CAUT has signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), an international initiative to address the overreliance on journal-based metrics in hiring, promotion, and funding decisions. More than 1550 organizations and 15,000 individuals have signed the Declaration, including the Canadian research funding agencies.

DORA recommendations call on signatories to support the elimination of the use of journal-based metrics; assess research on its own merits rather than on the basis of the journal in which the research is published; and focus on the value and influence of specific research outputs. DORA is consistent with CAUT’s policy statement on performance metrics which notes that measuring teaching, research, creative activities, service, and/or professional practice with an exclusive or excessive emphasis on performance metrics neglects the diversity and totality of scholarly activity.