UAMS Patent and Copyright Committee

Committee Mission

The UAMS Patent and Copyright Committee functions to implement the University of Arkansas Patent and Copyright Policy (Board Policy 210.1) at UAMS. The Committee provides a review process for disclosures of patent and copyright intellectual property developed by members of the UAMS community. The Committee evaluates the patentability and desirability of obtaining patent or other protection for the submitted disclosures as well as any patent obligations to research sponsors outside of the University.

Membership

The Committee is composed of faculty and staff that are appointed by the Chancellor's Office. The current roster of members includes:

• Ex-Officio members do not vote on decisions regarding disclosure recommendations.

• Each member agrees to maintain confidentiality of disclosures reviewed and recommendations advanced relating to his or her service as a member of the Committee.

• A minimum of 50% voting members (simple majority) of the Committee must be present to develop a recommendation regarding a disclosure. Current quorum is seven.

Meetings and Submission of Disclosures

• Presently, the Committee has regularly scheduled meetings occurring on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month at 1:30 p.m.

• Except under unusual circumstances special meetings of the Committee will not be scheduled.

• Disclosures must be submitted through the online process and will be available to Committee members at least 72 hours prior to a scheduled meeting (except under unusual circumstances).

• Any member may decide to absent themselves from the review, discussion, and decision of a disclosure. The required quorum for action on that disclosure will then become a simple majority of the remaining voting members of the Committee as a whole.

• The Committee generally meets with the inventor(s) to discuss the disclosure and then develops a recommendation to the Chancellor.

• In most cases, the recommendation will be one of the following:

1. the University should take all necessary steps to protect the invention, including filing a patent application;

2. the matter should be sent to a patent management organization for evaluation;

3. negotiations should be initiated with the research sponsor concerning allocation of rights under the contractual agreement; or

4. the invention should be returned to the inventor.