We title this section of our annual review “Moving Toward Equity” as a reminder both that our values require action to give the words meaning, and that our journey toward a just and equitable industry is not complete. The current political and social climate, particularly in the United States, has recently chilled many institutional efforts towards equity, inclusion, diversity, and justice, but these goals remain inherently necessary to the mission and purpose of scholarly publishers and thus to the Association.
The Association has reconfirmed our commitment to the joint principles of the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communications (C4DISC), and found common cause with many scholarly, publishing, and cultural organizations who have condemned the racist and bigoted policy actions of the US federal administration. The Association’s Statement on Equity and Anti-Racism, approved by the AUPresses Board of Directors in spring 2020 remains a touchstone, keeping our commitments in view of leadership, staff, volunteer committees, and members.
As a founding member of C4DISC, AUPresses, particularly our Director of Operations Kim Miller, continues to provide key administrative infrastructure for the group. In spring 2025, the C4DISC community came together in a sprint to develop “Guidance for Professional Membership Communities.”
The AUPresses Equity, Justice, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee has organized two community events to share knowledge, ideas, and inspiration: Making Accessibility Accessible, and a “town hall” on the State of DEIA at University Presses. These virtual gatherings, as well as a summit of representatives from across AUPresses committees and task forces, have helped keep our networks of connection strong this year.