The emergence of new technology may enable faculty members to take on outside opportunities that previously would have been unavailable. This ability to do more consulting and other work is likely to lead to more issues arising under the University s existing policies, especially with respect to conflicts of commitment. Scholars must be able to control their own intellectual agendas and the way their work is presented to the rest of the world. When we do joint work now, issues are typically settled before publication. Most of the remaining ones arise only when time comes for a new edition.
Work done with new technology, however, never ceases being a work in progress.
How the work evolves and who controls its evolution are issues that will be questions constantly before us. Care must be taken at the outset to confront questions of control to ensure that we retain the kind of control of our ideas that is necessary to the academic enterprise. We can anticipate that in many cases the University, Division, School, or Department will appear to users as a source or a sponsor or co-sponsor of the work. In some cases, notice to the department chair or dean may be sufficient. In other cases, the project may be akin to a course of instruction.