Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities Technology Task Force

Created in 2002, the Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities addresses matters of mutual concern, including the use of university networks for copyright infringement and the problem of unauthorized file sharing on university and college campuses.  The Joint Committee is working to foster cooperation between the higher education and the entertainment communities in order to: reduce unauthorized file sharing through educational efforts, develop and enforce effective and appropriate institutional policies, adopt legal online digital delivery services, and investigate the use of technologies that assist with network management.

In support of this mission, the Joint Committee’s Technology Task Force is releasing a Request for Information (RFI).  This document seeks information from vendors about their products and their ability to respond to network requirements, which were identified during a technology workshop held in April 2007.  Please see the following report for more information on the workshop’s conclusions: http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/CSD5170.pdf. The goal of the RFI process is to capture current information from vendors that reflects their ability to respond to the requirements of the workshop report. It is expected that vendors will also provide information on products currently being marketed that address one or more aspects associated with the technological control of copyright infringement. The results of this RFI process will be shared on the Web and throughout the higher education, vendor, and entertainment communities. It is expected that this effort will aid vendors in reaching potential customer campuses, while simultaneously helping campus leaders to understand the current landscape of potential solutions and find vendor contacts for their campus needs.

Please find the May 2008 RFI here: http://www.educause.edu/Elements/Attachments/rfi/052008.doc

Requests For Information

• RFI – June 2003: Opportunities for Online Distribution of Music, Movies, and Other Digital Content on the University and College Campus
• RFI – April 2003: Technology Opportunities for Addressing Issues Associated with Peer-to-Peer File Sharing on the University and College Campus

Vendor Responses

Additional Resources

• Members of the Joint Committee and the Technology Task Force
• Joint Committee Review of Issues Press Release – September 2, 2003
• Background Discussion of Copyright Law and Potential Liability for Students Engaged in P2P File Sharing on University Networks—A white paper discussing copyright law and P2P file sharing on university networks, prepared for the Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities by a Washington, D.C., law firm.
• RespectCopyrights.org—A website developed by the Motion Picture Association of America
• University Policies and Practices Addressing Improper Peer-to-Peer File Sharing—American Council on Education, March 26, 2004. This paper is intended to provide college and university administrators with a variety of examples of actions colleges and universities are taking to address the problem of unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing.

Note: This page is hosted by EDUCAUSE on behalf of the Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities Technology Task Force