Online posting of class notes concerns professors

"Get paid to go to class."

That is the slogan for the Internet company Versity.com, which pays students for submitting notes they take in class.

But, what students may not know is they could be violating copyright laws.

An advertiser-supported company, Versity.com reportedly pays note takers a flat fee by the lecture, an average of $300 per class.

Currently, Marshall ranks the highest among West Virginia colleges which course notes are published on the Web site. Up to 56 Marshall courses can be accessed by students via the Internet for free, and the list is growing.

Users are required to register, submitting their name, e-mail address and date of birth.

However, a controversy revolves around so-called intellectual property rights, where critics contend that students who take original lecture material and profit from it are violating professors' copyrights.

"Intellectual property is an original creative thought," said Donna Donathan, Faculty Senate president. "It is usually the product of someone's own research, and that has got to be protected."

Students may be unaware that by submitting notes to Versity.com, they have ac-knowledged their professor has given consent, granting royalty-free rights to the company, according to the company's user agreement.

The debate over intellectual property dates back to 1965, when Class Notes Inc. was sued by a UCLA anthropology professor.

The California appeals court ruled that faculty members hold a common-law copyright for their lectures, whether orally delivered or presented from notes, and the professor was awarded damages.

Dr. Randy Bobbitt, professor of journalism and media law, explained that the 1965 case bears relevance to the notes published on Versity.com, because the issue in debate is still copyright infringement.

If someone were to sue, they would probably sue both the student and Versity.com, Bobbitt said.

Chuck Martin, assistant professor of criminal justice, said he is offended because he was unaware his lecture notes were published.

"I think my personal insight on the lecture and text is my own property, and that I have a unique perspective on my expertise, seeing that I have 26 years of experience in my field," Martin said.

In a statement sent to the Chicago Flame, Jonathan Wysaski, campus operating manager for Versity.com, responded to the copyright issue by saying student note takers post their own notes.

"The Web site does not post handouts or other materials distributed by the instructor," Wysaski said.

Versity.com's user agreement also states that notes published in the Web site are the note taker's interpretation of the lecture, not the professor's lecture notes.

However, some Marshall faculty are skeptical. Francis S. Hensley, associate vice president for academic affairs at Marshall, explained it is difficult to determine how the students actually get the notes.

"You don't know if it's a student's interpretation," Hensley said. "They (students) may be taping the lecture word for word."

Another issue regarding the Web site deals with the validity of the notes, or determining good notes from the bad notes.

"Students have to rely upon their critical judgment," said Montserrat Miller, assistant history professor.

"(History professors) know from the past that the (Versity.com) notes were filled with horrible errors and it would be detrimental to students if they just relied on the notes to pass the class," she said.

Wysaski explained in his press statement that Versity in no way endorses students to skip lectures. Reviewing the notes online is no substitution for class attendance, he said.

Marshall faculty, however, are not convinced that students will use this service strictly as a supplement to their class material.

"I think people are finding so many ways around doing what they are supposed to be doing," Bird said. "Some of your better students could make an accurate representation of class material."

Hensley commented that students may be seriously misled by seemingly accurate notes.

"Notes are a one-dimensional concept of a college education," Hensley said. "Even if the notes are good, the student may be lulled into a false sense of security."

Miller added that these class notes are potentially a pitfall for students who use them as a substitute for note taking or attending class.

"I really see this as an enterprise that has the potential to victimize students and faculty," Miller said. "It doesn't bother me that students are making a little bit of money from this.

"What I find disturbing is the way in which Versity.com is exploiting students by getting them to lift the intellectual property of professors without permission," she said.

Donathan said, "I think the faculty are in a 'wait-and-see' mode."