The University Press: renewal ahead

Daniel Morin

The University of Ottawa Press (UOP) will be reinvigorated with a one million dollar boost over a five-year period, which should push it into a prominent place among the principal university publishing houses in the country.

As president of a working group charged to re-examine the organizational structure of the Press, Professor Gilles Paquet submitted a report to an administrative committee last April, which subsequently approved his key recommendations. He has had to wait for several weeks for a reorganization to take effect since the management contract with the University of Toronto Press didn’t elapse until August 23, 2006.

Under the new governance model, the University of Ottawa Press will act as a publishing house affiliated with the University of Ottawa, says Paquet, but managed by an autonomous and independent board of directors. As chair of the board, Paquet will be joined by three other members of the initial reorganization committee, including
Robert Yergeau of Le Nordir, Yvon Malette of Éditions David, and Lucie Mercier-Gauthier, associate vice-president, financial resources. The new secretary of the University, Pamela Harrod, will also sit on the board. Committee members will be appointed for a three-year period so that they may “ensure continuity” and see the renewal off to a good start.

There remains a need to find someone to lead the UOP. For the moment, Paquet is doing so in the interim, which in his opinion, should exceed no more than three to six months. Paquet has also emphasized the tireless work of the four current employees who have kept the Press afloat during a difficult period.

Moreover, Paquet insists on certain changes that he considers essential:

Firstly, no more than six months will elapse between the approval of a manuscript and publication of the book.

Secondly, Paquet wants to vigorously promote book titles, in addition to raising the reputation of the Press internally.

His third objective is to “seek out the best manuscripts across the country”.

Lastly, he says he wants to produce beautiful books. “The Press is the display window which we want to present to the rest of the world, a way of showing who we are to the world.”

Production should reach 20 to 25 volumes per year, divided equally between French and English publications. “This means a book every 15 days.”