What Is This Policy About?

Cheyney University follows the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), which requires colleges and universities to actively prevent the unauthorized sharing or downloading of copyrighted materials — including music, movies, software, and other intellectual property.

What Counts as Copyright Infringement?

Copyright infringement happens when someone uses copyrighted work without permission from the owner.
Examples include:

• Downloading or sharing copyrighted media illegally

• Uploading files (even portions of a work) to peer-to-peer networks

• Distributing copyrighted content without authorization

Under Section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17, U.S. Code), copyright owners have exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute their work — and violating those rights is against the law.

Consequences of Infringement

Copyright infringement can lead to serious civil and criminal penalties. Anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages.

• Civil penalties:
  • $750–$30,000 per copyrighted work
  • Higher fines for willful infringement
  • Possible payment of attorney fees and court costs

• Criminal penalties:
  • Fines up to $250,000 per offense
  • Up to five years of imprisonment for intentional violations

Learn More

Students are encouraged to understand their rights and responsibilities when using digital media.
More details can be found at the U.S. Copyright Office: https://copyright.gov