Open Access Publishing at UC: Transformative Agreements and APC Support

The ongoing serials crisis has prompted the University of California to negotiate transformative open access agreements with publishers. These contracts shift the traditional subscription model to one based on article processing charges (APCs), making research freely available while providing sustainable funding for publishers. According to the Efficiency and Standards for Article Charges initiative, Transformative agreements are contracts negotiated between institutions and publishers that transform the business model underlying scholarly journal publishing from one based on subscriptions to one based on article processing charges (APCs) that are paid by funders, authors, or their institutions.

How Transformative Agreements Work

Under these agreements, instead of paying subscription fees for access, the UC system covers Article Processing Charges (APCs) to make articles immediately available to anyone with internet access. This shifts the cost burden from readers to authors and their institutions, while ensuring broader dissemination of UC research. The UC has developed a multi-payer funding model that combines library contributions with grant funding when available. Authors without grant support receive full financial backing from the university, removing cost barriers to open access publishing. See An Introductory Guide to the UC Model Transformative Agreement to learn more.

UC has negotiated agreements with both hybrid publishers (traditional subscription journals that offer open access options) and native open access publishers (journals that publish exclusively in open access format). These agreements significantly reduce or eliminate APC costs for UC authors.

Support and Resources for UC Authors

All University of California corresponding authors are eligible for these publishing benefits. To determine coverage: