Syllabi Sharing

August 1, 2016

Dear BGSU Faculty Colleagues:

In this sixth joint communication on implementing our new collective bargaining agreement, we wanted to share information about expectations for sharing course syllabi.

Both the FA and the administration agree that the creation of various works of intellectual property is one of the primary responsibilities of Bargaining Unit Faculty Members. Article 25 of the new CBA offers greater clarification on the ownership rights of intellectual property, reaffirming faculty ownership for teaching materials they created without substantial support from the University. However, the new CBA stipulates that the University shall be permitted to use such materials exclusively for administrative purposes (e.g., program review, accreditation). As part of this effort, faculty are expected to provide electronic copies of their syllabi to their Department Chair or School Director at the beginning of each semester/term (Article 25, Section 2.4.2).

Finally, while we agree that a faculty member-authored syllabus remains the intellectual property of that faculty member, we encourage faculty to share their syllabi (and other course materials) with their colleagues to provide a consistent and current curriculum, mentor new faculty, and ensure quality academic offerings by all course instructors.

This joint communication will be archived on the Provost website.

Best wishes for a safe and productive summer.

Rodney K. Rogers, Ph.D.
Provost and Senior Vice President

David J. Jackson, Ph.D.
President, BGSU Faculty Association