Part of the business plan here at Ooligan Press is that, for all of the challenges we face in securing funds for decent PPB or creative book launches, there’s one thing we’re supposed to get for free: Labor. From acquisition to copyediting, from cover design to marketing, all of us busy little bees are, at least in theory, pouring our hearts and souls and tuition money into the press, receiving in exchange a comprehensive, hands-on publishing education. It’s a simple, elegant solution, so long as everybody holds up their end of the bargain.
Unfortunately, the problem with not paying your staff is that it’s easy to lose track of them. At a recent FOOP (Friends of Ooligan Press) meeting, it was brought to my attention that we actually don’t know how many students we have at Ooligan. This information came up in light of an oft-heard observation that labor keeps coming up short next to the official number of enrolled students. It may well be that some percentage of these officially enrolled students left the program without graduating, and were therefore never removed from the list. It also may well be that there are students who are actively enrolled but simply choose not to work.
If the discrepancy is caused by the latter, our business model is in trouble, and so are our students. Taken for all it has to offer, the program functions both as an internship and a formal education, but if a student doesn’t actually participate in the work groups, he’s getting the degree without the experience. This not only jeopardizes his chance at getting a rad job, but Ooligan’s reputation as a teaching press.
So what do you all think? My impression is that working for Ooligan is not formally “required.”
So, should it be?
Overwhelmingly, yes. I have become worried for External Promotions, which has no new members, despite some great upcoming opportunities. Everyone currently in the group will leave (technically) in June, leaving many projects in the lurch/limbo/dust.
I constantly wonder: who these magical people are who are supposed to be supporting our press?
We all work, have jobs, go to school, write, study, and have lives outside Ooligan. The bottom line is that the work needs to be distributed. We are not wonder-people, although we wish we were. One cannot wave a wand and have a launch come together, edit a manuscript, or write a rejection letter with one swoop.
Studio hours should be mandatory for at least two terms, plain and simple. How else are you going to learn “the process”?
Yes, students should be required to a press lab or studio. At this time it isn’t a requirement and thus no everyone student is a part of Ooligan. For the amount of work that needs to get done every term it seems vital that we have a lot people to get that work done.
It’s a tricky question. The only way to require students to work for Ooligan is to make lab mandatory every term. But that is asking for a financial commitment to the program in addition to the free labor. That may not be viable for every student.
The reality is that the people who work the hardest for Ooligan would do it if it were a requirement or not. Those who slide through the program without pitching in may not make much of a contribution anyway.
But the problem might be lack of awareness or organization of the work groups. I didn’t know anything about the groups the first term I attended the program. So I think it is a brilliant idea to focus on outreach to new students, and even if work in the press isn’t a requirement, make it seem like one.
Just a note: as Dennis announced at the Exec meeting today, students are required to at least give 8 credits worth of work to the press (be that in Studio or Lab) as of the new policy. There was a 6 credit requirement before, but I don’t think most students know that. I think student outreach is a huge part of the problem, but I also think that, in portraying ourself to prospective students, we need to emphasize that the workgroups are mandatory. The other huge challenge is the distribution of labor. Albeit, some groups need more people than others, but especially with so many of the workgroup members graduating this term, we have to hope someone steps in fast.
Although eight credit hours are required, that doesn’t mean we’ll be able to place students where we need them most. Just like in the culture at-large, most students want the sexy jobs like editing and acquisitions. Design intimidates many, and marketing turns-off most. Don’t even get me started on production technology…