Quick Links: | Enrollment and Access Policies | Administrative Access to Course Materials | Sharing Content with Others | Exceptions for Co-Ownership Content | Next Steps |
As a faculty member, your intellectual property rights regarding course content are protected under the faculty collective bargaining agreement and university policy. This ensures that your course materials will not be shared with others without your explicit written permission. Below are some important points and steps you can take to manage your course content effectively as you prepare to leave the university. For more information on your intellectual property rights at Chico State, refer to EM 24-029 Policy for the Use of Digital Technologies in Teaching and Learning; the Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement, Article 39; and to the CSU copyright portal for more information.
Enrollment and Access Policies
Canvas automatically stops processing enrollments for past courses 30 days after the term ends. After this point:
- Your department will no longer be able to add or enroll individuals in your courses.
- Your course is in a read-only state and cannot typically be edited.
- Access to view your course content remains limited to the roles and permissions established during the course's active period.
Administrative Access to Course Materials
We generally recommend not deleting your course content even after you leave the university as it can be crucial for addressing administrative issues such as grade appeals or other cases where the actual content of the course materials and assignments is necessary to evaluate claims.
In such cases, the department chair or dean may temporarily be granted access to your course. To protect your intellectual property, they will be assigned a role that does not permit copying or exporting course materials.
Sharing Course Content with Others
If there are specific individuals or colleagues you wish to share your course content with, you can use Canvas’s sharing features. For guidance, refer to our article on Sharing Content in Canvas. Note that any content shared in this manner will continue to be accessible to the designated individuals, even after you separate from the university.
Exceptions for Co-Ownership Content
In instances where course content was created as part of a specific contract with the university, such as a co-ownership agreement, the terms of that agreement may allow the university to use the content even after your departure. This typically applies to materials explicitly developed as work-for-hire or for grant-funded projects. If you are unsure whether your content falls under this category, consult your department for clarification.
Next Steps
To ensure your course content is managed according to your preferences after you separate from the university:
- Review your course settings in Canvas and confirm who has access to your content.
- Communicate with your department if you have specific concerns about access or content use.
- If applicable, remove or restrict shared content that you no longer wish to make available.
- For additional support, contact Learning Technology Services for guidance on managing course content.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your course materials are appropriately handled and your intellectual property rights are respected after you leave the university.
Still need help? If you run into problems or still need help, reach out to Learning Technology Services.