Subject: COMP Association with JMGM

From: "Famini George R Dr. SBCCOM" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 15:30:16 -0400

There have been several comments and concerns recently with respect to Don
Boyd's recent email posting regarding the American Chemical Society's
Division of Computers in Chemistry's relationship with the Elsevier, and in
particular, the Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modeling (JMGM), Although
I have responded in the past to some concerns, I felt it was important to
elucidate precisely what the relationship is regarding JMGM and COMP, as
well as the rationale to why the COMP Executive Committee entered into this
agreement with Elsevier.

The agreement between COMP and JMGM was developed over an 18 month period,
concluding about a year ago.  It was felt by the COMP Executive Committee
that current ACS journals to do not adequately address all of areas of
interest of COMP members, and that an association was needed with another
journal.  Elsevier approached the Executive Committee with an offer for COMP
to actively participate in the "rebirth" of the JMGM.  Further, the JMGM,
through the incorporation of Chemical Design News, would give COMP a
mechanism to "advertise" upcoming events, symposia and meetings of interest
to COMP members.  

The actual terms of the agreement provide:

	1)  a non-exclusive association between COMP and JMGM.  This means
that JMGM is A journal of COMP, not THE journal. This gives COMP maximum
flexibility to develop similar relationships with other journals that may
further address the needs of the COMP members. The fact is, however, no
other journal as sought to establish the same relationship with us (but more
on that below).

	2)  COMP members receive a substantial discount when subscribing to
JMGM.  

	3)  The COMP Executive Board was allowed to select, with Elsevier's
concurrence, the North American Editor of JMGM.  As a recognition of this
tie, the COMP Executive Board has included the North American editor as an
ex-officio, non-voting member of the Executive Board.  I feel this
solidifies the relationship between the JMGM and COMP, and really does give
us the opportunity to influence how the journal is being run.  A case in
point recently was the selection of the editor of the Chemical Design
Automation and News pages:  the COMP Executive Committee was solicited for
recommendations.

	4)  COMP would agree to encourage appropriate papers be published in
JMGM.  This raised a very lengthy discussion vis-à-vis symposia papers, and
where the right spot for publication was:  JMGM, JCICS or symposium series
books.  It was decided that there were ample opportunities that there would
not be a detrimental effect on any of the three,  and that we were free to
recommend publication to the most appropriate journal/book.

I feel it is important to note that this arrangement with the JMGM does not
entail any financial obligation on COMP's part, nor does it commit COMP to
support JMGM exclusive to any other journal/opportunity.  

During the negotiations and discussions with Elsevier, the Executive
Committee felt it was important not to exclude JCICS in the discussions, as
they, after all, are and ACS journal. We felt that it was important for
JCICS to understand what was being considered between JMGM and COMP, give
them an opportunity to express concerns, and more importantly, give them an
opportunity to enter into an analogous arrangement.  I think it is important
at this point to mention that that is no official relationship between JCICS
and COMP.  JCICS is not in any way associated with COMP, other than the
relationship with ACS.  As such, JCICS is not an official journal of COMP.
However, the Executive Committee does realize that JCICS has attempted to
serve the computational chemistry community, but felt that it had neither
the readership nor the reputation in computational chemistry to adequately
to do so.   COMP was not party to an attempt to subvert JCICS to purely
computational chemistry.  This was an initiative that came out of ACS Pubs.
The editor of JCICS felt comfortable with the current relationship between
JCICS and COMP (which is to say, none), and with the relationship between
JMGM and COMP. 

For those "naysayers" that claim JCICS does computational chemistry, I
should note that my laboratory cancelled their subscription to JCICS because
it did not meet our needs in the computational chemistry area.  Further,
when I have perused journal, I find the number of "information" based papers
far outweighing the computational papers.  The COMP Executive Committee felt
then, and continues to feel, that JCICS does not adequately represent the
key areas in which COMP is engaged.  Further, JCICS leadership did not feel
obligated to include COMP in the process of attempting to do so.

For these reasons, we voted for, and approved, the aforementioned
relationship with JMGM.  However, COMP is willing to consider an analogous
relationship with any other journal that feels an "official" relationship
with COMP.  

To restate the advantages of this relationship to COMP members:

	a)  Reduced prices for an important journal in computational
chemistry
	b)  Ability for COMP to influence the editorial content to address
COMP members' interests
	c)  Excellent venue for publication of members' papers, including
full color at no charge
	d)  Increased exposure of COMP symposia and events
	e)  Enhanced international presence of COMP, as JMGM has a worldwide
readership

Finally, our association with Elsevier was coordinated with ACS, and the
contract was concluded only after they raised no objections.  I hope this
adequately addresses recent concerns.  The COMP Executive Board is always
willing to discuss this with anyone with legitimate questions.     

								George
Famini
								COMP
Division Chair

George R. Famini, PhD
Chief, International 
  Programs Office
ECBC/SBCCOM
(410)436-2552
fax:  (41)436-5373