"A student is an individual who was or is enrolled in class or program at any MnSCU college or university at the time the intellectual property was created." (Board Policy 3.26, Part 3, Subpart Q).

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities recognize the creation of original works by students and the necessity of protecting their intellectual property rights in such works. Board Policy 3.26 specifically acknowledges that students own intellectual property rights in certain scholarly works, encoded works, and personal works, and identifies several instances where a student's basic ownership rights may be modified by agreement or other factors.