Last modified: Friday, June 28, 2013
Robert Sloan appointed interim editor-in-chief of Indiana University Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2013
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Carolyn Walters, executive director of the IU Office of Scholarly Publishing, has announced the appointment of Robert Sloan as interim editor-in-chief of the Indiana University Press.
Sloan has served as editorial director of the press for 10 years and has been an editor with the press since 1986. In his new role, in addition to his current acquisitions activities, he will be responsible for formulating and directing overall editorial strategy and publishing opportunities for the press, setting and monitoring title acquisition goals and revenue targets and working with editors and staff to explore emerging modes of scholarly publication.
A committee will convene early this fall to begin a national search for long-term IU Press leadership. The search will follow the completion of a strategic plan for the Office of Scholarly Publishing that is currently in the final stages of review by the faculty Scholarly Publishing Advisory Committee.
The interim appointment and search follow the retirement of Janet Rabinowitch, who served as IU Press director for 10 years and as an acquiring editor at the press for a total of 38 years. Rabinowitch's accomplishments include acquiring numerous award-winning books, facilitating collaborations with a range of museums and research institutions, and leading the IU Press's transition into the digital era. For the past year, she has led the integration of the IU Press into IU's new Office of Scholarly Publishing. A celebration will take place this fall to recognize Rabinowitch's distinguished career and contributions.
Founded in 1950 by former IU President Herman B Wells, the IU Press has been at the forefront of scholarly publishing for more than six decades. As part of the IU Office of Scholarly Publishing, the press continues its tradition of editorial and acquisition excellence within a comprehensive network of 21st-century academic publishing services. Its fully renovated facility within the Herman B Wells Library was designed on the recommendations of a 2011 faculty committee report. The facility, where the press has been housed since July 2012, co-locates the press with Office of Scholarly Publishing partners including the IU Libraries' IUScholarworks and the eTexts initiative drawing on IU's extraordinary strengths in information technology.
IU Bloomington Provost Lauren Robel said that robust faculty involvement is enabling the Office of Scholarly Publishing to assume a leadership role in contemporary academic publishing.
"Through the widespread efforts of the Scholarly Publishing Advisory Committee, we have been able to gather wonderful ideas from our faculty members about the evolving needs and opportunities within academic publishing," she said. "We are able to combine the strengths of the IU Press, IU Libraries and the Office of the Vice President for Information Technology to build on the faculty's vision for a future-oriented Office of Scholarly Publishing."
Robel said the Office of Scholarly Publishing is in the process of forming an editorial board of faculty members to consult and advise on the office's publishing activities, including those of the IU Press.
