Samuel Trosow, an associate professor at the University of Western Ontario who holds dual academic appointments in the faculties of law and information and media studies, has joined CAUT as the association’s 2007-2008 visiting scholar. Trosow holds a PhD in information studies from UCLA and masters degrees in law, library science and public administration.

“Sam brings a rare combination of expertise in a variety of fields and practical political experience to the position and we are delighted to have him join us,” CAUT executive director James Turk said. “His work on copyright reform, scholarly communication and the commercialization of public services coincides with CAUT’s priorities and will be of great assistance to us.”

One of Trosow’s first actions at CAUT will be to bolster advocacy efforts to ensure any reform of the federal Copyright Act reflects the concerns of the academic community. As coauthor with Laura Murray, a Queen’s University professor, of the forthcoming Canadian Copyright: A Citizen’s Guide, he is well placed to assist in the preparation of educational material for academic staff on copyright issues.

His links with the Canadian Library Association, the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, the Canadian Federation of Students and the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic will be invaluable to CAUT’s coalition work on copyright reform.

In addition to copyright reform, Trosow will be involved in a variety of issues such as the definition and ownership of intellectual property, the future of scholarly communication, including the Open Access movement, and the impact of privatization and international trade agreements on public services.

CAUT’s Visiting Research Fellowship in Post-Secondary Study was established in 1999. The fellowship is designed to provide an opportunity for CAUT members with research interests in post-secondary education to work with the association for a period of up to one year. Members interested in this program should contact the executive director’s office at 613-820-2270.