John Carlos BaezMar 13

The arXiv is separating from Cornell University, and is hiring a CEO, who will be paid roughly $300,000/year:

https://jobs.chronicle.com/job/37961678/chief-executive-officer

They say:

"After decades of productive partnership with Cornell University, and with support from the Simons Foundation, arXiv is establishing itself as an independent nonprofit organization, marking the next stage in its 35-year history as a pioneer of open-access science."

The arXiv’s current annual budget is approximately $6 million and they employ ~27 staff members, most of whom work remotely, primarily in the U.S. The new chief executive officer (CEO) will be responsible for all aspects of arXiv, including strategic planning, financial management, technical infrastructure, personnel oversight and stakeholder engagement. They will work closely with board member representatives of Cornell University and the Simons Foundation to establish the organization’s independence.

A firm called Spencer Stuart is recruiting the CEO. For confidential nominations and expressions of interest, you can contact them at [email protected].  The salary is expected to be around $300,000, though the actual salary offered may differ.

Chief Executive Officer - New York City, New York (US) job with arXiv | 37961678

arXiv seeks its first CEO to champion open, free scientific discovery and guide the platform’s next chapter as an independent nonprofit.

The Chronicle of Higher Education Jobs
Show threadMartin EscardoMar 13

@johncarlosbaez Oh, no, I thought the arxiv was going to be for ever, at least for as long as we last in this planet.

First we lost the mirrors in Europe. And now this.

I am not optimistic about this move.

Who gets to decide about this?

Show threadDeyan GinevMar 13
@MartinEscardo @johncarlosbaez Cornell University does, naturally.
Show threadAlbert Cardona

@dginev @MartinEscardo @johncarlosbaez

Deyan, you have an insider view. What need there is for a CEO in arxiv? Rather, more like a team lead with direct experience and with a technical background and role on daily operations?

Mar 13 at 9:52pmWeb
Show threadAlbert CardonaMar 13

@dginev @MartinEscardo @johncarlosbaez

I mean, April 1st is still two weeks away.

Show threadGarrett WollmanMar 13
@albertcardona An "independent nonprofit organization" requires officers, by law, as well as a board of some sort to whom the officers are responsible. It also requires a lot of legal, finance, and compliance that Cornell was doing previously.
Show threadDeyan GinevMar 13

@albertcardona @MartinEscardo @johncarlosbaez

Some structure needs to perform a leadership function. As other commenters mention, the 501c3 + CEO is a standard setup over here, and given we are working with a geo center in NYC there is quite a lot that a CEO figure can achieve not only inside arXiv, but also externally.

Our main challenge is sustaining arXiv's level of service and preserving its core mission in the face of growing scale. That doesn't require a CEO for daily operations, but it requires some leadership structure for the long-term direction. And longevity is a core part of the mission of an archive.