Frequently Asked QuestionsQ: Who can sign for an organization?
A: This varies with organization type. In general, a signatory must be in a leadership role.
- For journals: Editors, Editors-in-Chief, Directors, Journal Managers, or similar can sign on behalf of the journal. Associate Editors, Assistant Editors, Editorial Board members, and so on cannot sign on behalf of journals.
- For academic institutions: Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Provosts, Deans, Directors of Research, etc., can sign on behalf of the institution or academic unit. Professors, Associate Professors etc cannot sign on behalf of the institution.
- For other organizations: CEOs, Presidents, or similar, can sign on behalf of their organization.
Q: I am signing DORA for an organization. Why do you need my name?
A: Organizations are required to have a person sign on their behalf. The first and last name and job title are required to validate the organization’s signature for it to appear on the DORA website.
Q: Why do you need my job title?
A: We ask that you provide your job title so we can ensure that duplicate signatures to the declaration are either separate individuals, or intend to update their information with us. If you are signing on behalf of an organization, we need to verify that you have the appropriate authority to sign.
Q: I am signing on behalf of a journal. How do I complete the signature?
A: Please write the full journal name in the “Organization” space, not the publisher or academic institution. As noted above, only persons in senior leadership or with the appropriate authority can sign on behalf of a journal (e.g. Editor, Director, Journal Manager). Please indicate your position by providing your job title in the space provided.
Q: I am signing on behalf of an institution/university. How do I complete the signature?
A: Please write the full name of your university in the “Organization” space. We require the full name and not the acronym for approval. Only persons in senior leadership or with the appropriate authority can sign on behalf of an institution/university (e.g. President, Provost, Dean, Director of Research, etc.). Please indicate your position by proving your “Job Title” in the appropriate space provided.
Q: Why am I being asked to provide a public statement at the time of signing DORA?
A: Beginning on January 1, 2025, organizations and institutions that sign DORA will need to submit a public statement at the time of signing to be approved. Previously, organizations were asked to post a public statement when they signed DORA, but signatures would be approved without them, on the expectation that public statements would be forthcoming. DORA has now existed for ten years. While agreements to principles are still valuable and necessary parts of consciousness raising and awareness, it is time for organizations to move towards implementing DORA principles. We believe public statements are a useful starting point for organizations to articulate where they are in their reform practices and how they aspire to improve them. We will continue to encourage organizations who have previously signed DORA to post a statement. We will be reaching out to as many existing signatories as possible to suggest to them that they devise and post a public statement by January 1, 2026 and submit it to DORA staff. DORA staff will update the database as new public statements are received.
Q: I’ve signed, but my signature doesn’t appear on the website.
A: Reasons for signatures not appearing on the website include:
- The signature has not yet been approved by DORA staff.
- The form was not filled out correctly.
- The signer does not have authority to sign on behalf of the organization.
If you have additional questions, you can reach out to info@sfdora.org.