Terms of Reference (TOR)

The Philippine Normal University Publication Office (PNU-PO) is the University’s key office in ensuring and sustaining knowledge creation, production and dissemination in both the national and international domain through learner’s material, book, and journal publication. In terms of its management functions, the PNU-PO –

  • Manages the operations of the University’s official publication/s.
  • Ensures that the University policies and system related to publication are adhered to.
  • Ensures academic integrity on publications by coordinating with Graduate Research Office (GResO) and the Research Ethics Committee.
  • Publish quality and scholarly work of both faculty and students in print and online for national and global presence.
  • Maintains and sustains online journal system to expand readership, provide possible article citation, and offer easy access of the University’s journals by all its client: a) authors, b) reviewers, and c) scholar readers.
  • Provide an online common to set-up possible platform for all outputs and products of students, faculty, and staff such as electronic theses and dissertation, books, IM’s, monographs, technical reports, and research series.
  • Collaborates with the University Curriculum Management and Instructional Materials Office (UCMIMO) for quality assurance in publication of instructional materials.
  • Ensures that the University has regular research publications, publish the quality work of both faculty and students; and coordinate with EPRDC and GreSO on relevant matters.
  • Implements the University’s QA system in coordination with the CGSTER, EPRDC and/or CPQA.
  • Ensures implementation of ISO procedures.
  • Assists the academic domain in ensuring compliance with University’s system standards within the director’s domain.
  • Promotes PNU branding program through print and online.
  • Develops programs in the area of publication that will help raise revenues for the University.
  • Provides the faculty with opportunity to publish and coordinate with the EPRDC and GResO for capacity building of faculty and students.
  • Creates innovations that will help improve the University’s publication.
  • Provide feedback mechanism and evaluation of services

1. The PNU-PO Director (Designation)

The Terms of Reference of the PNU-PO Director shall be based on the PNU Special Order No. 195, Series of 2015.

Management Functions and Responsibilities

  1. Ensures an increasing but quality University publication.
  2. Manages the operations of the University’s official publication/s.
  3. Ensures/maintains the journals’ national and CHED-recognized status and integrity.
  4. Adopts and sustains mechanisms for international visibility of articles published in the University-managed journals such as through online systems and journal indexing.
  5. Serves as the Editor-in-Chief (please refer to TOR on Editorial Structure of the journal) of The Normal Lights and APHERJ.
  6. Regularly updates the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Teacher Education Research (CGSTER), the Vice President of Research, Planning and Quality Assurance (VPRPQA), the Director of Educational Policy Research, Planning and Quality Assurance (EPRDC) on matters related to student and faculty publications, and the head of the University Curicullum Managment and Instructional Materials Office on matters relating to faculty-developed instructional materials and trade books.
  7. Ensures that the University policies and systems related to publication are adhered to.
  8. Ensures academic integrity on publications by coordinating with Graduate Research Office (GResO) and the Research Ethics Comittee.
  9. Collaborates with the University Curicullum Management and Instructional Materials Office (UCMIMO) for quality assurance in publication of instructional materials.

 Strategic Development Functions and Responsibilities

  1. Assists the research and academic domains in ensuring that the PNU Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives are reflected in the work of the University Publication Office.
  2. Ensures that the University has regular research publications, publish the quality work of both faculty and students; and coordinate with the EPRDC and GResO on relevant matters.
  3. Implements the University’s QA system in coordination with the CGSTER and CTD Dean, EPRDC Director, and/or CPQA Director.
  4. Ensures compliance with the PNU branding program in coordination with relevant VPURA offices.
  5. Assists the CGSTER Dean in directing PNU publications towards making CGSTER as the ASEAN Hub for Teacher Education Research.
  6. Develops programs in the area of publication that will help raise revenues for the University.
  7. Assists the CGSTER Dean on matters pertaining to the University’s responsiveness to stakeholders.
  8. Provides support to activities pertaining to the University’s projected development and sustainability.
  9. Provides the faculty with opportunity to be published and coordinate with the EPRDC Director for capacity building of faculty.
  10. Creates innovations that will help improve the University’s publication.

2. Production Desk Assistant/Officer

Under the direct supervision of the PNU-PO Director, the Production Desk Assistant/Officer shall have the following Terms of Reference (TOR) –

  1. Shall be hired on a permanent/contractual basis by the University from the list of qualified applicants of the Human Resource Office.
  2. Observes generally acceptable ethical standards and principles in handling internal management decision-making processes;.
  3. Adheres at all times to the provisions of the University’s Code of Ethics, particularly on integrity, avoidance of conflict of interest and protection of the Center’s reputation.
  4. Monitors manuscript submission from UCMIMO for publication.
  5. Conducts initial review for manuscripts submissions.
  6. Monitors the entire review process of the manuscript.
  7. Proofreads the final draft of the manuscript.
  8. Collects all electronic theses and dissertations from CGSTER for publication in the PNU online common.
  9. Collects all electronic research series and technical reports from EPRDC for publication in the PNU online common.
  10. Checks and collects all documents such as author consent forms and copyright forms for all monographs and other publishable materials.
  11. Coordinates with the Web Editor for matters relating to online uploading of all electronic materials and monographs.
  12. Performs other tasks that may be assigned by the PNU-PO Director.

3. Electronic System Management Desk – Web Editor

Under the direct supervision of the PNU-PO Director, the e-Journal System Assistant shall have the following Terms of Reference (TOR) –

  1. Shall be hired on a permanent/contractual basis by the University from the list of qualified applicants of the Human Resource Office.
  2. Observes generally acceptable ethical standards and principles in handling internal management decision-making processes;
  3. Adheres at all times to the provisions of the University’s Code of Ethics, particularly on integrity, avoidance of conflict of interest and protection of the Center’s reputation.
  4. Designs the Online Journal System and the Open Monograph Press of the PNU-PO.
  5. Manages Online Journal System for all journals managed by PNU-PO and the Open Monograph System.
  6. Maintains and updates the Online Journal System and the PNU Online Common of the Publication Office.
  7. Monitors article and monograph submissions via Online Journal System, emails and notifications, and PNU Online Common.
  8. Updates the managing editors of all e-submissions.
  9. Develops strategies for article citation and indexing.
  10. Assists in coordination with other offices in the University to realize the deliverables of the PNU-PO.
  11. Curator of journal’s policy and procedures documents
  12. Maintains e-copy archive of published papers, copy of review records, copy of formal correspondence, minutes of meetings, and list of contacts.
  13. Perform other tasks that may be assigned by the PNU-PO Director.

4. The Editorial Desk – Managing Editors

Under the direct supervision of the PNU-PO Director, the Managing Editors shall have the following Terms of Reference (TOR) –

  1. Shall be hired on a permanent/contractual basis by the University from the list of qualified applicants of the Human Resource Office.
  2. Observe generally acceptable ethical standards and principles in handling internal management decision-making processes;
  3. Adhere at all times to the provisions of the University’s Code of Ethics, particularly on integrity, avoidance of conflict of interest and protection of the Center’s reputation.
  4. Conduct initial technical review of all articles submitted for possible acceptance to PNU journals.
  5. Assist the PNU – PO Director in enhancing the quality of University publications.
  6. Send regular invitations and subsequently collect research articles from PNU faculty and students across campuses and other TEIs for publications in The Normal Lights, APHERJ, ASTEN journal.
  7. Monitor article from submissions to publication.
  8. Facilitate the bi-annual production of TNL, APHERJ and ASTEN journal.
  9. Monitor the review process of all the journals managed by the PNU-PO.
  10. Act as the editorial managers of the TNL/APHERJ/ASTEN journal.
  11. Proofread the final drafts of the articles for publication.
  12. Regularly update the PNU-PO Director on the status of articles submitted for evaluation and publication.
  13. Send invitations and collect research articles from local and foreign experts in education and teacher education for possible publication in TNL/APHERJ/ASTEN journal.
  14. Assist in coordinating with other offices in the University to realize the deliverables of the PNU-PO.
  15. Update and revitalize the journals’ (TNL/APHERJ/ASTEN journal) Editorial team and pool of reviewers by tapping and inviting probable members of the team.
  16. Curator of journal’s policy and procedures documents
  17. Maintains the archive of published papers, copy of review records, copy of formal correspondence, minutes of meetings, and list of contacts.
  18. Perform other tasks that may be assigned by the PNU-PO Director.

5. The PNU-PO Administrative Staff Members

The PNU-PO Administrative Staff Members shall have the following Terms of Reference (TOR) –

  1. Shall be hired on a permanent/contractual basis by the University from the list of qualified applicants of the Human Resource Office.
  2. Provides technical and clerical work in all activities of the journal (The Normal Lights);
  3. Encoding of all initial review done by the Editor-in-Chief.
  4. Checks and processes all mails, in-coming and out-going documents, and article submissions;
  5. Downloads all manuscript submissions from the OJS.
  6. Run authenticity test to all submissions and sends the results together with the original manuscript to the journal’s managing editor for article review processing.
  7. Coordinates the printing and release of the journal.
  8. Coordinates the marketing plans of the PNU-PO to the e-Journal system assistant, production desk office/assistant and managing editors.

The PNU-Publication Office (PNU-PO), headed by the director, shall directly manage the publication of 1) The Normal Lights, 2) Asia Pacific Higher Education Research Journal, 3) ASTEN Journal, and 4) text/trade books and learning materials. The Editorial Management Desk (EMD) of the PNU-PO shall be in-charge of the publication for print and off-print versions of the journals. Three Managing Editors comprise the EMD where one Managing Editor is assigned in each of the journals (The Normal Lights, APHERJ, and ASTEN journal) to directly oversee the review and submission procedure of articles for publication in the journal. Camera-ready articles are sent to the Electronic System Management Desk (ESMD) for off-print publication. Simultaneously, the Electronic System Management Desk (ESMD), manned by a Web Editor shall manage submissions, reviews and off-print publication of the three journals managed by the PNU-PO and off-print publication of electronic theses and dissertation; monographs, technical reports and research series; and  instructional materials. In addition, the ESMD shall provide means to advertisement of journals, trade/textbooks, and learning materials published by the PNU-PO. Subscription and information facilities for readers, authors and librarians are also provided by the online journal system and open monograph system. Archiving of published articles and reviewed articles with corresponding decisions are also managed by the ESMD. Furthermore, the ESMD shall encompass article citation, indexing and maintaining of altmetric system of the Publication Office such as facebook page, twitter, research gate, google plus for more visibility of all published materials.