Subject: New Policy on Term Limits for Editorial Board Members
Dear INFORMS Members,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inform you about a new policy regarding the term limits for members of our editorial board.
Matt Walls (Director of Publications) and his team helped compile the data on the tenure of every editorial member in 2024. I have shared this data with our Editors-in-Chief (EICs) and the Publications Committee, and we discussed the need to implement a clear policy to enable new members to rotate in and nurture new areas of research. After extensive discussions at the INFORMS meeting in 2024, we conducted a survey with all EICs to develop a policy that is supported by the majority. This policy has also been reviewed and supported by the Publications Committee. Subsequently, I proposed the following policy to the INFORMS Board and received unanimous support.
Over the next week, I request our EICs to implement this policy by thanking those editorial members who have served well beyond our 9-year limit. For each person that an EIC wants to ask for an exception, the EIC needs to provide justifications, and I shall seek the Publications Committee's advice on whether to grant such exceptions. In my humble opinion, an EIC can serve a maximum of 6 years, and serving 9 years in a particular role is way too long. We should make room for the new generation so that INFORMS can continue to thrive. I shall continue to work with EICs to comply with this new policy by December 2025.
Term and Term Limits
The normal term of appointment per role for all individual members of an editorial board is three years. In general, terms for area editors, department editors, and senior editors will mirror that of the editor-in-chief. Staggered terms are recommended for associate editors to ensure continuity and minimize disruption to the editorial review process, though final discretion lies with the editor-in-chief.
An incoming or reappointed editor-in-chief may, at their discretion, reappoint individual members from the previous term’s editorial board. However, in the interest of fostering new perspectives, diversity, and inclusion, the editor-in-chief should strive to reappoint no more than 50% of the outgoing board. Exceptions may be made for journals with smaller editorial boards or in niche fields where recruiting new members may be challenging. Such exceptions should be documented in the editor-in-chief’s annual report to the INFORMS Board.
Editorial board members should serve no more than two consecutive terms (six consecutive years) per role. Limited exceptions may apply for continuity or unique expertise, as approved by the editor-in-chief. A maximum length of service will be capped at nine years per role, with exceptions requiring approval from the vice president of publications, in consultation with the Publications Committee. Once an individual has reached their maximum length of service in a role, an editor-in-chief may, at their discretion, appoint select term-limited individuals to an advisory position in order to maintain the academic stature and reputation of their journal. Advisory editors shall no longer actively handle manuscripts except on a limited, ad hoc basis as needed (i.e., as guest editors).
There is no restriction on the number of editorial boards on which an individual may serve concurrently. However, individuals invited to join an editorial board are expected to disclose any concurrent service on other INFORMS and non-INFORMS editorial boards to their editor-in-chief. Editors serving on multiple boards should ensure that their commitments do not lead to overlapping responsibilities or perceived conflicts of interest, particularly with overlapping subject areas or closely related communities. If deemed necessary, the editor-in-chief may request the individual to step down from other commitments or revoke the editorial board invitation.
We believe that this policy will help us maintain a dynamic and effective editorial board, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for your support.
Christopher Tang (VP, publications)