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Viability Review Process for ACM Publications
* Purpose of Viability Reviews
The Publications Board continuously monitors all ACM publications and their
charters to ensure that they are contributing to goals of the Publications
Board Strategic Plan. As part of this monitoring, the Publications Board has
instituted a Publication Viability Review process.
* Review Schedule
The Reviews are conducted on a semi-annual basis, in conjunction with the
in-person meetings, with approximately 25% of the ACM publications reviewed
at each meeting, so that a complete review of all publications is completed
roughly every two years. In addition, special reviews may be undertaken
whenever the Publications Board determines it is appropriate, such as for
publications under probation or when an EiC requests such a review. The
Board may also specifically exclude a publication from a review (e.g.,
tart-up, special review, change of EiC).
While the EiC provides input to the viability review, the actual review
at the Board will be a closed discussion, with the EiC receiving a summary
of the decision and its rationale.
* Input to the Viability Review
The review is based on the viability review form, a prose report from the
EiC, quarterly reports submitted by the EiC, and a statement solicited from
relevant SIG(s).
The Board, through the SIG Liaison, will solicit a statement from any/all
relevant SIGs, regarding the SIG(s) perception of the particular
publication. This request for input will be made no less than ninety days
prior to the Review.
ACM Publications Staff will coordinate with the EiC in the preparation of
the viability review form. ACM Staff will provide the needed statistical,
financial, production, web, and subscription data. Until such time that the
Manuscript Tracking System is in operation, the EiC will need to provide
relevant data regarding the number of submissions, acceptance/rejection
rates, status of manuscripts under review, and potential problems with
backlogs. Eventually all data on this form can be collected by Staff. The
viability review form will be completed before the EiC report is requested.
The EiC report describes the state of the publication relative to the
Charter (which should be available on the publication's web site) and any
variances thereof. The EiC report includes an overview of the field related
to the publication, a notice of any "drifting" in the publication's coverage
with respect to the field. The report summarizes changes made to the
Editorial Board since the last viability review. The EiC can comment on or
provide background information for any of the data on the viability review
form. The report should mention any new publications starting up and/or any
publications ceasing publication within the area of coverage of publication
under review. It is expected that this report be only a few pages long
except in special cases where more information is warranted. This report
will be requested no less than thirty days prior to the Review.
The staff will provide a copy of the quarterly reports from the EiC since
the last viability review and well as a copy of the Charter currently on the
journal's web site.
All backup material will be made available to the Board at least one week
prior to the Review.
ACM Publications Staff will coordinate with the EiC in the preparation of
the viability review form. ACM Staff will provide the needed statistical,
financial, production, web, and subscription data. Until such time that the
prior to the in-person meeting, in a standard format that Staff will
develop and to the EiC.
* Possible Outcomes of the Viability Review
The Publications Board will report to the ACM Council the results of all
formal viability reviews held. Such results are in the form of motions
passed by the Publications Board expressing its interpretation of the
viability of the publication reviewed. These motions may contain
commendations for exceptional efforts or expressions of support for
initiatives which have been undertaken. They may also contain negative
comments, which in the extreme may call for putting a publication under
probation or terminating a publication.
The viability review could produce any (or several) of the following decisions:
- Publication is judged to be viable.
- Publication is placed under probation.
- Publication is to be terminated.
- The scope or charter of the publication is changed.
- The EiC is placed under probation.
- The process for replacing the EiC is initiated.
* The Value of Viability Reviews
While an occasional need may arise to use a viability review in the negative
sense, this is not the primary purpose. Reviews are intended to help EiCs
respond to the large demands on them to avoid problems which may become
serious, and to recognize and acknowledge the very worthwhile efforts and
results achieved. The Publications Board sees this process as a learning
one for itself and for all the publications in its purview, and a positive
step toward easier and more fruitful accomplishments for all concerned.
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