Copyright Policies: Summary of Civil and Criminal Penalties for Violation of Federal Copyright Laws
Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement. Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For “willful” infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys’ fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505. Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense. For more information, please see the website of the U.S. Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov.
For additional information, please contact Dr. Beth Frankenstein.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Student's rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Policy.
Filing an Education Related Complaint
Buena Vista University takes your concerns seriously and welcomes your input. Before filing a complaint, we encourage you to seek a remedy to your concerns by talking with those directly involved, their supervisors, or the appropriate vice president. You may post an unresolved complaint directly to Buena Vista University.
If you have unresolved complaints about a distance education or any other program at Buena Vista University, please contact your State Department of Education. Regardless of your state of residence, you may also contact the Bureau of College Aid within the Iowa Department of Education. To file a grievance for NC-SARA-related complaints, please contact NC-SARA.
Additional help is also available for complaints related to fraud, waste or abuse of federal funds, student loans, or civil rights.