iLRN Per-Paper Publication Fee Policy (Draft)

1. Purpose

This policy establishes a standardized, per-paper publication fee model for all Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN) scholarly outputs that undergo formal editorial vetting and scientific quality assurance.

Its purpose is to ensure:

• Consistent scientific quality assurance (SQA)
• Sustainable editorial and proceedings production
• Reliable submission, review, and documentation infrastructure
• Equitable global participation aligned with international economic realities

This policy:

• Treats scientific quality as infrastructure, not volunteer goodwill
• Applies consistently across flagship, regional, and chapter-hosted outputs
• Avoids paternalistic or deficit-based language while embedding equity
• Positions iLRN as a mature scholarly steward, not a volunteer-only network

Scholarly rigor, fairness, and transparency require intentional design and modest but real resourcing.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all scholarly outputs for which iLRN assumes responsibility for scientific quality, editorial integrity, and publication infrastructure, including but not limited to:

• The iLRN International Conference Proceedings
• Regional conferences, VR Days, and chapter-hosted proceedings
• Short papers, extended abstracts, and full conference papers
• The State of XR and Immersive Learning Report, including peer-reviewed and commissioned contributions
• Any Call for Papers (CFP) or Call for Contributions (CFC) formally administered or vetted by the iLRN Publications Team

This policy applies whenever:

• Submissions undergo editorial screening, peer review, or meta-review, and
• iLRN is named as the scientific or editorial steward of the output

This policy does not apply to:

• Independently funded external journals or special issues unless explicitly adopted by agreement
• Informal blog posts, opinion pieces, or non-vetted community contributions

3. Cost Domains (Internal Accounting Model)

Per-paper publication fees support the full scholarly pipeline and are internally allocated across three integrated cost domains.

3.1 Scientific Quality Assurance (Front-End Stewardship)

Includes:

• Design and stewardship of high-quality Calls for Papers and Contributions
• Submissions portal configuration and administrative setup
• Peer-review committee coordination and onboarding
• Review oversight, revision cycles, and resubmission management
• Camera-ready quality checks
• Light meta-review to ensure consistency, fairness, and rigor across track

This domain reflects intellectual labor and scholarly judgment, not clerical overhead.

3.2 Editorial & Proceedings Production (Back-End)

Includes:

• Co-editor and proceedings editor compensation
• Final compilation, formatting, and quality checks
• Proceedings preparation, publication, and release

3.3 Infrastructure & Compliance

Includes:

• Submissions and review systems (e.g., EasyChair configuration and continuity)
• Secure agreement and consent workflows (e.g., DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign)
• AI-assisted integrity checks (e.g., Turnitin AI detection, where appropriate)
• Workflow reliability, data integrity, and institutional continuity

4. Internal Cost Baseline (Reference)

Based on current operations, the approximate internal baseline cost per paper is:

• $14.00 USD — Editorial & proceedings production
• $4.50 USD — Scientific Quality Assurance stewardship
• $3.90 USD — Submissions and workflow infrastructure

Approximate hard-cost total: $22.40 USD per paper

This internal baseline informs but does not dictate author-facing fees.

5. Modest Support Systems for Scientific Quality Assurance

To stabilize quality assurance without over-professionalization or cost inflation, iLRN commits to modest, targeted support mechanisms.

5.1 Software and Services

• One shared DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign license for publication agreements
• One shared AI-assisted integrity detection service (e.g., Turnitin)
• Configuration, continuity, and archival support for submissions and review platforms

5.2 Human Support (Micro-Compensation Model)

Where feasible, per-cycle stipends or honoraria may be allocated for:

• Scientific Quality Assurance Officer (oversight and escalation)
• Track-level SQA coordinators (front-end review stewardship)
• Proceedings editors carrying exceptional editorial loads

These supports are not salaries, but recognition of sustained intellectual labor that protects iLRN’s scholarly credibility.

6. Regionally Tiered Per-Paper Fee Model (Author-Facing)

To balance sustainability with global equity, iLRN applies a regionally tiered per-paper fee model aligned with internationally recognized economic classifications.

6.1 Tier Classification

iLRN adopts World Bank income classifications. Tier placement is determined by the primary geographic location of the hosting iLRN chapter or event, not individual authors.

• Tier A — Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)
• Tier B — Upper-Middle-Income Economies
• Tier C — High-Income Economies

6.2 Standard Fee Levels

These fees support:

• Scientific quality assurance and editorial stewardship
• Publication and workflow infrastructure
• Modest cross-subsidization to sustain equitable global participation

7. Integration with Registration Fees (Disclosure Requirement)

Per-paper publication fees may be bundled into or included within conference or event registration fees at the discretion of the hosting iLRN chapter or subsidiary entity.

When publication fees are bundled:

• The per-paper publication fee must be explicitly identified and documented within the formal agreement between iLRN and the hosting chapter or subsidiary.
• The agreement must clearly state that the bundled amount includes publication-related costs covering:
  
• Scientific Quality Assurance (SQA)
• Editorial stewardship
• Publication and workflow infrastructure
  
• Public-facing materials (CFPs, registration pages, invoices) must clearly disclose that publication fees are included in the registration cost, even if not itemized line-by-line for participants.

Bundling publication fees into registration does not alter tier applicability, fee intent, or scholarly obligations. It is an administrative convenience, not a waiver of publication standards or costs.

8. Equity, Access, and Flexibility

This tiered model is not charity-based. It reflects differential access to institutional resources while preserving consistent scholarly expectations.

8.1 Exceptional Circumstances

Temporary fee adjustments may be approved in cases of:

• Demonstrated regional hardship
• Exceptional local constraints
• Pilot, capacity-building, or experimental events

Requests are reviewed by the Director of Publications in consultation with the Scientific Quality Assurance Officer.

9. Transparency and Communication

All Calls for Papers and Calls for Contributions must clearly state:

• The applicable per-paper publication fee
• The regional tier applied
• What the fee supports (SQA, editorial stewardship, infrastructure)

Public-facing language should emphasize quality, fairness, and stewardship, avoiding extractive or administrative framing.

10. Governance, Review, and Revision

• This policy is maintained under Code X of the iLRN Codex
• Reviewed annually by Publications and SQA leadership
• Adjusted as platforms, costs, or global conditions evolve
• All revisions documented transparently in the Codex

11. Guiding Principle

Rigorous, inclusive scholarship requires intentional design, shared responsibility, and modest but honest resourcing across a global community.