By WILL KISER
The Red & Black

The Regents Copyright Committee is on its way back to the drawing board – as soon as they can find some new members.

Jere Morehead, executive director for legal affairs, requested the committee reconvene after Tuesday’s Red & Black article raised questions about how bookstores and textbook publishing companies price student course packets.

The Board of Regents has said course packets fall under the span of the Fair Use Doctrine and are exempt from copyright fees.

Publishing companies claim the price of course packets should include a copyright fee when reprinting texts. The cost usually is passed on to students, said Ray Patterson, a University law professor.

"It is a legitimate issue and one we may want to evaluate," Morehead said. "It is a complicated area, different individuals have different viewpoints on the issue."

The University is concerned about how much students pay, Morehead said.

"The University’s objective is to provide course packets at the lowest possible costs for students," Morehead said.

In order to examine the issue, Morehead called for the committee to reconvene.

"Yesterday I recommended that the Regents Copyright Committee re-assemble itself to review the issue," Morehead said.

Bill Potter, chair of the Regents Copyright Committee, said the group may need to focus more specifically this time.

"Last time we gave general guidelines and not specific incidents," Potter said.

The committee, which Potter said is made up of lawyers – some faculty and librarians – has lost key members since the last meeting and is looking to fill those positions before gathering again.

Potter said the committee is restricted in what it can enforce, but the Regents do listen to what they recommend.

"We will recommend something to the regents; it is up to the regents what to do," Potter said. "We have no enforcement power, the guide says that bookstores should not charge for this but, that is just our recommendation."

Morehead said some professors have found ways to get around the expensive copyright problems.

"Some professors put (course packets) on the Internet and students download information," Morehead said.

Morehead said re-assembling the committee is the best option.

"The best thing is to reconvene the Regents Copyright Review Committee to take a fresh look at the issue," Morehead said.