Summary
| Report Number:
|
01-144 |
| Report Title:
|
University
Research Foundations Patents and Royalties |
| Report Period: |
N/A |
| Release Date: |
05/14/2001 |
Audit Scope and Objectives
This audit focused on whether universities are permitted by law to
assign their rights and related income in intellectual property to research
foundations. Our objectives were as follows:
-
To identify
universities that assigned their rights and related income in intellectual
property (i.e., patents, copyrights, and trademarks).
-
To identify laws and
Board of Regents rules governing the assignment of those rights and
income.
-
To determine whether
the assignments were made in accordance with those laws and Board of
Regents rules.
Summary of Audit Findings
As permitted by
Florida
law, each university within the
State
University
System has established a division of sponsored research which serves to
administer and promote the programs of research at the university. This
includes securing patents, copyrights, and trademarks resulting from such
research. Since 1986, seven universities established research foundations,
created as direct-support organizations, and assigned their rights and related
income from patents, copyrights, and trademarks to these research foundations.
We question whether the universities have authority to assign their rights and
related income in intellectual property to the research foundations.
The written responses to the audit findings are
included in audit report No. 01-144.