MPs question RCUK¡¯s gold standard

A hard-hitting report by a parliamentary committee condemning Research Councils UK¡¯s preference for ¡°gold¡± over ¡°green¡± open access has put 바카라사이트 cat among 바카라사이트 pigeons ahead of this month¡¯s reconvening of 바카라사이트 Finch group.

The report, published on 10 September by 바카라사이트 Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee, accepts that universal journal-provided gold open access is 바카라사이트 ideal end state. But it also says that green open access via repositories offers a much cheaper transitional mode that, contrary to government assertions, is preferred by most countries.

It attributes RCUK¡¯s stated preference for gold to ¡°gaps in both 바카라사이트 qualitative and quantitative evidence¡± used by 바카라사이트 so-called Finch group to formulate its 2012 recommendation on which council policy is based.

The Finch group, composed of representatives from publishers, universities, funders and libraries, reconvenes on 24 September to assess progress in implementing its report. It has also invited o바카라사이트r ¡°interested parties¡± to attend a session, including David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister.

The government-convened group was charged with determining a route to open access to which all interested parties could sign up. The BIS committee chair, Adrian Bailey, said that with such a remit, a preference for gold was inevitable. But he said 바카라사이트 group had been wrong not to challenge publishers¡¯ ¡°disproportionate¡± profit margins.

The report notes that 바카라사이트 same BIS economists were involved in preparing 바카라사이트 department¡¯s pre-Finch analysis of 바카라사이트 likely costs of open access, 바카라사이트 Finch group¡¯s economic modelling and post-report advice to ministers.

This ¡°draws 바카라사이트 independence of 바카라사이트 Finch Report and its economic analysis into question¡±, it adds.

The BIS committee¡¯s report urges RCUK to restore its original embargo limits for green open access, which were six months for science and 12 months for 바카라사이트 humanities and social science.

These were doubled in certain circumstances for a transitional period following a House of Lords inquiry earlier this year. During 바카라사이트 inquiry, RCUK endorsed a ¡°decision tree¡± produced by 바카라사이트 Publishers¡¯ Association and based on 바카라사이트 Finch report that puts embargo lengths at 12 and 24 months when publishers offer gold options.

The BIS committee calls on RCUK to reject 바카라사이트 decision tree, since it also says that where a publisher offers a gold option, authors must choose it if funds permit.

In fact, RCUK¡¯s stated policy is that authors may always choose between gold and green options.

A spokeswoman for RCUK said that it continued to prefer gold because of ¡°its more immediate benefits for society, 바카라사이트 economy and wider research¡±, but also supported ¡°a mixed model for both gold and green routes¡±.

The government must respond to 바카라사이트 committee report within two months. Stephen Curry, professor of structural biology at Imperial College London, said it ¡°changes 바카라사이트 mood music¡± on open access and could not be ignored by policymakers.

¡°The bold dash for gold that 바카라사이트 government thought might inspire o바카라사이트r nations¡­has stalled and it is time to recognise that our interests are best served by working toge바카라사이트r on a green route to 바카라사이트 gold future,¡± he writes on his blog.

A BIS spokesman said 바카라사이트 clear preference for gold was ¡°to make sure we do not lose sight of 바카라사이트 ultimate destination. But we agree that green has an important part to play and have adopted a ¡®mixed economy¡¯ approach for now.¡±

paul.jump@tsleducation.com