Executive Summary

This white paper outlines an operational plan and strategic prospectus for establishing a university press that is both just—in its commitments to fairness, accessibility, and ethical academic publishing—and profitable—capable of sustaining itself financially while contributing meaningfully to the university’s intellectual and pedagogical mission. The press will focus on two complementary mandates: (1) producing affordable, high-quality textbooks and course materials for the university’s classes; and (2) publishing scholarly and creative work authored by students, graduate assistants, and professors, amplifying the institution’s voice in the broader intellectual community.

I. Mission and Vision

The proposed university press exists to embody the institution’s ideals of intellectual honesty, fairness, and excellence. Its guiding principles include:

Ensuring affordable access to learning materials for students. Providing fair opportunities for faculty, students, and graduate assistants to publish their work. Upholding rigorous editorial and peer-review standards to maintain credibility. Generating revenue to sustain operations, incentivize contributors, and reinvest in research and teaching.

The vision is to establish the press as a model of ethical academic publishing, demonstrating that quality and profitability need not come at the expense of justice and accessibility.

II. Organizational Structure

The press will operate as a semi-autonomous unit under the university’s academic affairs division, reporting to the Provost. Key positions include:

Director: Overall strategic leadership and external relations. Managing Editor: Day-to-day operations, production schedules, and project management. Acquisitions Editor: Identifies and solicits promising manuscripts from faculty, students, and graduate assistants. Production Manager: Oversees design, typesetting, and printing. Marketing and Sales Manager: Drives textbook adoption, promotes trade publications, and develops online and offline sales channels. Advisory Board: Comprised of senior faculty and external publishing professionals to provide oversight, approve editorial policy, and ensure integrity.

Graduate assistants and student interns will contribute meaningfully, gaining hands-on experience in publishing while lowering staffing costs.

III. Publishing Program

A. Textbooks and Course Materials

The press’s first priority will be the development of course-specific textbooks, readers, and digital materials tailored to the university’s curriculum.

Faculty will be invited to develop bespoke materials that align with their syllabi, updated regularly. Materials will be priced affordably, reducing student expenses while generating steady revenue. Digital and print-on-demand models will minimize inventory costs and allow rapid revision cycles.

B. Scholarly and Creative Works

The press will solicit and publish:

Faculty monographs and edited volumes in their areas of expertise. Graduate theses and dissertations revised into publishable form. Undergraduate honors projects and creative works (poetry, fiction, visual arts portfolios). Journals or annual proceedings showcasing research conducted on campus.

A transparent, merit-based review and editorial process will maintain credibility while nurturing emerging scholars and creators.

IV. Business Model and Financial Sustainability

The press will pursue a hybrid funding model:

Initial Investment: Seed capital from the university endowment or grants to cover setup costs and early deficits. Sales Revenue: Ongoing income from textbook sales, trade book sales, and digital licenses. External Markets: Selected publications marketed to external academic and trade audiences to expand reach and profitability. Author Fees (where appropriate): Modest page or production charges for certain scholarly publications, subsidized for students and early-career scholars. Donations and Sponsorships: Fundraising campaigns for named imprints, series, or prizes that support student work.

The goal is to break even by year five and generate surplus funds thereafter to reinvest in the press and fund student fellowships or faculty research.

V. Operational Policies to Ensure Justice

Justice is central to the press’s mandate, operationalized through:

Transparent submission and review processes with clear criteria. Tiered royalties and author support to fairly compensate contributors at different career stages. Commitment to open-access options where feasible, particularly for student-authored work. Sliding-scale pricing or fee waivers for students with financial need. Accessible formats (large print, ePub, audio) for all materials.

VI. Marketing and Distribution Strategy

The press will develop a strong marketing and distribution program to maximize visibility and sales:

Direct sales to students through the university bookstore and online portal. Partnerships with external distributors and digital platforms. Attendance at academic conferences and book fairs to showcase titles. Strategic social media campaigns and alumni outreach to promote university-authored works.

The press will cultivate a distinctive brand identity that reflects the university’s ethos of academic rigor, creativity, and social responsibility.

VII. Implementation Timeline

Year 1:

Hire core staff, secure funding, establish governance. Conduct internal needs assessment and survey faculty/student publishing interests. Launch first textbook projects and internal journal.

Years 2–3:

Expand textbook offerings and initiate external marketing. Establish annual catalog of faculty and student publications. Begin attending academic and trade events.

Years 4–5:

Achieve financial break-even. Expand into external scholarly markets and trade books. Develop open-access and multilingual publishing programs.

VIII. Risks and Mitigation Strategies

Low sales volume: Mitigated by market research and mandatory adoption of textbooks in corresponding courses. Quality concerns: Addressed through rigorous editorial standards and mentorship for inexperienced authors. Mission drift: Regular review by advisory board to ensure alignment with justice and profitability goals.

Conclusion

A university press dedicated to just and profitable operations can significantly enhance the institution’s academic life, reduce barriers to knowledge, and model ethical publishing practices. By blending affordable educational materials with high-quality scholarly and creative output, the proposed press not only sustains itself but also enriches the university’s reputation and supports its intellectual community. With prudent planning and principled leadership, the press can become a cornerstone of the university’s mission.