Here's an article from Stanford law school: 'Are universities the new patent trolls?' http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=980776
Universities often (and unfairly IMHO) claim rights on graduate research precisely to monetize and act as patent gatekeepers.
(My impression is that UW is fairly extreme in this regard)
Here's an article from Stanford law school: 'Are universities the new patent trolls?' http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=980776
Universities often (and unfairly IMHO) claim rights on graduate research precisely to monetize and act as patent gatekeepers.