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Recruit a Scientific Director: In 2014, we created the Scientific Director position to provide intellectual leadership for arXiv and appointed Dr. Chris Myers as the interim Scientific Director to test and refine the role. After Chris Myers's departure in April 2016, we have started to revise the job description with the goal of filling the position in 2017. The Scientific Director (.5 FTE) will collaborate with the arXiv staff and the arXiv's Scientific Advisory Board in providing intellectual leadership for arXiv's operations.
Status: After Chris Myers’ departure in April 2016 as the interim Scientific Director, we took a few months to review the original job description and expectations and Chris’s assessment of how the position played out in reality. Accordingly, a revised job description was developed and and announced and posted on several listservs, online job sites such as Physics Today (AIP), MathJobs (AMS), BrightRecruits (IOP), jobs.acm.org (ACM; and almost 30 chairs of physics/math departments were contacted to share the information with their faculty. After receiving several applications, the search committee (coordinated by Oya Rieger, including Dave Morrison (SAB), Carol Hoover (MAB/SAB liaison), and Eberhard Bodenchatz) is in the process of conducting preliminary phone interviews. The goal is appointing a SD this summer so that the incumbent can join the team before the annual SAB/MAB meeting.
Continue the membership drive & identify new funding sources: Ensuring a broad international network of supporters requires an ongoing effort in order to develop new outreach strategies and revenue sources. We will continue our efforts in increasing awareness about sustainability issues and the arXiv business plan. Also, we will raise additional revenue streams through online fund raising campaigns and the promotion of the new sponsorship program.
Status: in-progress with successful online fund raising efforts
Create a business model for 2018-2022: This is the final year of our 5-year business plan. We have started planning for the next 5-years during 2016 and will finalize and announce the new model, including a revised tier structure.
Status: The new business model was finalized and rolled out in Spring 2017: 2018-2022: Sustainability Plan for Classic arXiv
Raise funds to support arXiv-NG project: In addition to raising funds to support the current arXiv operation, during 2016, we successfully secured two grants in the amount of $650,000 to initiate the next-generation arXiv initiative, which is envisioned to be a 3-year project with a total budget of $3+ million. Therefore it is essential that we continue writing grants to raise the necessary funds for successful and timely completion of the project. Click for more information on arXiv-NG initiative.
Status: in-progress
arXiv Next Generation (arXiv-NG)
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