03/06/2020

Office of Science & Technology Seeks Public Comment on Research Access Policy

Please respond by April 6 with any feedback you may have

The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is requesting comments on possible avenues to increase public access to peer-reviewed research published in scientific and technical journals.

The White House is said to be considering an executive order that would mandate the immediate, free publication of federally-funded research, eliminating the ability of scientific and technical journals to charge for access to articles to recoup investments made in peer review, curation and conducting quality control.

OSAE, ASAE and other professional societies have cautioned that this policy change could endanger the sustainability of many journals, closing off respected avenues for scientists who receive federal funding to share the results of their research with other members of the profession and the public.

Under current policy, associations that publish scientific and technical journals make publicly funded research available within one year of publication. Many journals permit members of their professional society to have instant access to scientific articles to ensure other researchers can review research findings. But net revenue from subscription fees to journals supports the peer review process, as well as other vital association activities including education, outreach and membership services. More than 125 publishers of scientific journals co-signed a letter earlier this year condemning the proposed executive order.

If you would like to submit comments, OSTP’s Request for Information states that the deadline has been extended to April 6. For more information on this issue, contact ASAE’s Public Policy staff at publicpolicy@asaecenter.org. ASAE Associate Director of Public Policy Jeff Evans also plans to schedule Hill meetings on this issue. ASAE's goal is to share the message that the proposed policy change would disrupt the private marketplace, increase the cost of publication for researchers and prevent billions of dollars of U.S. exports that are based on this country’s leadership in scientific and technological advances.

If you are interested in attending these meetings, please email him at jevans@asaecenter.org. There is also a House sign-on letter raising concerns about lowering embargoes. Evans can share more information on this and how to support the effort.

To learn more about this issue, please click here.