Legal Question in Intellectual Property in Missouri

Intellectual property of college course materials

I'm a college professor who has recently (due to changes at the college) lost her job. By email my former department chair has demanded detailed schedules and project sheets from all my classes, she claims they are not my intellectual property, but rather belong to the college--(no one either in my department or the college gave direction regarding projects, schedules, or even books that should be used, therefore all work was created by me)

Before sending me this email, she first had a student go in to one of my courses web sites and ''take'' the information that was posted there, when I objected to the use of a student in this manner (in a phone message) She then sent me an email asking for the information mentioned above.

To date, I have not replied to these emails.

Am I legally bound to give her the information she has requested?

Sincerely,

JB


Asked on 5/17/06, 2:19 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Daniel Pepper Pepper Law Group, LLC

Re: Intellectual property of college course materials

The general rule is that as an employee, anything you develop or create as part of your employment is owned by your employer. I don't know enough about the material that you described in your note, and whether any of this material may have been developed or created by your prior to your employment at the college, so there may be exceptions to the rule I stated.

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Answered on 5/17/06, 2:37 pm


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