The University acquires a substantial portion of its computer software from third-party vendors under license agreements that restrict the use of the software to specific computer systems and that require the University to limit the use and copying of the software. All University constituents must respect the rights of software developers and abide by copyright and other intellectual property laws. It is a violation of University policy and may be a violation of the laws of the State of North Carolina or the United States for individuals within the University or any external users of the University's computing facilities or services to use or copy any software except as specifically authorized.

Information & Technology Services (ITS) shall maintain an up-to-date list and reference file of supported software packages licensed by the University and shall make this available for inspection by all members of the University community.  ITS will be responsible for maintaining a list of all software licensed by individual departments within the University.

Individuals who allocate the use of and access to UNC Charlotte computing and network resources are responsible for ensuring that all users are aware of any restrictions and of their obligations under applicable license agreements, including any specific written authorizations or notices that may be required.

All software installed on University computers must be properly licensed. In order to protect the interest of the University, the central IT organization (ITS) shall maintain an inventory of all computers and all software products installed on each computer. When users have made their own software purchases, it is their responsibility to furnish a license agreement when audited. Any changes in hardware or software configuration on any University computer should be promptly communicated to ITS.

Unless otherwise noted, users are not permitted to copy software made available by the University. Many agreements link software licenses to specific computers by serial number. In the event a computer is replaced, and the software is transferred to another computer, the software agreement must be revised accordingly.

When the University holds a site license, ITS is required to monitor how many copies are installed on which computers. Even though copying for University use is usually permitted under such agreements, any such copying must be in coordination with ITS.

Users who buy their own software and install it on University computing equipment are responsible for complying with all the provisions imposed by the software vendor in the software license agreement. Unless otherwise specified, the provisions ordinarily limit the user's right to copy software or define the circumstances under which the software may be copied and the number of copies that may be made.

In the event that the actions or failure to act by any member of the University community results in any claim or legal action against the University, the University reserves the right to seek compensation or to take other appropriate action against the individual or to assist the third party in taking such action.

(Initially approved May 23, 1983, revised November 7, 2001; September 27, 2002.)