The Association of University Presses was pleased to award a number of grants to support attendance at its 2024 Annual Meeting in Montréal, Quebec. The Business Operations Meeting Grant, covering Annual Meeting and Business Meeting registration as well as up to $500 in travel expenses, were awarded to two attendees involved in financial management at their presses.

Grant recipients Lorena Magaña-Aguilar and Jenn Schultz offered the following brief descriptions of their experiences.

Lorena Magaña-Aguilar, Financial Analyst, University of California Press

Stepping into the 2024 Annual Meeting was not just an educational experience but a journey into a vibrant community. As a newcomer to the event and the press finance world, I was warmly embraced by a group of experienced business managers and publishing professionals, all dedicated to advancing academic literature and scholarly communication. The Business Operations Meeting provided sessions on statistics from the publishing industry and other topics of interest. I had the opportunity to see real-time problem-solving through sharing experiences and collaborative brainstorming. One prominent topic for me was the discussion of royalties and advances. It was interesting to see the variety of ways that different presses handled royalty administration. The Annual Meeting offered diverse sessions and panels that explored current trends and challenges in the field. There was so much to choose and learn from. The sessions that made an impression on me were the opening plenary conversation on AI and “Practicing What You Publish: Presses, Authors, and Controversies.” The AI session was interesting because it was led by a professor and a university press publisher who presented different points of view on a broad topic but kept focus on things that matter to university presses. We in the audience had the opportunity to see both perspectives, which was very interesting. The main thing that stuck with me about the “Practicing” session is that we at the University of California Press can take for granted a level of freedom and flexibility that we have to publish on topics that would run counter to another state’s predominant politics. The discussion on how to handle and prevent controversy was super interesting. Overall, each session provided valuable insights and sparked thought-provoking discussions about the future of university presses in an evolving landscape.

Networking was a highlight of the conference, allowing me to connect with peers, industry veterans, and professionals from various departments. These interactions expanded my professional network and provided opportunities to exchange ideas and learn from others’ experiences in the field.

Overall, attending the 2024 Annual Meeting was an invaluable experience that deepened my understanding of academic publishing while inspiring me with new ideas and perspectives.

Jenn Schultz, Business & Operations Manager, Syracuse University Press

Attending the AUPresses Annual Meeting was a wonderful experience for me. This was my first exposure to a publishing conference and what a pleasure it was to attend such an event. All the sessions I attended were interesting, enlightening, and full of relevant information specific to university presses. The keynote speakers were engaging and knowledgeable on the topic at hand. I learned a great deal that otherwise I would not have had the fortune to. I attended sessions ranging from topics on workplace culture to multi-language scholarly publishing to controversial topics and ethics, all thought-provoking and compelling. The most impactful aspect of the conference was meeting my peers and colleagues in person. During the Business Operations Meeting, I was able to connect with like-minded individuals in my field of practice. We were able to discuss in small groups our trials and tribulations and how to avoid situations or resolve them. We shared our triumphs as well and how to attain our goals successfully. I was able to get other perspectives on situations and see my responsibilities in a different light. I will be able to tackle my business activities in the future with a different outlook and with new resources to guide me through. This conference was full of innovation and expertise that could not be replicated elsewhere. I am truly grateful for the opportunity that was given to me and for the experience the AUPresses Business Operations Meeting and Annual Meeting provided.