Request for Proposals
Click here to download this RFP as a PDF.
The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), owner and publisher of
Public Integrity (PI), invites proposals from institutions and individuals interested in assuming the responsibility of editor in chief.
Established in 1998,
PI contains peer-reviewed research articles, expert editorials and book and film reviews on issues standing at the nexus of ethics, public administration and society. Globally circulated, the journal is accessible to readers through direct subscriptions, institutional online-only sales packages and as part of Taylor & Francis’ Social Sciences and Humanities Library. Issues are published bi-monthly, each approximately 110 pages in length. Reflecting ASPA’s own mission,
PI is committed to blending scholarship and practice to advance the field. Of note:
- PI articles were downloaded 42,963 times in 2018, an approximately 54 percent increase over 2017.
- Demonstrating its global reach, five of the top 10 institutions that downloaded articles in 2018 were based outside the United States. Similarly, almost 50 percent of regions citing PI were located outside North America.
- PI is now included in Scopus, the largest abstract and citation databased of peer-reviewed literature.
Current editor in chief Carole Jurkiewicz has served in this capacity since September 2014. The appointment for the next editorial term will be made by May 29, 2019. A three-month orientation period will begin on July 1, 2019. The Editor in Chief’s three-year term begins on October 1, 2019.
For the term of the editor’s appointment, ASPA—through its contract with Taylor & Francis,
PI’s publisher—will produce, publish and distribute
PI six times a year in hard copy and electronically; market
PI throughout the world; and manage the journal’s rights and permissions.
ASPA Policy Regarding PI Editor
Diversity is a fundamental strength of ASPA and one of its core values. In the spirit of all its activities, ASPA welcomes proposals from diverse communities.
The editor in chief is appointed for an initial term of three years by the ASPA President, subject to ratification by the ASPA National Council. The appointment is renewable for a successive term of up to three years, also subject to ratification.
Editor’s Roles and Responsibilities
The editor in chief’s attitude, behavior, actions and performance directly influence how the public administration community perceives ASPA. The editor has an obligation to uphold the values and traditions of ASPA generally and PI specifically.
The editor is obligated to ensure the journal’s high quality, stay abreast of emerging public sector ethics issues and commit to taking a broad, diverse view of scholarship and practice. Doing so requires an acceptance of—and openness to—a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives. To ensure
PI's credibility, the editor must hold a doctoral degree and be an established scholar with a demonstrated record of nationally and internationally recognized research and scholarship.
The editor establishes the journal’s policy direction; selects and manages the editorial team; appoints the editorial board, in consultation with the ASPA President; develops external relationships; coordinates the journal’s functions; adapts operational processes to changing circumstances; works collaboratively and collegially with the journal publisher; develops an extensive peer review network; manages the journal’s day-to-day operations; and ensures timely, equitable publication decisionmaking. Successful performance of these tasks requires dedicated editorial leadership; collectively, they have a critical impact on
PI’s overall quality.
The editor maintains ongoing communication and collaboration with the ASPA President and National Office. The editor also prepares and presents a report (addressing accomplishments, manuscript flow and other matters warranting attention) to the National Council annually.
Institutional Support
Editing and managing PI are a complex enterprise. It is preferred that the editor have institutional support to perform the roles and responsibilities listed below. Proposals may be from individual institutions or multiple institutions working collaboratively. A proposing institution(s) or individual affiliated with one is encouraged to include any of the following areas of support in its proposal:
- Release time for the editor and managing editor, if one is named.
- Support for graduate students and/or other personnel to assist with PI’s management and production, including administrative support and social media presence.
- Travel funds for the editor and/or staff to attend meetings of such professional organizations as ASPA; the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration; and Association for Policy Analysis and Management Meetings.
To Submit a Proposal
Proposals must include the following information:
- A description by the candidate that addresses evidence of established,
well-respected scholarship and leadership in public administration
generally and ethics specifically.
- Statement of editorial philosophy, goals and approach.
- Statement of how outreach to the practitioner community will be achieved.
- A proposed approach for selecting and developing an editorial team.
- The curriculum vitae for the proposed editor.
- A description of the proposed supporting institution(s).
- A proposed approach for providing the financial, editorial and/or administrative support required to successfully publish six issues per year.
- Letters of commitment from appropriate officials from the supporting institution(s).
It is also preferred that candidates demonstrate active engagement in ASPA activities.
Submit your proposal electronically in both PDF and Word format no later than Wednesday, May 15 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to [email protected]. For questions, please contact Karen Garrett, chief of marketing, communications and membership, at (202) 393-7878 or
[email protected].
Timeline
Week of March 25
Search and Recommendation Committee and ASPA National Office announce and distribute RFP
March 26-May 15
Search Committee reviews proposals on rolling basis
Wednesday, May 15
Deadline for proposals (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time)
Week of May 20
Search Committee selects and interviews finalists
Friday, May 24
Search Committee makes recommendation to ASPA President
Wednesday, May 29
ASPA President appoints
Public Integrity editor in chief, subject to National Council ratification
Early June
ASPA formally announces editor in chief
July 1
Editor in chief begins a three-month orientation period.
October 1
Editor in chief’s term begins