Alert to students re: sale of course notes

The following message was sent to students yesterday, Feb. 6.

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Alert to students:  Avoid risky offers to make money for unauthorized sale of course notes

The California State University has become aware that the corporations Chegg (and its subsidiary Notehall) and NoteUtopia maintain websites allowing and encouraging college students to post class notes for sale to others. Please be aware that students who engage in this activity are subject to University discipline.

California Education Code section 66450 prohibits any person or business from selling or otherwise distributing or publishing class notes for a commercial purpose. Section 66451 provides for associated criminal penalties. More important, the Student Conduct Code found in Title 5, California Code of Regulations, section 41301 (b)(14) prohibits the “unauthorized recording, dissemination, or publication of academic presentations (including handwritten notes) for a commercial purpose.” This means that any CSU student selling class notes, including on the Notehall or NoteUtopia websites, is subject to discipline, up to and including expulsion from the University.

The Office of the General Counsel in the Chancellor’s Office issued Chegg/Notehall and NoteUtopia letters reminding them that selling or otherwise distributing or publishing class notes for a commercial purpose in California is against the law, and demanding that they immediately stop this activity. The Office of Student Judicial Affairs has received reports that both companies have recently promoted their websites to students at CSU Chico, putting students who use their websites to sell class notes at risk of disciplinary action for violating the Student Conduct Code. For additional information about campus procedures and the Student Conduct Code, please visit the Office of Student Judicial Affairs at http://www.csuchico.edu/sjd.