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PLEASE DO NOT USE "REPLY" TO RESPOND TO THIS MESSAGE!
No. 19 of the 1997 Series of E-mail Announcements from the Paris InterRidge
Office
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Request for action
>From Members of the Scientific Measurements Panel (SciMP)
Re: ODP Initial Reports volume banished to cyberspace
Requested actions:
1. Send your opinion to JOI, JOIDES, and EXCOM (email addresses below)
2. Pass this message to other colleagues who might use ODP volumes
3. Fill out a short publications questionnaire on the ODP web site
http://www-odp.tamu.edu/publications/question1.htm
Dear Colleague,
An ODP matter requires your input immediately. The short
version is this. At its most recent meeting, the JOIDES Executive
Committee (EXCOM) voted to phase out the printing of the "Proceedings
of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports" volume beginning
with Leg 176 (starts in 4 months), in favor of publication only on CD
and the World Wide Web. This goes against recommendations by the
former Information Handling Panel (IHP), the former Planning
Committee (PCOM), the JOI Publications Committee (PubCom), and
the Science Committee (SCICOM) all of whom recommended retaining
the print version of the IR volume until such time as electronic
publications are widely-accepted.
At its June meeting, the Scientific Measurements Panel
(SciMP), whose purview includes publications, voted unanimously to
support a motion asking EXCOM to rescind this decision. The SciMP
feels that moving to only electronic publication is premature because
electronic publications have not yet been perfected, they are not
archival, that ODP visibility and credibility will be lost, and that the
volume will be of limited or no use to many scientists who do not have
computers with sufficient power and peripherals to efficiently use
electronic publications. In short, SciMP feels that the ODP user
community does not support the abandonment of print at this time. Time is
of the essence, so we of SciMP send this message by email to galvanize
the JOIDES community into responding. If a predominant majority of
scientists oppose stopping the printed version of the IR volume, then
perhaps the expression of that sentiment by many respondents will
convince JOI not to implement the EXCOM motion.
If you are concerned about the imminent disappearance of the
print IR volume and wish to be able to use a printed volume in the
future, you should make your feelings known now. If you agree with EXCOM's
decision, we ask that you also communicate that sentiment. Our goal is to
get a quick a reading of the opinions of interested scientists. If SciMP ha=
s
misread the sentiments of the community, then the not-inconsiderable
funds that currently go to printing IR volumes (about $400k/year) can
be better spent elsewhere.
We request that you send a short email to JOI, JOIDES, and the
EXCOM chair (especially JOI, since that office makes the ultimate decision
whether to implement this decision). All you need to say is that you do
not or do support immediate phase out of the IR volume. Having done that,
please pass this letter on to other colleagues who use ODP books. We are
relying on you to pass on this "chain letter" since there is no single
database of email addresses. If you have time, please also visit the ODP
web site at http://www-odp.tamu.edu, and fill out a short questionnaire on
publications.
Thank you.
Members of SciMP
email addresses:
joides at whoi.edujoi at brook.edurdetrick at whoi.edubeiersdorf at bgr.deobrown at rsmas.miami.edujim.briden at ecu.ox.ac.ukdalrympg at ccmail.orst.edurduce at ocean.tamu.edueldholm at geologi.uio.nodfeary at toplap.es.su.oz.aumleinen at gsosun1.gso.uri.educam at ccr.jussieu.frjcm at lamont.ldeo.columbia.edunowell at ocean.washington.edujorcutt at gpp.ucsd.edupauls at tau-p.ig.utexas.edutaira at ori.u-tokyo.ac.jptaylor at mano.soest.hawaii.edu
JOIDES SCICOM chair:
Susan Humphris, Woods Hole
EXCOM:
Bob Detrick, chair
Hans Beiersdorf, FRG
Otis Brown, RSMAS
Jim Briden, UK
Brent Dalrymple, OSU
Bob Duce, TAMU
Olaf Eldholm, ESF
David Feary, A/C/K/TC
Margarent Leinen, URI
Catherine Mevel, FR
John Mutter, LDEO
Arthur Nowell, U Wash
John Orcutt, SIO
Paul Stoffa, UTIG
Asahiko Taira, JP
Brian Taylor, SOEST
Additional information:
EXCOM Motion 97-2-6
The EXCOM recognizes that the Publications of ODP are an important
mechanism by which the principal legacy of the program, its
scientific findings, are conveyed to the scientific community, and by
which an additional legacy, the scientific samples, are described to
the community. We appreciate the concern of the SCICOM for the
importance of this communication mechanism. We also appreciate
the work that the Publications Committee has done to poll our
community about its capability and its continuing commitment to
advise us about the access and format of our publications.
The severe fiscal constraints imposed by member contributions
anticipated for Phase III of ODP require that we exercise great care in
balancing priorities for the ODP activities. First and foremost among
those are to foster technological innovation and make progress
toward implementing our science plan. Budget projections from our
operators indicate that it would be impossible to do so if we accept the
extra costs associated with the recommendation of the JOI
Publications Steering Committee to continue traditional paper
publication of the Initial Reports (IR) for several years.
As a result, the EXCOM reconfirms its 1996 schedule for introducing
electronic and CD-ROM publication of the IR and SR volumes and
phasing out paper publication. We agree to cap the volume
publication budget at the levels indicated in the JOI model for FY 99
and beyond.
We have asked JOI to explore outsourcing publications as an
additional option and have also asked that they check obligations for
publications in the MOUs and seek relaxation of these obligations if
necessary.
Proposed by Leinen; seconded by Briden.
14 in favour. One abstention (Duce); one absent (M=E9vel).
EXCOM Motion 97-2-7
EXCOM asks JOI to provide advice on outsourcing all or part of ODP
Publications. This advice should include electronic publications
options and consider legal and financial issues. JOI should report
their findings at the January 1998 EXCOM Meeting.
Proposed by Stoffa; seconded by Harrison.
14 in favour. One abstention (Duce); one absent (M=E9vel).
SCICOM Motion 97-1-12
SCICOM accepts the recommendations of the JOI Steering Committee
on ODP Publications to slow down the transition to electronic
publications, with the understanding that previously anticipated cost
savings will not be realized. SCICOM notes that a questionnaire will
go out to the user community and expects to be informed of the
progress of the Steering Committee in monitoring the transition to
electronic publications.
Proposed, Larson, Seconded, McKenzie 15 in favor, 1 abstention
Cara Wilson
InterRidge Coordinator
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intridge at ext.jussieu.frhttp://www.lgs.jussieu.fr/~intridge
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