University of California staff boycott Elsevier

Staff at the University of California have said they will no longer serve on the editorial boards of journals published by Elsevier, after failed negotiations left faculty without access.

An open letter dated 7 August was signed by more than 30 members of University of California staff sitting on the boards of Elsevier journals. The letter justifies the boycott by pointing out that UC staff have lost access to Elsevier journals.

The signatories said their service on editorial boards had “helped make and keep these journals at the forefront of scientific publishing” but that “the decision to deny our UC colleagues access to research” was a cause for concern. They said they hoped to resume their work on the boards once a new contract was signed between the company and their university.