Without provisions such as these, educational institutions would grind to a halt. As necessary and utilized as these provisions are, they do not mean that universities wantonly act without regard to the rights of copyright holders. When permissions or fees are necessary for uses beyond those allowed in the act, we pay the fees, if they are affordable, or we do not use the materials. The universities of this country create vast amounts of copyrightable intellectual property, and they and their faculty are also copyright holders. Furthermore, it is axiomatic to the mission of the university to teach respect for intellectual property and the expression in which it is embodied.
Plagiarism is anathema.
Copyright infringement, as with other illegal activities, is prohibited. NC State has policies and procedures in place prohibiting such activity and providing immediate and effective measures for correcting any such activity that might occur. We have excellent, accessible legal counsel to advise when necessary. Our library has established a Scholarly Communication Center which holds workshops and gives presentations on copyright, fair use, and other scholarly communication topics to faculty, staff, and students. Educating our campus communities on their rights and responsibilities with respect to copyrighted materials is the key to responsible use and is, in the final analysis, the only real solution to protection of copyrighted materials.