Business Services Center (BSC) Copyright, Course Packets, and Transcription Service | Policies

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Business Services Center (BSC) Copyright, Course Packets, and Transcription Service

TC Business Services policy regarding copyright policies, course packets and transcription service.

Owner: Budget, Planning & Business Services

Academic departments have funds budgeted for copying, and department staff may be asked to make copies for the class. Please speak to the Director of Academic Administration for proper protocol. Department staff may not, under any circumstance, make copies of copyrighted materials. (Please refer to copyright policies below for more information.) Because academic staff work for a number of faculty members, it is important and helpful if secretaries are given sufficient and timely notice of materials that are needed for the class. Forty-eight hours’ notice is preferable, but more than 24 hours is also helpful. Faculty members should not expect department staff to accommodate requests in the hour preceding class, especially since it is likely that a number of faculty in the program or department are also preparing for class and this is a time when more students are in the department office seeking assistance with other issues.

In addition, the BSC operates four walkup copiers located conveniently in locations around the College. Please speak to the Director of Academic Administration (or BSC staff at 212-678-3703) about using these machines.

Large copy jobs (more than 50 pages) should be referred to department staff for handling and will typically be submitted to the BSC (32 Zankel Building, 212-678-3703) by department staff. Jobs may be submitted by email to duplicating@tc.edu. If faculty members wish to directly submit the material to the BSC, please be prepared with the appropriate index number as well as the box number of the person handling the budget. Usually the copying can be completed on the same day but may require up to 48 hours, depending upon the number of jobs in the BSC. Needless to say, the start of each semester is not the time to expect a “rush” turnaround. For large jobs of any nature, please consult with the BSC staff.

The Business Services Center also provides other useful services, such as stationery printing, folding, addressing envelopes for mass mailings, cutting, laminating, binding, printing on-line, large format printing, banner printing, etc. Because the College has made an effort to staff and equip the BSC, it is expected that community members will check with the BSC staff about copy or printing jobs before seeking services from outside vendors.

Copyright Policies

Teachers College officially adheres to federal copyright regulations, which permit a single copy to be made for “personal use” but do not allow for multiple copying of any copyrighted material. However, the College is happy to assist faculty members in being compliant with federal regulations. The copyright clerk in the BSC will try to obtain permission from publishers to copy materials. Because this can be a timely process, permission should be sought at least two months in advance of the semester. For more information on copyright services, including a copyright guide, please call (212) 678‑3435 or visit the following website and click on the “Copyright Services” tab to the left:

http://www.tc.columbia.edu/business-services/business-services-center/

As authors themselves, Teachers College faculty members are expected to respect and uphold copyright policy. This pertains to all materials used in class, whether for study groups, disseminated by students for presentations, or prepared by the faculty member. Department staff are not allowed to make copies of copyrighted material. Please do not place them in an awkward position by asking them to make these copies. Also, please do not place students in an awkward position by keeping a master copy of readings in the office and having students photocopy them one-by-one, or suggest that students copy the readings on reserve. Keep in mind that electronic course readers must also have copyright agreements in place, and that such agreements typically expire at the end of each semester.

Course Packets

Faculty are encouraged to use the course packet option provided by the BSC to distribute materials to students. This is more convenient and cost-effective for students than buying individual texts and ensures adherence to copyright policy. Again, please refer to the Copyright Guide. In addition, there are some specific requests from the BSC in order to ensure the highest quality for students.

  • Please do not staple copies of articles throughout a coursepack. When the production of coursepacks becomes intense, this slows the staff down considerably.
  • Book copies made with the cover open result in a heavy black border and cause toner build-up inside the copy machine, often necessitating a service call.
  • Please do not submit originals that are mixed one-sided and two-sided, which often results in skipped pages on the two-sided articles when staff do not notice the difference during the fury of coursepack season.
  • Please be sure to provide clear original copies to assist in the efficient conversion of readings to alternative format text, as needed by the Office of Access and Services to Individuals with Disabilities.
  • Again, coursepack request deadlines fall two months before the start of each term, though the staff will try to accommodate requests whenever they are received. However, late submission may result in a delay in the availability of the course reader for students.
  • Unless specifically requested otherwise, all course packets will be bound and printed double-sided on eco-friendly paper.

Transcription Services for Faculty

Faculty whose work involves transcription of recorded material may submit their materials to the Business Services Center (32 Zankel Building), which has contracted with several external transcription services. The faculty member should complete the Transcription Service Authorization Form, which requests a short description of the work to be transcribed and selection of a service provider. If there are no grant funds allocated for this purpose, the College will cover the cost of the transcription services for faculty whose recorded material (1) is from a College event, meeting, symposium, etc. and/or (2) will be used for a College purpose.  Faculty should complete the Form and submit it to the Vice Provost for approval.  The Form should be submitted to the Business Services Center when complete, along with any recorded materials to be mailed to the transcriptionist. Alternatively, files may be transmitted electronically to the transcriptionist once authorization has been received.

Faculty with a grant to cover the expenses may contact the BSC for recommendations for transcription providers, but communication with and payment of the chosen provider(s) is the responsibility of the faculty member. Keep in mind that the transcribers available through the BSC are already approved contractors in Unimarket.

 

Responsible Office: Budget, Planning & Business Services

Last modified: December 2023

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