| April 23, 2012
The latest and greatest fromWashingtonD.C.:
Governance and Administration
- President Susan Hatchell, FASLA, VP of Education Dick Zweifel, FASLA, and Education Director Ron Leighton, Hon. ASLA, represented the Society at the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) meeting earlier this month. Hatchell briefed the CELA board on a number of ASLA initiatives, including the public awareness campaign, the Sustainable Landscapes web resources, and the LAAB accreditation issue.
The LAAB accreditation issue involves the possibility of non-traditional Certificate Programs becoming eligible for accreditation through the same review process used for traditional landscape architecture programs in the U.S. The Board of Trustees (BOT) considered this issue in our meetings in D.C. last fall, and will address it again next month. As you can imagine, there are strong feelings on both sides. My goal is to learn as much about this issue as possible, and work to ensure that the quality and stature of traditional programs (including K-State, Iowa State and others) is in no way compromised. I’ll keep you posted.
- EVP Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA, Managing Directors Julia Lent, Hon. ASLA, and Susan Cahill, Hon. ASLA, and Director Roxanne Blackwell met with Christian Gabriel, ASLA, the U.S. General Service Administration’s (GSA) new National Design Director for Landscape Architecture and Frank Giblin, a senior staff member in the GSA Office of the Chief Architect. The meeting was held at GSA’s request to introduce Gabriel and discuss GSA initiatives. GSA’s new emphasis on landscape includes a lecture series on sustainability and landscape that will be presented all around the country for the GSA regional staff. Diana Balmori, FASLA, and Shane Coen, FASLA, were featured speakers at the first symposium, which was held inFt.Worth.
President Susan Hatchell, FASLA, attended the American Planning Association’s (APA) annual conference in Los Angeles last week. Hatchell addressed the APA board and participated in a joint APA/ASLA/AIA presidents’ panel during the conference. The Dirt Editor Jared Green covered the APA annual meeting.
ASLA hosted a group of landscape architect professions and students from China today. The group, China Architecture Design and Research, was interested in learning more about becoming international members, the awards program, and the green roof. Landscape Architecture Magazine (LAM) Editor-in-Chief Brad McKee also presented on the new design and content of LAM.
- Professional Practice Manager Rachel Shaw has departed ASLA after six years to pursue a growing business. ASLA welcomes new Professional Practice Manager, Dena Kennett, ASLA, who has been an active member of the ASLA Potomac Chapter and comes to ASLA after four years as a member of the design team at EDAW/AECOM.
Government Affairs
ASLA is encouraging members to participate in the Moynihan Symposium to discuss the 50th anniversary of the Guiding Principles of Federal Architecture and the future of federal design projects. The symposium will be held on May 16, 1:00-5:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C., during the American Institute of Architects Convention. Walter Hood, ASLA, will be a featured panelist. ASLA’s input on the guiding principles calls for more attention to site and surrounding landscape. In particular, ASLA suggests that the design of the sites should set the standard for sustainability, reflect the regional diversity and culture, and allow security measures to be seamlessly integrated with the landscape.
Earlier this month, the House and Senate both passed, and the President is expected to sign, a 90-day extension of the surface transportation law. This allows transportation programs and the collection of the federal gas tax to continue for 90 days beyond the March 31 expiration date. House and Senate leaders will continue to work on crafting a long-term surface transportation bill when they return from recess later in April. ASLA will continue to advocate for the inclusion of active transportation programs in any reauthorization bill.
- Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Hon. ASLA (OR), and Congressman Russ Carnahan, Hon. ASLA (MO), have agreed to be guest speakers during the ASLA Advocacy Day luncheon on May 10in the U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center. It’s great to have a Missouri Congressman working with and supporting ASLA…thank you Congressman Carnahan!
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- ASLA sent a letter to all 100 U.S.senators urging their support for fiscal year 2013 (FY 13) appropriations for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The letter urged senators to sign onto a bipartisan Dear Colleague letter authored by Senators Leahy (VT), Shaheen (NH), Burr (NC) and Snowe (ME) urging support for the LWCF and the Forest Legacy Programs. A bipartisan group of 44 senators have signed onto the letter.
- ASLA joined the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and others in a letter to President Obama to commend his administration for convening the first ever White House Summit on Environmental Education. At the summit, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced the formation of a Federal Interagency Task Force on Environmental Education, to be co-led by the EPA and the U.S. Departments of Education and Interior. ASLA, as a member of the National No Child Left Inside (NCLI) coalition and the Outdoor Alliance for Kids (OAK), actively supports efforts to expand access to environmental education and opportunities to increase children’s interactions with nature and the outdoors.
Publishing and Resource Development
- Annual meeting and EXPO booth and sponsorship sales now total 70 percent of the annual budget goal.
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- Advertising contracts for Landscape Architecture Magazine now total 75 percent of the annual budget goal.
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- The LAM Facebook fan page is about to reach 10,000 fans. As a point of comparison, Garden Design magazine has nearly 10 times the number of subscribers, but only around 7,500 fans on Facebook. Architectural Record has only 6,500 fans, Metropolis has 4,300, and Architect magazine has over 18,000. Facebook reaches a young demographic and a significant number of LAM fans are from outside theU.S.
Member and Chapter Services
- Current membership total is 15,540.
Professional Practice
- The PPC Business Owners Support Subcommittee, in collaboration with staff and counsel, has begun work on the initial draft of the next ASLA standard form agreement between landscape architect and sub-consultant.
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- On April 21-23, ASLA will be an exhibitor at the 8th Annual National Sustainable Design Expo, which will feature the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) P3 (People, Prosperity and the Planet) Competition on the National Mall inWashington,D.C. The competition is among teams of university students in engineering, sciences, law, economics, architecture, landscape architecture, and other fields to research, develop, and design sustainable solutions to environmental challenges around the world. ASLA has participated in the expo for several years, along with scientists, engineers, and other organization and business leaders that display their own approaches to sustainability.
Emerging Professionals Committee
- I am currently serving on the Emerging Professionals Committee (EPC), a national committee that includes members that range in age, locale, and type of practice. The primary charges and responsibilities of the EPC include:
- Advise the membership and student services staff on ASLA Associate, Student, and Student Affiliate Member programs and services.
- Facilitate communication with and among all emerging professional groups including Student Affiliate Members (and their respective student affiliate chapters), Student Members (and their respective student chapters), and Associate Members (and their respective ASLA chapters).
- Promote the benefits of membership and encourage member recruitment at all levels.
- Communicate with faculty and chapters about ASLA programs and benefits pertaining to students and Associate Members.
- Promote, encourage, and assist ASLA chapter leaders to increase professional interaction with Associate Members, Student Members, and Student Affiliate Members, and improve the effectiveness of that interaction.
- A number of working groups have been established within the EPC. I’m part of the Professional and Student Chapter Working Group, which is currently preparing three items that we believe will help achieve some of the charges and responsibilities listed above. These items include:
- For the professional chapters: a document/program that includes recommendations for programs and techniques that will foster a stronger connection between the chapter and nearby student chapter.
- For the student chapter: a document that expresses the specific benefits of becoming an ASLA member upon graduation. This will ultimately be distributed to student chapters, and may be added to the ASLA website.
- Updating a map of theUSthat delineates chapter boundaries and identifies the student chapters within each ASLA Chapter. This map may ultimately be added to the ASLA website, and include links to student chapter information.
I’ll keep you posted as we progress on these items and other issues.
Summary
- As you just read (I hope!), ASLA continues to work hard on many fronts, including with our federal government, GSA, APA, EPA, and even landscape architects from China, to promote our profession and help secure our future. For those of who wonder…“what does ASLA do?” and “what am I getting for my hard-earned money?”…I hope this information helps.
My report would not be complete without a monthly reminder regarding our current advocacy efforts. As you know, very important legislation is currently being considered by congress. Also, landscape architecture licensure continues to be challenged and threatened in a number of states (including Missouri). Please be prepared to take action via the Advocacy Network.
Until next time, I wish you a continued idyllic spring! Now if the Royals would just win a game or two…
Rick Howell, ASLA, PLA, LEEDap
Prairie Gateway Chapter Trustee |
