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The apparent intrusion of the SRCD executive suite and its Governing Council into editorial decision making earlier this year has raised concerns among many SRCD members. The resignations of so many key people (editors, SRCD staff, members of Governing Council) are difficult to ignore. I am guardedly hopeful that the appointment of a Task Force on Publications and Ethics-announced September 2, 2022, with Sandra Graham and Daniel Keating as co-chairs-can shed light and perhaps bring resolution. I say guardedly because when I ask questions of key players I am told, sorry, I can't answer, because I am silenced by nondisclosure agreements and legal action if I speak. Thus a prerequisite for the success of the Task Force is for SRCD to lift nondisclosure and let all those with knowledge of events speak candidly to the Task Force.
From my position as an early peripheral player, what I saw was an intrusion into the editorial process followed by the resignation of the Monographs editor, Lynn Liben. One, but not the only, issue was whether she would sign a Code of Conduct/Nondisclosure Agreement. I don't know whether she was told that two other editors had likewise not signed this agreement due to their concerns.
In the event, Liben's resignation was followed by the resignations of the editors of Child Development and Child Development Perspectives, Judith Smetana and Glen Roisman. Their resignations were then followed by the resignations of two additional editors, two associate editors, four members of the Publications Committee, three members of Governing Council, and the SRCD Scientific Director. In all, 13 SRCD staff persons have resigned since April 2021.
As someone who believes that sunshine is the best disinfectant and who is not constrained by nondisclosure, I have posted the following two items on my website (I have also shared them with the Task Force):
- A memo that I wrote to file March 28, 2022, detailing my experience with the Bard monograph as someone asked to write a commentary. Kim Bard has seen this memo and has agreed to its being made available.
- A memo that Kim Bard sent to Governing Council members May 3, 2022, detailing her experience as an author. Kim has agreed to my making this available. To my knowledge, she did not receive a reply from any member of Governing Council.
Additionally, I have posted four items on my website that have already circulated, but that not everyone may have seen:
- A copy of the May 4, 2022, Roisman–Smetana resignation letter to SRCD Executive Director Saima Hedrick, which has already circulated widely.
- A message that I had written May 16, 2022, expressing my concerns about the editors' resignations and had then posted to the ICIS listserv June 9, 2022.
- A brief post to SRCD Commons June 20, 2022, expressing concern about nondisclosure effects on a task force.
- A list of resignations since April 2021, posted to the ICIS listserv September 22, 2022.
The PDFs for these six items can also be downloaded from my website page: bakeman.gsucreate.org/SRCD-concerns
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Roger Bakeman
Atlanta GA
404-523-8285
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-10-2022 20:41
From: Saima Hedrick
Subject: SRCD Code of Ethical Conduct Feedback
Dear SRCD Members,
Today, the Governing Council voted to convene a task force to review your feedback on the SRCD Code of Ethical Conduct, and create a path for us to move forward. This task force will be comprised of members of the GC, a member of the publications committee, and a member at large. We encourage you to comment here to share your feedback publicly or submit your comments privately using the link below.
www.surveymonkey.com/r/8NYMLG5
Thank you for sharing your concerns to inform our future success.
Sincerely,
Saima Hedrick
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Saima Hedrick
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