) at Arrowhead Center maintains intellectual property (IP) protection for NMSU creators who develop materials eligible for copyright. A copyright is defined as the right of creators to control the use of their work for a limited period of time; this work must be an original work of creatorship which is fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Examples of copyrightable materials include:

• Literary, musical, and dramatic works
• Pantomimes and choreographic works
• Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
• Sound recordings
• Motion pictures and other AV works
• Computer programs
• Compilations of works and derivative works