Educational Project Agreements Christine L. Bedillion Contracts Officer Office of Sponsored Programs

What are Educational Projects? Sponsored student projects for a course. Sponsor involvement in the project may vary. A student or student team works on “real-world” cases These are not the same as Executive Education Agreements

Educational Project Agreements CMU template agreements Some program specific (Heinz, MHCI) Signed by three parties Sponsor CMU, and Student(s) Discourage negotiation Fee/Financial Contribution Students always retain ownership of any coursework they prepare for the class. Students may grant a limited license back to sponsor If a sponsor wants broader license rights, they can ask each student at the conclusion of the course.

Educational Project concerns Sponsor’s Confidential Information Provide our template agreement to sponsor without confidentiality terms. (Don’t offer confidentiality terms as an option). Discourage sponsors from providing students with the sponsors’ confidential information Is use or access to the sponsor’s confidential information both necessary and appropriate? No project should require a student to take receipt of a sponsor’s confidential, proprietary software and then make modifications to it – this would mean the students’ coursework would be proprietary work for the sponsor and could not be used and disseminated. If it is determined confidential terms are necessary and appropriate, only CMU’s template with confidentiality terms will be used.

Educational Project concerns Not Sponsored Research Student educational projects Project descriptions are not statements of work, but statements of project goals or objectives. There are no deliverables to the sponsor. Not student “work-for-hire.” Not providing consultative services.

Educational Project concerns Obligations to our Students Full disclosure. If a capstone course or the course is required for graduation – Instructor must clearly provide an equivalent project alternative. Is there anything that could hinder or delay the student’s ability to complete the course? graduate? Project Agreements should be finalized before the semester begins. Students sign the Agreement before the project begins (usually first week of class). No modifications to the agreement after the project has begun (requirements of the course cannot be changed once the class has begun)

Sponsor Fees/ Financial Contributions No appearance of a “private benefit” Set fee structure – consistently applied All nonprofits vs. for-profits Small vs. large businesses Can vary by semester, year, course or faculty. Examples of structured systems Heinz – Tiered System (Tier 0, Tier 1, Tier 2) MHCI - $80,000 Should be defined before the course/semester begins. Things to consider when defining your program Does the fee structure compete with other programs? courses? Payments through SPA or billed directly through department?

Conclusion Avoid need for sponsor confidential information. Must be careful when we’re dealing with students – how does this affect their ability to graduate? Each department, college, program, etc. should decide how its educational project programs will be structured in their respective area (competing programs?). What is our fee structure? How will you consistently apply it?

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