Since the University of Rochester Press was founded in 1989, production, marketing, and distribution have been conducted by Boydell & Brewer, Ltd., in a unique agreement that has minimized the use of University resources and has provided professional operations and a broad presence for the Press on both sides of the Atlantic.
Editorial approval, however, has always come from a University-based editorial board appointed by the University provost. Now, a key editorial staff position—that of the editorial director—has been transferred from Boydell & Brewer to the provost's office, underscoring the work of the Press as a University endeavor.
"The transfer of this position to the University actually was envisioned in our original bylaws when the Press reached a certain point of maturity," said Provost Emeritus Brian Thompson, who was responsible for the founding of the Press 18 years ago. "With the publication of 30 titles per year through a number of thriving series, with a plan to increase the number of published titles, and with a strong editorial director, this is the right time."
"The University of Rochester Press constitutes an important, ongoing University contribution to the world of scholarly publication," Provost Charles E. Phelps said. "I am delighted by this staffing move as our Press prepares to enlarge its scope for the future."
The editorial director is Suzanne E. Guiod, who came to Rochester in 2004. Previously, she had been Northeast publisher of Arcadia Publishing, managing editor of the Encyclopedia of New England (Yale University Press, 2005), and an instructor at the University of New Hampshire, Arizona State University, and Daniel Webster College in New Hampshire.