01.E.01 – Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation
Section: General Administration
Area: Technology Transfer and Innovation
1. PURPOSE
Board Policy 21.08 provides that the Board owns all Intellectual Property Rights for technology that is conceived or reduced to practice by any person engaged in System research. The Chancellor has been delegated the responsibility to take whatever steps are reasonable and necessary to enforce this policy pursuant Board Policy 21.08 .
This document promotes and protects the System and its component universities through implementation of a management system which establishes the means of consistent, favorable and professional use of the Intellectual Property Rights; to fulfill the legal obligations of the Intellectual Property Rights; to provide fair and equitable treatment of all licenses and to realize and distribute earned income royalties and other revenues for the benefit of the component university.
2. GENERAL PROVISIONS
2.1. Delegation to the Chancellor
The Board delegates the legal protection, management, and enforcement of the rights in the Intellectual Property Rights of the Board, the System and the component universities to the Chancellor. This policy acts as the basis of the Chancellor's management of the System's Intellectual Property Rights.
2.2. Delegation by the Chancellor
The Chancellor has delegated the authority granted by Board Policy 21.08 to the Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Transfer. The Chancellor may approve the further delegation of such authority as is appropriate.
3. DEFINITIONS
3.1. Component Universities - A university that has been identified by Board Policy 01.02 as a university.
3.2. Intellectual Property Rights - Those rights of ownership recognized by law in technology, copyrighted material, and computer software and firmware (all as defined in this policy). Intellectual Property Rights include, but are not limited to, patents, copyrights, and rights to trade secrets and know-how.
3.3. System - The University of Houston System, its Board and its component universities. The term also includes affiliated organizations and organizations formally registered with the university.
4. OFFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND INNOVATION (OTTI)
4.1. The System's OTTI reports to the Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Transfer and is responsible for the custody, management and licensing of intellectual property assets created within the System. These assets include patents, copyrights, trademarks and tangible research property. OTTI is also responsible for promulgating guidelines to help ensure compliance with and enforcement of Board Policy 21.08 . Component universities are required to comply with the guidelines set forth in Board Policy 21.08 .
4.2. The primary goal of the OTTI is to integrate research activity to yield useful outcomes; outcomes that would have value for commercialization and encourage private industry to invest in the component university's research activity. Furthermore, the program seeks to enhance the System's efforts in forming an effective partnership involving academia, government, and industry.
4.3. The OTTI provides the mechanism which integrates research, invention disclosures, patent and copyright protection, technology evaluation, marketing, and licensing to facilitate the commercialization of promising early stage technology in accordance with the Board Policy 21.08 which governs these activities.
5. CONTACT
If an administrative unit has questions about how to interpret these guidelines, they should contact the System Office of General Counsel for legal questions or OTTI for information on royalty, licensing, and agreements.
Issued: 12/10/2002
Last Reviewed/Revised: 11/16/2018
Responsible Office(s): Technology Transfer and Innovation