Policies for Faculty Inventors

Vanderbilt's Policy on Technology and Literary and Artistic Works

Click here to view Vanderbilt's Policy on Technology and Literary and Artistic Works.
 

Federal Policies

Enacted on December 12, 1980, the Bayh-Dole Act (P.L. 96-517, Patent and Trademark Act Amendments of 1980) created a uniform patent policy among the many federal agencies that fund research, enabling small businesses and non-profit organizations, including universities, to retain title to inventions made under federally-funded research programs.

The Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) website has additional Bayh-Dole information.
 

NIH Guides

NIH Guide on Sharing Resources 
A “20/20” Look at Invention Reporting and NIH
 

Veterans Administration Disclosure Requirements

Vanderbilt University and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have entered into a Cooperative Technology Administration Agreement (CTAA) for the management of intellectual property invented jointly by Vanderbilt and VA personnel.  If you have such a joint appointment, or have signed a “Without Compensation Appointee (VA-WOC) Intellectual Property Agreement”, then you must also submit an invention disclosure and other required forms to the VA in addition to submitting the Vanderbilt invention disclosure form to the CTTC at Vanderbilt.

You may find the VA invention disclosure form and other required forms on the VA website.
 

Conflicts of Interest

If you are a faculty member, industry partner or entrepreneur involved in licensing Vanderbilt intellectual property, please ask your CTTC representative how the Conflicts of Interest (COI) policy applies to your particular situation.

Members of the Vanderbilt University community, including all staff, faculty, executive administration and trustees, must fulfill the education, research, patient care and public service missions to which Vanderbilt University is dedicated.  All members of the Vanderbilt community have a clear obligation to conduct the affairs of Vanderbilt University and to make decisions based upon the desire to promote the best interests of Vanderbilt in a manner consistent with these goals.  The purpose of the Vanderbilt University Conflicts of Interest Policy is to set forth a policy statement regarding conflict situations and to provide guidelines to protect the University and its mission. 

It is Vanderbilt’s policy that all members are expected to devote their primary professional loyalty, time and energy to Vanderbilt to assist it to fulfill its education, research, patient care and public service missions.  Members are expected to evaluate and arrange their external interests and commitments in order to avoid compromising their ability to carry out their primary obligations to Vanderbilt, and most conflicts should generally be avoided or resolved through the exercise of individual judgment or discretion. 

All members of the Vanderbilt community are expected to (i) abide by the conflict of interest policies and standards set forth in the Policy; (ii) fully disclose professional and relevant personal activities when required by the University, or when there is potential for a conflict situation; (iii) remedy conflict situations or comply with any management or monitoring plan prescribed by the University; (iv) remain aware of the potential for conflict; and (v) take initiative to manage, disclose, or resolve conflict situations as appropriate.