University of Iowa Changes Its Mind On “Open Access” Policy For Theses, Dissertations

The University of Iowa has pulled the plug on an “open access” policy that would have made all theses and dissertations freely available via its Graduate Library. The Library planned to scan all the works and make them available through the Internet.

Writing students protested that this practice would devalue their work since it might diminish the possibility that they could find publishers for their novels, poems, screenplays, etc. Graduate students in history, English and other academic disciplines apparently weren’t overly thrilled either. It seems the forms that included the language about this “open access” policy were new and hadn’t been vetted; it’s not clear who okayed the policy. Now, says the Interim Provost, the problem is solved. Creative writing students will not be lumped in with grad students of traditional disciplines, and students will be reminded to include a copyright notice with their works when they turn them in prior to graduation. Further, she says, “It [the policy] was only a germ of a thought to begin with.” Indeed.