Each University of the UW System, as appropriate to its institutional mission, has a role in discovering and transmitting knowledge and providing public service. This creates an environment which is highly conducive to the conception and development of many forms of intellectual property. There is always the possibility that these developments may have commercial value, which possibly may be enhanced through the use of patents. The University of Wisconsin System has traditionally recognized and continues to foster and support development of inventions for public use. However, the contractual rights of extramural sponsors and the System's commitment to the principles of academic freedom and the tradition of free and open discussion of research must also be maintained.

The UW System Financial Administrative Policy 34 Patents details the required policies and procedures to which each institution must adhere. The full policy may be accessed online at http://www.uwsa.edu/fadmin/gapp/gapp34.htm

Subsection 8 of Section III (Policies) requires the university to secure written agreement (University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Invention and Patent Agreement) from all employees, other than clerical and nontechnical employees, to disclose promptly in writing to personnel identified as responsible for the administration of patent matters and in a format suggested by the university, each subject invention in order that the university can comply with the disclosure provisions of paragraph 6 above and execute all papers necessary to file patent applications on subject inventions and to establish the Government's rights in the subject inventions.

All completed Invention and Patent Agreements must be submitted to Research and Sponsored Programs.