Licensing questions

Questions

1. Some researchers at Laurentian (and also Ottawa U) are involved in an NRCan grant-funded research projected about the impact of climate change in Sudbury. It seems clear to me that LU and Ottawa U researchers can participate as they are authorized users, using DLI data for academic research and publishing.

However, other groups are also participating in this project: the City of Sudbury and several consulting companies. I know that I cannot provide them with the DLI data. However, I have questions about two scenarios:

a) The non-DLI members would prefer to have Laurentian researchers do all of the research using DLI data. I see from another licensing example online that "Results of the research can be shared with the [non-DLIer], but data cannot" but I'm not sure what level of 'results' this means. Is it basically anything except the raw data, or are there more specific guidelines?

b) The non-DLI members would prefer to contribute directly to the research that involves the DLI data. I know that they will eventually need to contact the DLI directly, but I'd like to provide them with some basic information so that they can make some preliminary decisions. Does each group need to separately negotiate access to a certain dataset? This is currently a five-year project - would the cost be one-time or yearly? And in terms of cost, is it a per-survey cost, or is it based on the specific variables and geography that the researchers are interested in?

2. Western has an official program for “Visiting Graduate Students (Research Only)”
(http://www.uwo.ca/grad/documentation/visiting_research_only.pdf) under which the student pays a fee to the university, and receives research privileges here, but takes no courses at and receives no transcript from Western.

A Western graduate now studying overseas would like to use Labour Force Survey data for her thesis, but cannot afford the cost of ten years of data. She contacted Statistics Canada Advisory Services, which apparently recommended that she pursue the “visiting graduate student” route as a method of accessing data distributed through the DLI. Further, the indications from Advisory Services reported to me by the student were that this was an established procedure, and that the university largely had discretion as to whom data were provided.

What rights would the visiting graduate student have to use DLI data?

3. "Visiting scholars” and “visiting professors” go through a formal appointment process at the University before they are granted this status. Are they elgible to use DLI data?

4. I have a researcher who as one of our faculty members used DLI info. and wrote a report. She is now working with a non-profit (housing) organization and want to use the results of her DLI based report as part of a new study.

Answers and Responses

1. Answer to question 3 - This case was considered and approved. As the visiting scholar is granted the special status, he is recognised as an authorised user of DLI data.

2. Answer to question 4 - This situation is similar to one we have in our Licencing data base
http://www4.statcan.ca/english/dli/boundary/pages/displaycases.asp
under the title “An independent study that may be used as a business proposal”. In this situation the students are doing an independent study for a professor, a business proposal, which might then be used to start a Centre within the university.

In your example ” MBA students are required to complete a strategy study for a real corporation or nonprofit organization.” Since these are students at York , a DLI member, they pass that part of the eligibility requirement. Since the use is a requirement of their course work (i.e required in order to obtain a course mark) they pass this eligibility condition. And as you have pointed out "the data is not shared with the corporations/nonprofit organizations, the analysis done on this data is reported to the client in the report and presentation that they give at the end of the study.” They can not allow the corporation to access the data but they can share the results (analysis) in a report.

So in the end it looks like they do meet all of our conditions so you can allow them access to DLI data in order to complete these course requirements.

3. Answer to question 2 - Your question has been reviewed and discussed by the EAC Executive. We have reviewed the Visiting Student website at UWO to gain more insight into the program as well as obtaining additional information and considering the rights and privileges afforded students registered under this program. As you can imagine this was not an easy situation to resolve. However the final decision is that this student can be allowed to access DLI data held at UWO.

According to our understanding, students must make an official application and must meet some kind of official criteria in order to be accepted into this program. Under the Visiting Student program, registrants have the status of and are treated as UWO students. If they were to take any credit courses while “visiting”, the credits could be transferred to the university where they are pursuing a degree. As UWO students they are granted full access to UWO services including access to all commercial databases that are part of the Library. Another key factor in our deliberations is that under this program the students are in fact on campus. This is akin to a visiting professor status in a university. Previous access decisions have been in favour of access to DLI data by visiting professors.

Therefore in this situation the student meets the DLI criteria of being recognized as a registered student at a DLI institution and the use of the data is considered academic research.

Access to DLI data in this situation is APPROVED.

4. Answer to question 4 - This case was considered and approved.

We are assuming that the original research part of academic research (published in academic journal, etc.)and was made available to persons other than the researcher.

However, the researcher can not access additional DLI data to supplement the research for the non-profit organisation.

This is consistent with performing a literature review for any new research - if the information is available, you can mention it and draw from it.