intellectual property vulture

Definition

A university administrator or legal office that aggressively claims ownership over faculty research, creative works, or inventions, often based on tenuous institutional resource claims. They descend on any potentially profitable discovery, demanding control and revenue shares.

Example Usage

The intellectual property vultures descended when my research got media attention, suddenly claiming the university owns my work.

Origin

Academic labor discourse regarding institutional IP policies, 2000s-present

Fun Fact

Many faculty don't realize their employment contracts assign patent rights and sometimes even copyright to their institutions.

Source: Academic labor law and faculty union discussions

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