Looks to me like it's Knight Otu's choice (assuming that he could get the new spell(s) proposal approved either way).
If he doesn't mind the new spells being available to anyone, he doesn't have to research them.
If he wants them to be exclusive to his character (and only those who independently research them, are taught the spells by his character, or who sneak a peek at his character's spell book), then his character has to research them.
If he doesn't mind the new spells being available to anyone, he doesn't have to research them.
If he wants them to be exclusive to his character (and only those who independently research them, are taught the spells by his character, or who sneak a peek at his character's spell book), then his character has to research them.