Bill Harnum presents portions of a discussion that appeared on the Association of American University Press's fist-serve in response to his query about who controls cover design; The many responses reveal that this is an ongoing debate at university presses these days. The responses reflect the roles of authors, editors, marketers, and designers and offer practical advice for advoiding controversy over cover designs. While authors can expect to be consulted about the cover, which is after all the 'look' of their book, the requirements of marketing and the talents of designers must take precedence, and the control, ultimately, must lie with the publisher.
