Industry News Round-Up Week of 1/26/2026

Stay updated on the latest news, advancements, and changes that are shaping the textbook and academic authoring industry with our bi-weekly Industry News Round-Up. Have an item to share? Email Sierra.Pawlak@TAAonline.net.


Florida Introduces ‘Sanitized’ Sociology Textbook (January 29, 2026)

Two States Are Pausing H-1B Hiring at Public Universities. Here’s What That Could Mean. (January 28, 2026)

A Home for Homeless DEI Strategies and Research (January 27, 2026)

Textbook Contract Questions: What is a ‘Statement of Work?’

Brenda Ulrich, an intellectual property attorney with Archstone Law, defined a statement of work as the details of a project: the work you’re going to be doing, including the timeline of events, the deliverables, whether there’s approval back and forth, whether some work is being done by somebody else, etc. That type of information often doesn’t readily fit into the body of the basic agreement, so it is instead included as an exhibit or amendment to the contract. It is also something that the non-lawyers involved in the negotiation can work on without getting tripped up on the legalese of the main agreement.

Estate Planning for Authors: How to Set Your Heirs Up for Success

By Sierra Pawlak
In her October 2025 Webinar, “Copyright in the Afterlife: Estate Planning Tips for Authors”, Brenda Ulrich, an intellectual property attorney with Archstone Law, shared how authors can set up their heirs for success. She detailed how copyright differs from other assets in an estate plan, how best to divide up your literary works, and how to appoint a literary trustee or executor. For more, you can listen to her presentation here.

Industry News Round-Up Week of 12/15/2025

Stay updated on the latest news, advancements, and changes that are shaping the textbook and academic authoring industry with our bi-weekly Industry News Round-Up. Have an item to share? Email Sierra.Pawlak@TAAonline.net.


You Can’t AI-Proof the Classroom, Experts Say. Get Creative Instead. (December 16, 2025)

A Tumultuous 5 Years Leading the Nation’s Diversity Officers (December 15, 2025)

Justice Department Will No Longer Investigate Claims of Systemic Racism, Sexism (December 9, 2025)

A University Gave Guest Speakers a List of Banned Words. Was It Just Complying With State Law? (December 9, 2025)

Industry News Round-Up Week of 12/1/25

Stay updated on the latest news, advancements, and changes that are shaping the textbook and academic authoring industry with our bi-weekly Industry News Round-Up. Have an item to share? Email Sierra.Pawlak@TAAonline.net.


Citing Anti-DEI DOJ Memo, Alabama Ends Black-, Women-Focused Student Magazines (December 3, 2025)

Policy Changes and Financial Issues Drove November Cuts (December 3, 2025)

Make Faculty Writing Support Easier to Find (December 3, 2025)

IGI Global Scientific Publishing and Wake Forest University School of Medicine Continue Collaboration Through Renewed Open Access Agreement (December 3, 2025)

Trump Administration Continues Efforts to Dismantle the Education Department (November 18, 2025)