IP Patents are owned by universities, not people -- Universities require patent registration or future rights assignments

[Patricia E., “University Inventions Reconsidered: Debunking the Myth of University Ownership,” 11 WM. & MARY BUS. L. REV. 77 November 2019 acc. 7-17, GDI-LI]

The great majority of IP policies reviewed for this Article affirmatively state that the university "owns" all intellectual property created by members of the university community, at least to the extent that the IP was created in the course of employment or with the use of university resources. 28 Many of these policies then include an irrevocable assignment by the inventor to the university of all right, title, and interest in inventions that he or she may create. 29 For example, the Intellectual Property Policy of the University of Texas System states that "the Board of Regents automatically owns the intellectual property created by individuals subject to this Rule."3 0 Similarly, Rice University's policy states, "[r]ights to inventions developed by members of the University shall vest in the University when there was support of the inventor(s) efforts through use of University funds, facilities, personnel or other resources. "31 However, Columbia University's policy is something of an anomaly. Its introductory comments stress the need for balance between faculty privilege and university rights and needs with respect to inventions and associated technology, and it further states that "faculty members must take the ultimate moral responsibility for the development and commercial exploitation of the fruits of their intellectual activities." 32 Ultimately, however, Columbia lays claim, "as it may fairly and rightly do," to the commercial rights in inventions resulting from use of its facilities or from activities of faculty members engaged in university service.33

Other universities do not make an outright claim of ownership; instead, they require that all patentable inventions must be assigned to the university in the future.34 Stanford University's current IP policy provides that "[t]itle to [potentially patentable] inventions shall be assigned to the University, regardless of the source of funding,if any."35AttheUniversityofWashington,an Executive Order states, "as a condition of employment, and even if a specific patent agreement is not signed, University employees agree to assign all inventions in which the University has an interest to the University."36 Only a few universities have language in their IP policies requiring that, as a condition of employment, faculty and staff members must execute a separate patent agreement assigning all rights in intellectual property to the university.37