Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1948 [PAGE 983]

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982

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[February 21

which is being done in several departments. Under this contract the University has prior rights to patents on all discoveries; if the University does not choose to apply for a patent then under the contract it must release the discovery to the Navy. T h e University has been informed by the Office of Naval Research that in future contracts the Navy desires to include the following provisions relating to foreign patent rights and publication of invention disclosures (the Contractor referred to below is the University) : "SECTION G — T h e Contractor agrees, in addition to the terms and conditions set forth in the section of the contract entitled 'Patent Rights,' (i) to grant to the Government, upon request, title to the foreign rights in each Subject Invention, (ii) not to publish or cause to be published a disclosure of such invention until permission shall have first been obtained from the Contracting Officer or his designee, and (iii) to deliver to the Contracting Officer or his designee, duly executed, such instrument of assignment, application papers and rightful oaths, prepared by the Government, as the Contracting Officer or his designee deems necessary to vest in the Government the sole and exclusive ownership in patent applications and any patents that may issue thereon and the right to apply for and prosecute such patent applications, but limited to countries other than the United States of America, covering each Subject Invention." Section 20 of Contract N6ori includes the following definition: ". . . T h e expression 'Subject Invention' means each invention, improvement and discovery (whether or not patentable) conceived or first actually reduced to practice in the performance of this contract. . . ." It is the opinion of the University Research Board that the possibility of foreign patent rights being useful to the University is so remote that it should waive its claim to such rights. The Legal Counsel of the University concurs in this opinion. However, the Research Board takes exception to the stipulation (ii) on the basis that this provision controls the right of free publication which the University has always retained in such contracts. The Bursar explored this matter with the Office of Naval Research and found that they would be willing to delete Section G (ii) at our request. T h e changes being proposed will not affect the University's rights to domestic patents. I recommend that (1) the Board of Trustees authorize execution of research contracts with the United States Government Office of Naval Research containing provisions which vest in the United States Government rights to foreign patents resulting from contract w o r k ; (2) the Board of Trustees authorize the policy that the University reserves all control of scientific publication.

On motion of Mr. Davis, these recommendations were adopted.

GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS FOR 1 9 4 8 - 1 9 4 9 (10) On recommendation of the Dean of the Graduate College, I recommend that an appropriation of $145,000 be made for graduate scholarships and fellowships for 1948-1949. Of this amount, $125,000 is to be appropriated from operating funds for 1948-1949 and $20,000 is recommended as a reappropriation from unexpended scholarship funds made available for 1947-1048. I further recommend authorization of the following schedule of stipends: First year $ 700 Second year 850 Third year I 000 Special post-doctoral and non-resident fellowships.. 2 400 The last category of special fellowships is to provide awards to exceptional students in the Graduate College to enable them to complete special programs of study recommended by the major departments concerned. These fellowships shall be of two types: 1. The resident post-doctoral fellowship now awarded to permit a graduate student who in the course of completing work for the Ph.D. degree has initiated a very significant research program which he could finish in another year of work if he were free to continue it.