January 1, 2000

Dear Colleague,

Best wishes to all at the start of a new year. It’s interesting that the next triple-zero year is in one thousand years. I’m sure we’ll make the best of our little slot in history. I, for one, resolve to never predict our ski conditions. I predicted a good snow year and we have record sunshine.

We had a good turnout at the Fall Technical Session. I again congratulate Bill McComber as the recipient of the 1999 Surveyor of the Year Award, and Harry Goff for the well-deserved Citizen Surveyor award. Bill and Harry have set outstanding examples of professionals who make a difference. We also applauded Art Hipp’s contribution as a WWII Marine. The banquet ended with Albert White’s slideshow. These slides took us back 50 years to a western government survey camp. Al’s narration skills took us back in time to California, Washington and Alaska where we met the hardy surveyors and learned their craft.

I am proud to report that as of December 15, 1999, PLSC is an official co-sponsor of GIS in the Rockies. This conference has been a successful learning forum, and I look forward to our participation.

Two statements by the PLSC Membership at the Annual Meeting were that we want mandatory continuing education, and, by a lessor majority, a four-year degree requirement for licensure.

PLSC has rested the lobby for mandatory continuing education the past two years. I expect the challenges to be the same as in the past, but our chances of winning the legislative maze may have improved as we revisit this goal. As for a Degree requirement, a number of national and regional trends are pointing us toward the formal education scenario. Now is a good time to continue the discussion.

As one who is licensed by apprenticeship, I once had reservations about formal education. I have completely changed my opinion. Having studied as a Survey/Mapping Major I now believe that a degree should be required for licensure. Personally, I believe that any type of science degree should be required, with incentives for a two or four-year survey degree. Why? Because there is more to this profession than the practice of surveying!

"Side Shots" has carried a lot of discussion about mandatory continuing education and formal education. Most, if not all of us have heard the arguments for and against. With PLSC, I hope to advance not what is adequate for our profession, but what is best for our profession.

Sincerely Yours,

Warren D. Ward, PLS