Prof. Mayank R Mehta, UCLAApr 19, 2023
Chris Chambers

Following Elsevier's decision to raise the article processing charge for NeuroImage to $3,450, all editors (inc. chief editors) from NeuroImage and NeuroImage:Reports have resigned, effective immediately.

I am joining this action and have also resigned.

Full announcement: https://imaging-neuroscience.org/Announcement.pdf

Apr 17, 2023 at 2:54pmWeb
Show threadChris ChambersApr 17, 2023
Elsevier continues to prey on the academic community, claiming huge profits while adding little value to science. But we the academic community hold the power and can withdraw our consent to be exploited at any time. That time is now.
Show threadChris ChambersApr 17, 2023
I urge colleagues to abandon NeuroImage and NeuroImage:Reports as scientific outlets for new work. If Elsevier continues these journals, do not serve on their editorial boards and do not submit new articles to them. Elsevier has no power to profit from us if we simply say No.
Show threadChris ChambersApr 17, 2023

Instead, the editorship of NeuroImage and NeuroImage: Reports is merging to launch a new non-profit OA journal called Imaging Neuroscience, with a much lower APC.

I will edit Registered Reports (RRs) at this journal, which will also be PCI RR-friendly.

https://rr.peercommunityin.org/about/pci_rr_friendly_journals

PCI Registered Reports

Peer Community in Registered Reports

Show threadChris ChambersApr 17, 2023

This means you will be able to submit your RR preprint to @pcirr, get openly reviewed and recommended and then publish in Imaging Neuroscience (or any other eligible journal) without further peer review.

This preprint-led workflow gives maximum power to authors while ensuring rigorous review, and is the future of the Registered Reports format.

Show threadChris ChambersApr 17, 2023

There remain some loose ends to tie up concerning ongoing submissions at NI and NI:R. If you have a RR in progress with NI, or NI:R is listed as a PCI RR-friendly journal in your Stage 1 recommendation, then I will contact you individually to explain the options.

But the short of it is that you will either be able to continue with NI/NI:R or Imaging Neuroscience will have your back.

Show threadChris ChambersApr 17, 2023

This resignation draws a final line under 10 years of various editorial roles I have had at Elsevier journals. I have felt conflicted the whole time.

A small number of key people within Elsevier were instrumental in supporting Registered Reports in the early years, and I’m very grateful to them (you know who you are).

But those people are now gone and the company as a whole is a parasite. So let's move forward together as a community and leave Elsevier behind.

/end

Show threadStephen EglenApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77 Great work.

I was intrigued by this: "Elsevier responded to all editors stating that the APC would not be reduced because they believe that market forces support the current APC"

would you be able to share the text of what they said?

I fully believe APCs (not just Elsevier, but many other places, e.g. Springer Nature, which wants 3 times as much) are set by market forces, rather than by costs. But did they admit that and put it in writing?

Show threadAlbert CardonaApr 17, 2023
@sje @chrisdc77 Love to hear about this too.
Show threadBrendan PalmerApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 👏👏👏
Show threadMax LittleApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77 I highly support this effort.

Do you have any thoughts about moving to "post-publication review", as eLife are doing? https://elifesciences.org/about/peer-review

Peer review and publishing at eLife · eLife

eLife is pioneering an approach to scientific publishing that combines the immediacy and openness of preprints with the scrutiny of peer review by experts.

eLife
Show threadAlly BishopApr 18, 2023
@chrisdc77 Best of luck. As a long-time editor in both the creative and scientific fields, my income has gone down while the fees go up. I no longer can survive on doing the very craft I excel in. I feel your pain, so to speak, and I hope you are able to figure something out. It seems as though capitalism knows no limits and follows no rules.
Show threadJohn TowseApr 18, 2023
@chrisdc77
So, Chris, I wonder if the Editorial Board will be bold enough and brave enough to find a Diamond OA home for their reformed journal?
Since for many researchers, the only meaningful ‘lower APC’ is actually £0
Show threadJohn Carlos BaezApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77 "That time is now."

Over 20,000 of us boycotted Elsevier, many back in 2012. Please join us:

http://thecostofknowledge.com/

The Cost of Knowledge

Show threadMarco 🌳 ZoccaApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 the time was years ago, but now is better than never :)
Show threadTony VladusichApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 well, to be fair, that time was a long time ago, but better late than never!
Show threadHeatherApr 18, 2023
@chrisdc77
They add literally no value to science. They are the literal gatekeepers of science.
Show threadBenedikt EhingerApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77
This is big. Elsevier has insane profits, is terrible for the community, buys off everything it can find, and collects your data in immense quantities and offers it's insight to everyone who pays.

I have long stopped reviewing for neuroimage, but hit me up for imaging neuroscience :)

Show threadJeremy KahnApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77 y'all there are many kinds of labor action in academia. This one 👆👆 deserves your support as well.

Knowledge workers of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your rent-taking publication and subscription fees

Show threadJo EtzelApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77 Like many, I've become less and less willing to publish or review for NeuroImage (#Elsevier) recently, and am very pleased we now have Imaging Neuroscience. Coordinating and and implementing this shift must have been a massive effort, congratulations to all of you!

Let's all shift #fMRI and #neuroimaging papers over to #ImagingNeuroscience!

https://imaging-neuroscience.org/
#journals #ScientificPublishing

Imaging Neuroscience

Show threadvga256Apr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 congrats! 😊 thank you for setting a standard that i hope propagates through the academic community in time.
Show threadAndrew PlestedApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 This is very heartening. Thank you (and your colleagues) for this principled move.
Show threadLudo WaltmanApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77 Excellent development, great to see the collective action by so many editors!

The APCs charged by Elsevier are excessive. Based on my experience working as an editor first with Elsevier and then with @mitpress, my estimate is that Elsevier's APCs are at least five times as high as the basic cost of publishing an article.

Show threadRon SullivanApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 Check this out, anyone who's had to deal with Elsevier!
Show threadMichał "rysiek" Woźniak · 🇺🇦Apr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77

[feverish applause]

Show threadNihl L'AmasApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 Tomorrow: "Elsevier announces fee increase to $4,000, new Artificial Intelligence editor system"
Show threadtredstoneApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 what was the fee before they raised it to $3450?
Show threadnevApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 [Image description: "Elsevier: NeuroImage transition - all editors have resigned over the high
publication fee, and are starting a new non-profit journal, Imaging Neuroscience.
Summary: NeuroImage has long been the leading journal focusing on imaging neuroscience, with both the highest impact factor and the largest number of papers published annually. NeuroImage’s editorial team has tried to convince Elsevier to reduce the publication fee from $3,450, as we believe large profit is unethical and unsustainable. Elsevier is unwilling to reduce the fee; therefore, with great regret, all editors (more than 40 academic editors) of NeuroImage and NeuroImage:Reports have resigned. We are starting a new non-profit Open Access journal, Imaging Neuroscience, intended to replace NeuroImage as our field’s leading journal."] #Alt4You
Show threadWndlBApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 So it was going to be that Scott Atlas would be the only one who could afford it?
Show threadEnema CowboyApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77

Dungeon Master: So what type of character are you going to be?

Me: I was going to be a magic user, but then I found out how much Neurol Mages got paid.

Show threadKolokoko Bird!Apr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 This is fabulous! i hat Elsevier.
Show threadBernhard SchermerApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77 @dmikeando

This is a big thing! 👏
Illustrates how the future for all other fields could be! 💪

Show threadzeruchApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77 anything that jabs that garbage firm #Elsevier in the eye, I am in favor of.

They are trash incarnate.

Well played.

Show threadSlenderwomanApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 Wow, this is amazing.
Show threadjaduncanApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 Open access looking better and better.
Show threadOliver D. ReithmaierApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 that shows courage and is the right thing to do! Thank you for exposing these people for what they are (money grubbing bastards).
Show threadAndrew JenningsApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77 well done!
Show threadMyndexApr 17, 2023

@chrisdc77

Pay-to-play peer review has become a shocking scam within the scientific community.

I wish you the best of luck with the new journal.

Show threadWilliam B. TurnerApr 17, 2023
@chrisdc77. Go for it. Having to pay for my own articles, when they pay me nothing, is really annoying, but this is over the top.
Show threadBen TaylorApr 18, 2023
@chrisdc77 Fantastic! Well done on this brave move. Elsevier are parasites and they need to be stopped from behaving that way, but only this kind of action has a hope.
Show threaditemgoddessApr 18, 2023
@chrisdc77 Thank you & all your resigning colleagues!
Show threadKenneth P MittonApr 18, 2023

@chrisdc77 In my vision science area I have been lucky to have Molecular Vision, with NO page charges since 1995. Everyone said a paperless journal was insane in 1995, but its 2023 and most other vision science journals stopped paper versions over time.

Mol Vis covers its costs with donations. I think the science community should consider many small donations to fund our own journals with no page charges too.

Show threadDopplerApr 18, 2023
@chrisdc77
You love to see it
@thomasfuchs
Show threadtaste of tabooApr 18, 2023
@chrisdc77 wow!