In a striking event over the recent holiday weekend, the editorial board of Elsevier’s Journal of Human Evolution (JHE) nearly unanimously resigned. Citing “heartfelt sadness and great regret,” the mass departure represents the 20th such occurrence within the scientific publishing landscape in 2023, as reported by Retraction Watch. This exodus points towards broader systemic issues that plague the industry, often driven by shifts in business models that clash with long-standing editorial values.
The editorial board’s decision to resign is not merely a personal grievance but reflects a systematic erosion of academic integrity. These editors dedicated decades to cultivating JHE into a premier outlet for paleoanthropological research, investing significant time and resources in the journal’s ethos and mission. In their resignation statement, they emphasized the pain surrounding the decision, claiming, “We find we can no longer work with Elsevier in good conscience.” Their call for maintaining academic standards amidst changing corporate dynamics serves as a rallying cry for many within the scholarly publishing community.
Historically, academic journals have played a pivotal role in disseminating research and shaping discourse. However, when profit motives overshadow editorial integrity, the potential ramifications can be detrimental to both researchers and the integrity of academic inquiry itself. The board expressed concerns about how decisions made over the past decade have shifted away from JHE’s foundational principles, leading to an environment that prioritizes financial return over research excellence.
The editorial board outlined several specific grievances regarding changes enforced by Elsevier. Key among these was the significant reduction in editorial support. The board’s appeal for a dedicated copy editor—vital for maintaining linguistic clarity and formatting consistency—was met with dismissal from Elsevier, which argued that the editors should shift focus away from ensuring the quality of submissions. This philosophical divide illustrates a troubling trend where the financial interests of publishing giants increasingly dictate the standards of academic rigor.
In addition, the restructuring of the editorial board, aimed at slashing the number of associate editors by more than half, would compromise the journal’s ability to manage submissions effectively. Such a drastic reduction means that remaining associate editors would face an insurmountable workload, potentially leading to compromised peer review quality and editorial oversight. The troubling implications of this change resonate beyond JHE, serving as a warning sign for the future of other academic journals facing similar pressures.
The rise of artificial intelligence in the scholarly publishing process adds yet another layer of complexity. Despite the promise that technology holds to streamline production, reports from the JHE board indicate that automation has introduced significant errors into the publishing process. Uninformed integration of AI has led to inconsistencies in formatting and, alarmingly, alterations in the content itself. This newly adopted approach, lacking the nuance of human oversight, has diminished the quality of published research, fostering frustration among authors and editors alike.
The editors disclosed a lengthy six-month ordeal to rectify AI-induced errors, relying on relentless perseverance to restore journal standards. Such experiences raise critical questions about the role of technology in academia. While efficiency is necessary, the priority should not come at the cost of accuracy and scholarly integrity.
Further compounding the crisis is the financial burden placed on authors wishing to publish their work in JHE. The editorial board highlighted that the article processing charges (APCs) for JHE exceed those imposed by other for-profit journals and accessible open-access outlets. This rising cost of publication directly contradicts the principles of equality and inclusivity that both the journal and Elsevier claim to uphold. Many prospective authors may find themselves priced out of effectively sharing their research, which stymies intellectual exchange and propagation of knowledge.
The culmination of these issues was precipitated by the decision to alter the journal’s leadership structure, where Elsevier communicated the termination of the dual-editor model that had been a cornerstone of JHE’s governance since 1986. The subsequent pushback from co-editors, only to be met with the ultimatum of reduced compensation or restructuring, signified a broader disregard for collaborative editorial practices.
The resignation of the JHE editorial board is a clarion call for introspection within the scientific publishing community. It exemplifies the ethical dilemmas faced by editors and researchers navigating an increasingly corporatized landscape. This situation challenges the established norms of academic publishing and elevates the discourse on the preservation of integrity within scholarly communication. As the editorial board departs with heavy hearts, the implications for future generations of researchers and the academic milieu at large remain to be seen. However, it is clear that the evolutionary journey of scholarly publishing necessitates reform to safeguard the principles at its core. The path forward may indeed require a recommitment to editorial independence, substantive collaboration, and equitable access for all academics wishing to contribute to the ever-evolving body of scientific knowledge.
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