Open Access Task Force completes work; report and proposed resolution are now online

The faculty Open Access Task Force, appointed by the Chair of the Faculty in early 2014 to develop a proposal for a university policy on open access for faculty scholarly research publications, has completed its work.  Its report and a proposed policy resolution will be introduced at the March 20, 2015 Faculty Council meeting and be read online.  Faculty Council will vote on the resolution at the April 24, 2015 meeting.

The Task Force’s report recommends a so-called “Green and Gratis” approach built upon a rights-retention policy that gives the University a nonexclusive and noncommercial license in the works of its faculty.  Such a license gives the University the legal rights to preserve and distribute works freely to the public via the Carolina Digital Repository (CDR).  Authors may also make their work publicly available through disciplinary repositories of their choosing. Over a hundred U.S. universities have implemented policies such as the one proposed.