My name is Hartwig Stein. I have to sue the university I was working for to defend my copyright, after the university administration gave my courses to other instructors without my permission. I need to cover the cost of the lawsuit and my lawyer, as the university has very deep pockets, and I am a part time faculty who is now underemployed.

I was born in Duesseldorf, Germany, in 1962, and opted for a career in Social Work and then Adult Education, because that makes me happy. The core of my work was as a University Teacher in Chicago organizing courses like "Democracy in Everyday Life", "General Well-Being" and "Digital Photography", mostly in distance education environments. My courses are popular, in general students enjoy the learning process and benefit from the learning outcomes. 

The material for these courses is elaborate, including activities, suggested readings, assignments and evaluations. In the past, I have been continuously employed by the university and if there were additional sections of my courses offered which I could not teach myself, I authorized them to be taught by other instructors. But suddenly, after 15 years of continuous service as a part time faculty member, my name was not on the course list anymore. The courses I designed, however, were still on the list, taught by instructors I did not authorize.

The case is of high importance for all Part Time Faculty in the United States. There are several issues which have to be decided, one by a court of law: Can a university assign a designed online course to other instructors without the permission of the course author? If this is the case, what is the relationship between the university and the course author? Is a course design a mere "work for hire", or does it imply that the course and its author can only be employed together. If the university can make revenue of intellectual work without employing the course author, what does it mean for future course designers? Is it wise to sign course design agreements with the university?

If I win, this is a big win for all Part Time Faculty. Then we know that we can control our intellectual property. If I lose, we know that we have to be very cautious what material we hand over to the university.

I had filed a formal grievance with the faculty council against the administrators who assigned my courses to other instructors. The grievance board decided that "my case had no standing". Nevertheless this was a great success for all Part Time Faculty at the University, as I am the first Part Time Faculty Member in the history of the university who has been heard by a grievance board. This process is now open to all Part Time Faculty. Now I will sue the university to defend the copyright of all Part Time Faculty so that we can decide what happens with our intellectual property. 

Thank you for backing my case.

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