Re: On OA, Self-Interest and Coercion

["James J. O'Donnell" <jod@georgetown.edu>]

I apologize to the list's readers for having triggered a lengthy
message from my old friend Stevan Harnad on the question of mandates.

Let it suffice to say that he and I disagree, as scientists are 
wont to do, over the interpretation of data.  I know that 
provosts issue "mandates" to their faculties with reluctance, 
forasmuch as our institutions are built on collegiality and 
faculty governance.  I shall not get into a slanging match, 
because I admire Stevan and his zeal for the good cause we share 
(finding the best way to get the most and best information to the 
greatest number of readers) and because the details of the 
argument are long familiar to weary readers of this list.

As a single self-indulgence, I will observe that I am the 
seniormost online publisher of an absolutely 100% open-access 
journal in the history of the humanities (Bryn Mawr Classical 
Review).  We intend to remain OA, but we well understand the 
costs and risks of our business model.

Jim O'Donnell
Georgetown