Question about Pretoria and publishing

I recently asked my advisor about an offer I received for the publication of a monograph. My plan was to publish the monograph (a collection of five journal articles) before graduation. After I receive the doctorate, I would write the full biography of my subject.

Here's the response I received:

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Dear Roscoe,

The University of Pretoria has a peer review system which deals with books submitted for academic purposes. This is done in the year following graduation and the process may take a number of months.*

As far as publication is concerned, as far as I can discover, there is no bar to you publishing material prior to graduation.* However, there is an assumption that it is better to await the outcome of examination in order to improve, if necessary, on the advice of 3 examiners.

Yet,*I can see no obstacle myself to the publication of the monograph with the full biography waiting for graduation.*

I am sorry if this seems rather contradictory but that is often how we academics operate!

Best Wishes!

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My question: Would you go ahead and publish the monograph before graduation?

Also, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Pretoria publishes (or consider publishing) its students' research. Didn't know that universities publish their own.

Is this common for university presses?

I welcome your thoughts.

Thanks.

Roscoe