Publisher negotiations expert group
Supporting the research portfolio and considering all publisher negotiations.
The group will consider all publisher negotiations. For the next 12 months it is expected that the main focus of the groups work will be the big five negotiations covering Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, and Sage.
The group will set high-level strategies, provide tactical insights (including financial context) and advise on publisher offers and consultations.
The aim of the big five negotiations is to achieve agreements that meet the sector’s new requirements for open access agreements, incorporating the how equitable is it? framework, and reduce costs.
To strengthen our negotiation position members may be asked to join one of the negotiation teams. This will involve attending a maximum of four meetings and the associated preparation work.
Members will also receive updates on the work of the equitable licensing oversight group.
Members
- Libby Homer, Anglia Ruskin University (Co-chair)
- Jeremy Upton, University of Edinburgh (Co-chair)
- James Anthony-Edwards, University of Exeter
- Gavin Beattie, King's College London
- Alastair Flett, University of Cambridge
- Maria Follett, Liverpool John Moores University
- Gary Steele, Glasgow Caledonian University
- Hannah Whaley, University of Dundee
- Chrissie Willis-Phillips, University of Reading
Professional bodies
- Jane Cooke, University of Liverpool (representing Sherif user group)
- Kath Hudson, Cardiff University (representing WHELF)
- Sharon Johnson, British Library
- Julie Neenan, Cardiff Metropolitan University (representing SCONUL)
- David Prosser, RLUK
- Ann Rossiter, SCONUL
- Laura Roy, University of Glasgow (representing SHEDL)
- Arwen Tapping, MRC laboratory of molecular biology (representing Research council libraries (UKRI)
Membership information
The combined membership of the group incorporates UK HE institutions and other research and subscribing institutions.
Institution representative members will collectively demonstrate the diversity of UK universities across size, income, approaches, ambitions, strategies, students, researchers and staff etc contained within those institutions. The membership should have wide geographical coverage.
Memberships of other Jisc groups will be taken into account when selecting institutions to reasonably avoid duplication of individuals and institutions. Exceptions to this approach include where chairs of the expert level groups should sit on the linked strategy group and members providing a link between expert level groups.
There will be up to nine institution representative members as follows:
- Chair (or two co-chairs): role (eg library director, VC/PVC-R)
- Seven members from UK higher education institutions
There will be eight members from professional bodies as follows:
- SCONUL and RLUK: two appointees from each
- WHELF, SHEDL, Research council libraries (RLUK) and Sherif user group: one appointee from each
In addition, there will be an observer member as follows:
- British Library
The combined membership of the group incorporates UK HE institutions and other research and subscribing institutions.
Institution representative members will collectively demonstrate the diversity of UK universities across size, income, approaches, ambitions, strategies, students, researchers and staff etc contained within those institutions. The membership should have wide geographical coverage.
Memberships of other Jisc groups will be taken into account when selecting institutions to reasonably avoid duplication of individuals and institutions. Exceptions to this approach include where chairs of the expert level groups should sit on the linked strategy group and members providing a link between expert level groups.
There will be up to nine institution representative members as follows:
- Chair (or two co-chairs): role (eg library director, VC/PVC-R)
- Seven members from UK higher education institutions
There will be eight members from professional bodies as follows:
- SCONUL and RLUK: two appointees from each
- WHELF, SHEDL, Research council libraries (RLUK) and Sherif user group: one appointee from each
In addition, there will be an observer member as follows:
- British Library
Terms of office
The term of office for representative members is three years with the possibility of an additional term of up to three years upon expiry of the first term. Extensions for a longer period of time are permissible as an exception where a member brings particular expertise that could not reasonably be replaced, or to provide continuity to the group by contributing to group memory where there are significant changes in membership taking place.
Any additional term of office will be considered if the member wishes to extend their term and will be decided by the chair of the group and Jisc. Their decision would take into account whether the member has normally been able to attend and contribute to meetings and ensure that terms of office ended at different times to prevent a large change in membership at any one time.
Members from professional organisations and observer members do not have a formal term of office but these roles will be reviewed annually by Jisc and the chair to consider whether there is the right representation of organisations and roles.
The term of office for representative members is three years with the possibility of an additional term of up to three years upon expiry of the first term. Extensions for a longer period of time are permissible as an exception where a member brings particular expertise that could not reasonably be replaced, or to provide continuity to the group by contributing to group memory where there are significant changes in membership taking place.
Any additional term of office will be considered if the member wishes to extend their term and will be decided by the chair of the group and Jisc. Their decision would take into account whether the member has normally been able to attend and contribute to meetings and ensure that terms of office ended at different times to prevent a large change in membership at any one time.
Members from professional organisations and observer members do not have a formal term of office but these roles will be reviewed annually by Jisc and the chair to consider whether there is the right representation of organisations and roles.
Meeting papers
The papers for meetings should be shared with the members one week prior to the relevant meeting.
The agenda will identify which papers are confidential to the group, which are confidential across the groups (ie will be available to the other strategic groups within Jisc) and which are confidential to the sector. If the content of the paper can be shared with the sector but the paper itself should not be shared then this will be specified on the agenda.
Subject to the paragraph above, members may share papers, or the information set out in these, within the sector where there is strategic benefit, for example to update and gain insight from their networks and to obtain the views of colleagues in different roles.
Where it is permitted to share a paper within the sector this must be done securely, for example within an institutions Microsoft Teams or similar system. Papers should not be shared using e-mail unless the paper is password protected and the password is shared by separate means (eg text, in person, phone call). Password protected papers can be provided if required.
Please advise colleagues who are being given sight of any papers that they must not share these further. To support meeting preparations and sharing with colleagues in the sector, Jisc will aim to produce summaries of papers where the information can be condensed but still provide enough insight for a constructive response.
The papers for meetings should be shared with the members one week prior to the relevant meeting.
The agenda will identify which papers are confidential to the group, which are confidential across the groups (ie will be available to the other strategic groups within Jisc) and which are confidential to the sector. If the content of the paper can be shared with the sector but the paper itself should not be shared then this will be specified on the agenda.
Subject to the paragraph above, members may share papers, or the information set out in these, within the sector where there is strategic benefit, for example to update and gain insight from their networks and to obtain the views of colleagues in different roles.
Where it is permitted to share a paper within the sector this must be done securely, for example within an institutions Microsoft Teams or similar system. Papers should not be shared using e-mail unless the paper is password protected and the password is shared by separate means (eg text, in person, phone call). Password protected papers can be provided if required.
Please advise colleagues who are being given sight of any papers that they must not share these further. To support meeting preparations and sharing with colleagues in the sector, Jisc will aim to produce summaries of papers where the information can be condensed but still provide enough insight for a constructive response.
Recruitment
When a vacancy for an observer member arises, the relevant organisation will be invited to provide details of their observer who will join the group.
When a vacancy for a professional organisation arises, the relevant organisation will be invited to provide details of their appointee to Jisc. This appointment would go ahead unless it would provide a duplication of institutional representation on the group. In which case another appointee will be sought.
When a vacancy for a representative member arises this would either be recruited by identifying and inviting an individual with the appropriate skills and expertise, or by a selection process. In either situation the selection made would maintain the representation of the group across the diversity of institutions it represents, including wide geographical coverage. A selection process is more likely to be used when a larger number of vacancies arises.
Recruitment of individuals should ensure participation from a variety of roles across the sector, including from directors and associate director level, as well as operational roles.
When a vacancy for an observer member arises, the relevant organisation will be invited to provide details of their observer who will join the group.
When a vacancy for a professional organisation arises, the relevant organisation will be invited to provide details of their appointee to Jisc. This appointment would go ahead unless it would provide a duplication of institutional representation on the group. In which case another appointee will be sought.
When a vacancy for a representative member arises this would either be recruited by identifying and inviting an individual with the appropriate skills and expertise, or by a selection process. In either situation the selection made would maintain the representation of the group across the diversity of institutions it represents, including wide geographical coverage. A selection process is more likely to be used when a larger number of vacancies arises.
Recruitment of individuals should ensure participation from a variety of roles across the sector, including from directors and associate director level, as well as operational roles.
Review and time period
The group will run while there is work appropriate to its remit to undertake or continue with.
Jisc and group members will reflect on the group's role and progress with the matters within its remit regularly (at least annually) to plan any changes.
The group's main tasks may be completed, no longer required or change significantly and in these scenarios the group would close.
The groups remit may need to shift in order to reflect any changes in the landscape and the support required from Jisc as a result.
Where it is appropriate for the group to continue any required changes will be incorporated into the groups remit.
During the life of the group the knowledge and skills required from its members to provide the required expertise may change.
Should this happen, some memberships would cease, and any vacancies be identified and recruited.
The group will run while there is work appropriate to its remit to undertake or continue with.
Jisc and group members will reflect on the group's role and progress with the matters within its remit regularly (at least annually) to plan any changes.
The group's main tasks may be completed, no longer required or change significantly and in these scenarios the group would close.
The groups remit may need to shift in order to reflect any changes in the landscape and the support required from Jisc as a result.
Where it is appropriate for the group to continue any required changes will be incorporated into the groups remit.
During the life of the group the knowledge and skills required from its members to provide the required expertise may change.
Should this happen, some memberships would cease, and any vacancies be identified and recruited.