2026-2027
Committee Roster
Susan Doerr, Minnesota, Chair (doer0012 AT umn DOT edu)
Teresa Collins, Kentucky
Alice Ennis, Illinois
Michael Regoli, Indiana
Jason Riley, Toronto
Steve Young, British Columbia
Board Liaison
Erich van Rijn, California
Central Office Liaisons
Kim Miller
Alexis Fagan
Charge
General Objective:
- Organize the stand-alone Business Operations Meeting and support Association members in improving the financial management and analysis of their presses.
Specific Charges to the Business Operations Committee:
- Organize the program and procure speakers/panelists/moderators for the 2027 Business Operations meeting, location TBD. Support the Central Office for meeting booking and logistics.
- Propose programming for the 2027 annual meeting to broaden non-specialist attendees’ knowledge of the financial and business operations of university press publishing and/or deepen business specialists’ understanding of other aspects of book and journal publishing. (Suggestion: Business Leadership 101 that explores what new leaders need to know immediately, over the first 6 months, and ongoing tracking.)
- Query the hiring of a consultant to expand the Operating Statistics to include a 3-year on-ramp for new reporting presses (full members, North America;) how to include OA Presses; how to collect data from presses outside North America. Draft scope of work for consultant.
Common Charges to All Committees of the Association:
- Submit reports on Committee activities to the Association Board in time for its October, March, and June meetings. Interim reports are due on 12 October 2026, and 26 February 2027; final reports that recap all committee activities for the year and are shared with the membership are due 31 May 2027. Follow guidelines for preparing reports found in the Chair Handbook in the Committee and Task Force Chairs Group on UP Commons.
- Follow all guidelines and requirements published in the AUPresses Chair Handbook, including those regarding the use of UP Commons, inclusion of board and staff liaisons, scheduling webinars & hangouts, and any research or survey projects.
- Appoint a member of your committee, ideally not the chair or cochair, to serve as a liaison to the Equity, Justice, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee. This role provides updates on your committee’s efforts in support of equity and inclusion, seeks information, support, or guidance on EJIB matters as needed, and attends a Fall meeting for liaisons hosted by EJIB Committee.
- Prior to the deadline for the annual meeting Call for Proposals, suggest one or more panel or speaker ideas to the Annual Meeting Program Committee.
- Consider nominating a member of your committee, or a member of the community with whom your committee interacts, for the AUPresses Constituency Award when announced.
- Review your General Objective and Specific Tasks at the end of the service year and recommend changes for next year to the Executive Director.
Committee Projects
Business Handbook
Created by the business managers community and for many years overseen by a Business Handbook Task Force, the Financial Operations Committee now has stewardship over this vital resource.
Please note: prior to September 2024, this group was known as the “Financial Operations Committee.” The name was updated to reflect a more accurate range of press activities covered by the committee’s remit.