In a partnership agreement that could serve as a model for academic publishing, Northern Illinois University Press will become an imprint of Cornell University Press beginning July 1.
NIUP publishes about 20 titles a year in Slavic, Orthodox Christian, and Souteast Asian studies as well as titles on American and European history. The press has more than 600 titles in print. Under the new partnership NIUP will retain an acquisitions editor and a faculty press board. CUP will take over NIUP editing, production and design, marketing, distribution, and sales responsibilities.
NIUP president for research and innovation partnerships Gerald C. Blazey called the collaboration “a sustainable model for university press scholarship going forward." Since 2016 NIUP has been looking for a way to lower its overall publishing costs while maintaining its research publishing mission.
In addition to the new NIUP imprint, CUP maintains imprints for Comstock Publishing, Industrial and Labor Relations Press, The Southeast Asian Studies Publications, and Three Hills.
Cornell University Press director Dean Smith said “NIUP’s publishing profile is closely aligned with ours. Our colleagues at NIUP have established an outstanding reputation for quality in several disciplines. This model will support their mission.”
