An Open Letter to the University of Iowa
from Kembrew McLeod
This email regards the new UI policy that, starting this year, will
require MFA theses to be posted online, so I felt like I had to weigh
in. After doing research on this issue and informally polling several
writers, editors, agents, UI writing program alums, and copyright
experts I know, I can unequivocally say that this has to be one of
the most ill conceived, misguided, and irresponsible policies this
university has attempted to ram down down our throats. (Where's the
transparency? The clause just magically appeared on the deposit
forms? Amazing!)
This policy cannot stand, and here is why: I think students who write
creative theses should have the option to withhold their work from an
open access, online form of distribution—though they should of
course continue to be published as hard copies with the libraries.
On one hand, having a scholarly thesis or dissertation available more
widely is a win-win for everyone—the scholar who gets quoted,
those who stumble across a dissertation on a topic they are
researching, etc. On the other hand, I think creative work is
qualitatively different. I can understand why some wouldn't want that
work circulating widely and easily, for either artistic or economic
reasons. That is because we are talking about different worlds—the
economies and professional norms of fiction, nonfiction, poetry,
journalism, essay writing, academic writing, and other genres are all
quite different—so I can see why students (and faculty) are
uncomfortable (or angry) about this. They can't all be lumped
together with a uniform university publishing policy.
You may (or may not) know my positions on copyright and the
importance of free flows of knowledge and information, but I also
understand why some writers would want to keep control of their
texts, because in many instances, theses aren't really considered
completed works in certain fields. It's more of a process. God knows,
I wouldn't want some of my grad school essays and papers being
published, or my senior undergrad honors thesis circulating widely.
When I was a student I saw this sort of writing as more of a
fulfillment of the degree, and a learning process, rather than a
publishing contract. Inversely, there are instances when a MFA thesis
may in fact be the final product, more or less, and I can also
understand why they do not want that work published in this way.
Speaking to this concern, I talked to my literary agent about this
yesterday, one who represents both marginal academics and well-known
authors, and who has been in publishing since 1972. She believed this
mode of distribution would be a cause for concern for some book
editors, and might push them to pass on a manuscript. It's not like
she's wing-nut RIAA copyright lawyer; she supported me in getting
Random House to distribute a free pdf copy of my entire book, Freedom
of Expression. However, that was a decision I made on my own, because
it worked for me. I'd hate to see a blanket policy imposed on other
writers.
Anyway, it's not as if any student attending the University of Iowa
has entered into a publishing contract with the school, so why does
the university have the right to publish their work and use it as
content fodder for Google's ad-driven Print project? Especially when
students are paying UI tuition! As a labor issue, this is totally
unfair and exploitative.
I am collecting some outraged emails from UI alums and nationally
known writers, as well as one from a copyright expert, Siva
Vaidhyanathan, who is also known for his championing of libraries and
open flows of information. Siva feels this policy is "alarming," as
he put it, while responses from other writers contain four letter
words that probably shouldn't be included in an official university
email or memo.
This policy needs to be reconsidered, and it CAN'T be forced upon
students who want to graduate this semester.
Best,
Kembrew McLeod
Dept. of Communication Studies
University of Iowa