The copyright issue may apply more to scientific books than literary ones, an issue too technical for this story. Universities often hold patents or other rights to research their profs do on, say, developing new drugs at their medical schools.

It's hard to imagine that a university press would want the copyright to a novel, but it has such serious financial implications that I had to mention it. On the other hand, publishers are trying to grab more and more rights, so I wouldn't put it past them to ask for the copyright to a novel, either.