Carleton College, Gustavus Adolphus College, Macalester College, and St. Olaf College

This list is part of the Open Access Directory.


 * Summary: The four decisions were independent, but the colleges issued a joint press release. "While the reasons and decision processes were somewhat different on each campus, we are all convinced that the escalating prices for many scientific journals are unsustainable and that the time has come for change....Our faculties are aware that this decision will result in a painful reduction in a overall journal access in the short term. But they are supporting us because they understand that it is in the long term interests of our institutions to reassert control over our collections and to encourage new, more sustainable publishing models....Open access journals are a clear alternative to the unsustainable bundling of journals, which prohibits cancellations and which consistently increase at rates of 5-8% per year. We are working with other colleges and universities to address this crisis by supporting the work of SPARC, Public Library of Science, and other groups that seek to increase broad and cost-effective access to peer reviewed scholarship. In declining the Science Direct offer we are joining an increasing number of institutions signaling that we are serious in our demands for reasonable pricing for scholarly communication." The press release recommends that faculty at the four colleges avoid writing or reviewing "for journals that are not moving towards an open access model" and that they retain the rights to authorize open access. It recommends that the four colleges establish institutional repositories and adopt "policies that signal that publication in quality open access journals is acceptable in the institutions' system of rewards and recognition."
 * Anon., Four Small Minnesota Colleges Say No to the "Big Deal", Library Journal, May 25, 2004.