From cy.smith at state.or.us Sun Aug 14 18:24:31 2011 From: cy.smith at state.or.us (SMITH Cy * EISPD GEO) Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:24:31 -0700 Subject: [FIT] FW: GISCI Newsletter Message-ID: <4BD752C728FD8C43A7940818DD4A1E9B07FC04AD@exchnode02.ad.state.or.us> I'm forwarding this slightly old newsletter from the GIS Certification Institute (there have been two more issues since this one) because I just realized that there's an article called A State of Compromise that references our work in 2002-2005 on the GIS/Surveying issues, and uses that work as an example for other states. I was asked to speak to a GIS and Surveying group in West Virginia in 2007 about what we did here, and they have subsequently followed our example. I've said it many times, and it bears repeating here...Oregon is a great place. cy From: GIS Certification Institute [mailto:sheila at gisci.ccsend.com] On Behalf Of GIS Certification Institute Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2011 10:24 AM To: cy.smith at state.or.us Subject: GISCI Newsletter GISCI banner GIS Certification Institute Newsletter June 30, 2011 In This Issue Upcoming Events Social GISPs GISCI Poster Contest A State of Compromise FAQ GISCI Board Endorses GTCM GISCI Plans to Update the Certification Process Invitation to AAG Annual Meeting An Offer from URISA GISP and ESRI Technical Certification Programs GISP Store GISCI Leaders Upcoming Events July 11-15: Esri International User Conference; San Diego, CA August 15-18: URISA/NENA Addressing Conference; New Orleans, LA August 31-Sept 1: GIS in the Rockies 2011; Denver, CO September 13-15: 2011 GIS in Public Transportation Conference; St Petersburg, FL September 19-20: Central Florida GIS Workshop; Daytona Beach, FL September 26-29: NSGIC Annual Conference; Boise, ID September 27-30: North Carolina Property Mappers Association Fall Conference; Durham, NC October 6-7: South Florida GIS Expo; Palm Beach, FL October 16-19: GEOINT 2011 Symposium; San Antonio, TX October 24-27: SCAUG Conference; Oklahoma City, OK October 24-27: GITA's GIS for Oil & Gas Conference; Houston, TX November 1-4: URISA's 49th Annual Conference for GIS Professionals; Indianapolis, IN February 24-28, 2012: AAG Annual Meeting; New York City, NY Do you have an event you want listed? Please contact us. Quick Links GIS Certification Institute GISP Store Member Organizations Association of American Geographers (AAG) Geospatial Information & Technology Association (GITA) The National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) The University Consortium of Geographic Information Systems (UCGIS) The Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) Social GISPs Join Our Mailing List GISCI Poster Contest - Last Chance to Vote Voting for the People's Choice closes today. To vote, please go to the new GISCI Facebook page and "Like" your favorite poster. The poster with the most votes at 5pm Central on June 30, 2011, will win the People's Choice Award. You can see all 52 posters at GISCI Poster Contest . You can see the top 12 posters at GISCI Poster Contest - Top 12 . The top 12 posters are judged in two ways: a panel of preeminent geospatial judges will select the top three winners, and the geospatial public will vote on a a People's Choice Award to be chosen from a voting forum available on Facebook. Winners will be announced in July. The judges choosing the top three winners are: * Roger Tomlinson, GISP, Father of GIS * Gretchen Peterson, GISP, Renowned Cartographer * Kirk Eby, GISP, Treasurer of the Cartography & Geographic Information Society A State of Compromise By Becky Shumate, GISP In recent weeks, I have been hearing some scuttlebutt about state laws regarding surveying and GIS tasks and some tasks being legal and others not. Being the inquisitive person that I am, I decided to do some research and figure out just what the fuss was all about. As much as I hate to admit this, until recently I had no idea that NCEES or the Model Law even existed. So for those of us playing at home, I'll start with some basic definitions. NCEES = National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying Model Law = The NCEES Model Law reflects best practices determined by the NCEES Member Boards. Basically, it is a model for state practice legislation relative to land surveying. Admittedly, I have been living in the quiet bubble of private industry for many years, so you can imagine my surprise when I figured out that this issue is affecting not just government agencies but potentially any organization that uses GIS to locate or map features. I'm sure there are some of you that are very much aware of what the NCEES Model Law is and how it affects the geospatial world. However, there are many paddling the same boat as me- a boat of blissful ignorance. Now, it is time to rock the boat and educate the ignorant. Before I begin, I must explain that NCEES or some form of NCEES has been around for over 100 years, establishing the engineering and surveying registration laws. The first Model Law for Registration of Engineers and Land Surveyors was adopted in 1932. As stated in the August 2010 NCEES Bylaws, "the purpose of this Council shall be to provide an organization through which state boards may act and counsel together to better discharge their responsibilities in regulating the practice of engineering and land surveying as it relates to the welfare of the public in safeguarding life, health, and property. The Council also provides such services as may be required by the boards in their mandate to protect the public." The one overriding purpose of the NCEES Model Law is to protect the public. It is all about public safety and establishing guidelines for gathering data that may be used in any legal or authoritative way to specify the location of boundaries and features accurately. In translation, one would need to know exactly, not approximately, where that underground gas pipeline is located before digging. Approximate locations can lead to a big "Boom!" So logic leads us to the need for regulations and guidelines pertaining to gathering of any data that will be used in an "authoritative" way to establish the "exact" location of all types of features and boundaries, because honestly, nobody likes a big "Boom". In short, NCEES requires anyone collecting or using data for an "authoritative" purpose to either be a licensed surveyor or engineer or be overseen by a licensed surveyor or engineer. The operative term in the previous sentence is "licensed". So now I've revealed the big fuss - "licensing". What are GIS professionals allowed to do legally under the state surveying laws without a license (and I'm not talking about a state driver's license)? The answer....beats me, and it seems that I'm not the only person stumped by this question. Now that I have educated and enlightened you on the fundamentals of NCEES and Model Law, how do they pertain to the GIS Professional? It appears that in the true spirit of American individualism, each state has either adopted the Model Law as suggested by NCEES, or made specific adaptations to the suggested NCEES Model Law, or chosen to be even more independent and created their own surveying and engineering laws. So, the problem is who is allowed to do what, when are they allowed to do it, and by what means are they allowed to do it. In the technology age that we live in where your laptop or smart phone is not as smart as it was when you took it out of the box yesterday, it is not surprising that the state laws have not been able to keep up with improvements in technology, especially in the geospatial industry. When the current Model Law and most of the surveying laws were written, GIS was not as common in the mapping industry. Many states are now faced with reconciling the GIS and surveying professions and their associated tasks with the existing laws. The ultimate solution would be one that satisfies both the GIS and Surveying communities. What a monumental task! How on earth will we ever sort out these issues? Luckily for most states, some of the hard work has already been done. Thank you, Oregon! Surveyors came forward in 2002 with legislation in Oregon that would result in all government GIS being placed under the authority of a licensed land surveyor. As you can imagine, a group of GIS professionals came forward to oppose the legislation. But the amazing fact about this conflict is that the two opposing groups came together, found that they had a lot more in common than not, and decided to work together to find a solution. A task force was created with representatives of both the GIS and surveying communities who worked together to redefine job descriptions and associated tasks, tweak the language associated with those stated tasks, and devise a solution that consisted of a list of inclusions and exclusions to the Oregon surveying law. Those Inclusions and Exclusions closely matched the latest version of the NCEES Model Law that includes Model Rules related to GIS. The GIS inclusions and exclusions in the Model Rules were developed by a task force of many national GIS and surveying professional associations. A clear line was defined between the two professions and their respective tasks. If the location of a feature is defined in a legal or authoritative way, the mapping of that feature would require a licensed surveyor. It boiled down to one fact: both professions agreed that certain tasks required a higher level of absolute accuracy that could only be reached by surveying. The task force concluded that Oregon should adopt the amended NCEES Model Law and Rules that included the Inclusions and Exclusions for GIS and amend the state land surveying statute accordingly. The Oregon GIS community agreed to endorse the GISP as the state certification, and to support the element of testing as one of the requirements for a GISP certification to better mirror the requirements placed upon the surveyors. Once the law was passed, the state surveyor's board developed a questionnaire to help professionals in both professions know which tasks would require a licensed surveyor and which ones would not. It serves as a guideline for distinguishing what is GIS and what is surveying. In the midst of conflict, Oregon found a way to achieve harmony in the surveying and GIS communities. Why can't the rest of the states follow suit and adopt the existing Inclusions and Exclusions that were endorsed by NCEES and included in the updated Model Law and Rules in 2003. Why re-invent the wheel? It seems to me that the most direct solution for the remaining states is to work toward adopting the established Inclusions and Exclusions in the NCEES Model Law and Rules. Currently, the only two states that have adopted the new NCEES Model Law and Rules for GIS and surveying are Oregon in 2005 and West Virginia in 2010. So, that is the long, short, and straight of it...or is it? FAQ - GISP Application If you are having difficulty with this or any catergory, please contact us. We want to help you. Question: I'm a certified instructor for 2 Trimble Mapping and GIS classes. Over the past 3 years we have taught hundreds of GIS professionals and more recently we are teaching GISPs. I would like to know if these classes can be used as education points toward getting or maintaining the GISP Certification, so that I can advertise this on my flyers. Most of this is done using Trimble and ESRI software and hardware, Mapping with Mobile GIS, TerraSync Software, and GPS Pathfinder Office Software. Answer: Yes, these classes count towards GISP certification. We do not have an official course approval policy; however, if a class is linked to GIS and uses well established GIS tools this will count towards education points. Mobile GIS hardware and software classes are regularly included for education credit on GISP applications and renewals. You may advertise that these classes count towards one's GISP credentials. The person applying for their GISP is responsible for proving that classes count in the EDU section of the application. June 20, 2011, Press Release: GISCI Board of Directors Endorses the GTCM At its face to face Board of Directors meeting on May 23, 2011, the GIS Certification Institute Board of Directors endorsed the Department of Labor's Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM). June 6, 2011, Press Release: GISCI Board of Directors Announces Resolution to Update the GISP Certification Process At its face to face Board of Directors meeting on May 23, 2011, the GISCI Board of Directors continued consideration of the proposal submitted by the GISCI Core Competency Workgroup and the public response collected during February concerning that proposal. In March of 2011, the Board adopted a resolution recognizing the role that the current portfolio based process has played in recognizing the professional attainment of those certified. The Board made the second resolution during the May meeting: GISCI is committed to the advancement of the GIS profession for the benefit of society and individual practitioners. GISCI's Board of Directors believes that portfolio-based certification augmented by a competency-based examination has the potential to further advance the profession in that direction. In response to the Core Competency Working Group's GISP Update proposal, we resolve, therefore, to embark on a methodical, multi-stage process to carefully explore, develop, and implement an examination. GISCI will only add an examination requirement if an exam can be made accessible and fair to GIS practitioners regardless of their specializations or backgrounds. Our next steps will include establishing an Examination Development Committee as recommended by the Working Group. We acknowledge that members of the GIS community hold differing opinions about an exam and we believe that this course of action will provide information that will help address those concerns. The "GISP Certification Update" proposal is available for public review at http://www.gisci.org . The public comments will be available for review through the end of June. Update: The GISCI Board has created an internal task force that will oversee the creation of an Exam Development Committee. Invitation to AAG in New York City February 24-28, 2012 Dear GISPs, The Association of American Geographers invites you to join us February 24-28, 2012, in New York, NY for the next AAG Annual Meeting. The AAG Annual Meeting is an interdisciplinary forum open to anyone with an interest in geography and related disciplines. Did you know you can earn GISP credits by participating in the AAG Annual Meeting? Attending provides several ways to earn necessary points for the "Contributions to the Profession" and "Education" components of becoming a GISP. For more information, please visit http://www.gisci.org/ . To register for the AAG Annual Meeting, please visit http://www.aag.org/annualmeeting/register_to_attend . Participants are welcome to submit abstracts for papers or panels. The 2012 Annual Meeting will be held much earlier than previous meetings; therefore, presenters will need to submit their abstracts and proposals earlier. Please visit http://www.aag.org/annualmeeting/call_for_papers to register for the meeting and submit an abstract. The Call for Papers will end on September 28, 2011. We also encourage participants in the meeting to organize workshops or field trips. For more information about getting involved in these kinds of activities, please visit http://www.aag.org/cs/annualmeeting/get_involved . The week-long conference is expected to host more than 7,000 geographers from more than 60 countries and feature over 4,000 scientific presentations, posters, workshops, and field trips by leading scholars and researchers. Sessions will be organized around topics and special themes including GIS and technologies and cartography, as well as geography education, political geography, natural hazards, climate change, human geography, physical geography, planning and international development, and social justice. Special events will include distinguished guest speakers, a reception for international attendees, World Geography Bowl, awards luncheon, and an exhibition hall showcasing recent publications and new geographic technologies. Geographers and graduating students seeking new career opportunities can participate in career development sessions and the Jobs in Geography Center, a career fair highlighting numerous job openings in all fields of geography. Attendees also will have several options to explore the rich cultural and physical geography of New York and the surrounding region through informative field trips and excursions. We look forward to seeing you in New York! An Offer from URISA That You Shouldn't Refuse The URISA Board of Directors has announced a new Introductory Membership Initiative for GISPs. Click here to find out more. GISP & ESRI Technical Certification Programs Are Complementary What does Esri and GISCI say about the two certifications? Read about our view in the ArcNews Spring 2011 issue . The GISP Store Do you want GISP merchandise? You can find shirts, coffee mugs, and more online at the GISP Store . Our goal is to make GISP products affordable so everything is sold at or near cost. GISCI Leaders Sheila Wilson, GISP, Executive Director Each member organization appoints two members to the Board of Directors. The members are: * David Hansen, GISP, USBR, representing URISA (GISCI President) * Michael Vanhook, State of Alabama Geospatial Office, representing NSGIC (GISCI Vice Presdent) * Jeremy Mennis, Temple University, representing UCGIS (GISCI Secretary) * Jean McKendry, Association of American Geographers, representiing AAG (GISCI Treasurer) * David DiBiase, GISP, Penn State University, representing AAG * Steven Prager, University of Wyoming, representing UCGIS * Becky Shumate, GISP, PennWell, representing GITA * Rebecca Somers, GISP, Somers-St. Claire GIS Management Consultants, representing URISA * Andrew Vondrak, Peidmont Natural Gas, representing GITA About GISCI GISCI is a tax-exempt not-for-profit organization that provides the GIS community with a complete certification program. GISCI offers participants from the first early years on the job until retirement a positive method of developing value for professionals and employers in the GIS profession. GIS Certification Institute 701 Lee St, Ste 680 Des Plaines, Illinois 60016 847-824-7768 Forward email This email was sent to cy.smith at state.or.us by swilson at gisci.org | Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe (tm) | Privacy Policy . GIS Certification Institute | 701 Lee St, Ste 680 | Des Plaines | IL | 60016 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cy.smith at state.or.us Mon Aug 15 10:27:34 2011 From: cy.smith at state.or.us (SMITH Cy * EISPD GEO) Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:27:34 -0700 Subject: [FIT] FW: How geospatial tech is changing government Message-ID: <4BD752C728FD8C43A7940818DD4A1E9B07FC04BA@exchnode02.ad.state.or.us> An article in Government Computer News about the Virtual USA pilot project in which we participated. Cy Smith, Oregon State GIO DAS/EISPD Geospatial Enterprise Office President, Urban/Regional Info Sys Assoc. (URISA) Secretary, Coalition of Geospatial Organizations (COGO) Past President, Natl. States Geographic Info. Council (NSGIC) 503-378-6066 http://gis.oregon.gov How geospatial tech is changing government A geospatial framework emerges for emergency response coordination among federal, state and local governments. http://www.1105newsletters.com/t.do?id=8908748:140049 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From milton.e.hill at state.or.us Thu Aug 25 10:29:11 2011 From: milton.e.hill at state.or.us (HILL Milton E * EISPD GEO) Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:29:11 -0700 Subject: [FIT] Draft Oregon Landslide Data Standard Message-ID: <4BD752C728FD8C43A7940818DD4A1E9B0898F5C8@exchnode02.ad.state.or.us> The Oregon Landslide Data Standard is now in the "Draft Standard" phase and scheduled to be reviewed by GPL at the September 13th meeting. The draft document is available at location listed below. --- Milt From: gpl_list-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us [mailto:gpl_list-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of HILL Milton E * EISPD GEO Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 1:31 PM To: fit at listsmart.osl.state.or.us; gpl_list gpl_list; ous-gis at listsmart.osl.state.or.us; pac at listsmart.osl.state.or.us; ogic at listsmart.osl.state.or.us; ogic2 at listsmart.osl.state.or.us Cc: BURNS Bill Subject: [gpl_list] Draft Oregon Landslide Data Standard The Draft Oregon Landslide Data Standard is now available for initial review and comment. You can view the document here: http://gis.oregon.gov/DAS/EISPD/GEO/standards/standards.shtml#Draft_Stan dards. This document is a "Proto Standard" in the drafting phase of development and it'll be open for comment through August 17th, 2011 at which time, assuming general concurrence, it will move the "Draft Standard" phase. The process used to develop Oregon GIS Standards is outlined here: http://gis.oregon.gov/DAS/EISPD/GEO/standards/standards.shtml#Standards_ Development. We're currently revising this process but we'll adhere to the existing process for this standard. Comments regarding the Draft Oregon Landslide Data Standard should be directed to: Bill Burns Engineering Geologist Department of Geology & Mineral Industries bill.burns at dogami.state.or.us Any questions or comments related to Standards development can be sent to Milt Hill. Milt Hill, GISP Framework Coordinator DAS/Geospatial Enterprise Office 955 Center St. NE, Rm 470 Salem, OR 97301 503-378-3157 milton.e.hill at state.or.us http://gis.oregon.gov -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cy.smith at state.or.us Wed Aug 31 13:27:08 2011 From: cy.smith at state.or.us (SMITH Cy * EISPD GEO) Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:27:08 -0700 Subject: [FIT] OGIC MOA final Message-ID: <4BD752C728FD8C43A7940818DD4A1E9B07FC06D2@exchnode02.ad.state.or.us> The OGIC MOA has been finalized, with one last change requested and made yesterday. The edited version and the final clean version are posted at: http://gis.oregon.gov/DAS/EISPD/GEO/ogic/OGIC_Meetings.shtml I have started gathering signatures and hope to have that process completed in a few weeks. cy Cy Smith, Oregon State GIO DAS/EISPD Geospatial Enterprise Office President, Urban/Regional Info Sys Assoc. (URISA) Secretary, Coalition of Geospatial Organizations (COGO) Past President, Natl. States Geographic Info. Council (NSGIC) 503-378-6066 http://gis.oregon.gov -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: