EMU, like other universities throughout the country, welcomes private-sector sponsorship of research projects. EMU, however, recognizes the differences of culture in which each organization operates (Intellectual Property Rights in Industry-Sponsored University Research. A Guide to Alternatives for Research Agreements, Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable; Industrial Research Institute, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1993).

Commonly, an EMU investigator works out a proposed project with a potential sponsor. To ensure that the rights of the University and the Principal Investigator are recognized and protected, the Office of Research Development negotiates with the sponsor a contract covering the project. Most often the terms of each research agreement with private industry must be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Rights of ownership and sharing data and information are recurrent issues. EMU’s practice is consistent with that of many other universities (for an example, see University of Minnesota intellectual property policy), and grants patent rights to sponsors under acceptable terms. EMU, however, retains the right to publish research results, but may agree to delay publication in order to allow the sponsor to review the manuscript. The delay period starts when a manuscript is submitted to the sponsor. EMU typically negotiates a delay period of three months or less but has agreed to as much as six months in some cases.

During the delay period, the sponsor may file patents, request deletion of information deemed proprietary to the sponsor, and make suggestions, but the sponsor is not entitled to approve or disapprove the manuscript.

This practice is designed to protect the academic principle that all worthwhile research results should be disseminated. Another important factor is that EMU’s tax-exempt status would be compromised if it agreed to perform proprietary research that can never be published.