Interim director Bieker elevated to UA Press exec

New chief to ask faculty input

NWA Media/DAVID GOTTSCHALK 1/3/14 - Mike Bieker, the new director of the University of Arkansas Press, in his office Friday morning Jan. 3, 2014 on the campus in Fayetteville.
NWA Media/DAVID GOTTSCHALK 1/3/14 - Mike Bieker, the new director of the University of Arkansas Press, in his office Friday morning Jan. 3, 2014 on the campus in Fayetteville.

Mike Bieker has been appointed director of the University of Arkansas Press.

Bieker served as interim director after Lawrence Malley retired in December. Previously, Bieker was business manager and assistant director of the UA Press. He has worked there since 2004.

The UA Press was founded in 1980 by the poet Miller Williams as the book-publishing division of the University of Arkansas. The Press says its mission is to publish books that serve the academic community, Arkansas and the region.

Despite the name, there was never a time when the UA Press actually printed books. The printing is contracted out.

Bieker also is on the board of directors of the Association of American University Presses where he is treasurer-elect.

Bieker said he plans to encourage input from the UA faculty on the Press’ role as a publisher of scholarly and creative work.

The UA Press has been running deficits in recentyears, but it is not in danger of being closed, said Steve Voorhies, a spokesman for the Fayetteville campus.

The UA Press had a deficit of $1,698 in 2010 that grew into a cumulative deficit of $483,730 as of June 30, 2013, according to a summary prepared for state auditors by Donald Pederson, UA vice chancellor of finance and administration.

But university presses, by and large, aren’t profitable, Voorhies said.

The UA Press has an annual operating budget of about $1 million. Since 1998, it has received a $250,000 annual subsidy from the university.

During a January interview, Jim Rankin, UA vice provost for research and economic development, said Malley had requested another $150,000 annual subsidy from the university to operate the press, but Rankin denied the request.

Rankin said Malley’s retirement had nothing to do with the press not receiving additional money. Malley had been with the press for 14 years.

The UA Press likely will make a profit this year, after which it will focus on reducing the cumulative deficit, Rankin said Tuesday.

The UA Press will focus on publishing more “revenue-generating books,” he said. He mentioned two such works - Arkansas: A Narrative History, 2nd Edition by Jeannie Whayne, Thomas DeBlack, George Sabo III and Morris Arnold; and John McDonnell, The Most Successful Coach in NCAA History by Andrew Maloney and John McDonnell.

Arkansas: A Narrative History sold 1,507 copies in the past six months, taking in $47,500 in sales. The John McDonnell book sold 2,524 copies in the past year and took in $46,469. The gross margin on those titles is about 70 percent, so each added about $33,000 to the bottom line, Bieker said.

The fiscal 2014 budget will be balanced primarily through cutting costs, Bieker said.

With Bieker’s promotion, his salary will increase from $61,682 to $75,000, Voorhies said. Malley’s annual pay was $132,621.

Fans say the UA Press has done much to preserve Arkansas’ history on the printed page. But Bieker sees opportunity in digital publications.

About 6 percent of the UA Press’ books have been digitized. Bieker said he thinks the percentage could be increased to 20 percent with no detriment to the sale of printed books.

The cumulative deficit of $483,730 at the end of fiscal 2013 is small compared with a $4.38 million deficit in 1998, when then-Chancellor John White attempted to shut down the press, citing what he called its inability to turn a profit.

White heard from hundreds of people, many of whom said university presses usually operate at a deficit, but more than make up for it in the amount of prestige they earn for the universities. University presses are an important venue for researchers, scholars and writers who otherwise might not get published, UA Press defenders said.

White had said the UA Press could stay open but would be limited to a subsidy of $250,000 a year.

Shortly thereafter, the Tyson Foundation of Springdale gave a $1 million endowment to the UA Press, contingent on UA continuing the $250,000 annual contribution and the UA Press staying at the Fayetteville campus.

According to a proposed budget for fiscal 2014, income from the Tyson gift will provide $37,255 this year.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 8 on 02/19/2014

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