A publication of the Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio
Members of the PLSO Young Surveyors Network search for corners in Hocking County
Sustaining
2024 PLSO State Officers
President Jeffrey Waggamon, P.S.
President-Elect
Jonathan Link, P.S.
Secretary Joshua Mihelcic, P.E., P.S.
Treasurer Raymond Foos, P.S.
NSPS Director Thomas Silva, P.S.
Immediate Past President Jared Akins, P.S.
The Ohio Surveying News is the official publication of the Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio and is published as a service for the surveyors of Ohio and the profession in general.
Opinions expressed in articles and editorials in this newsletter are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of PLSO or any professional firm, governmental agency, or university department employing such authors.
Patrick M. Ernst, P.S., Editor Gary Schuller, P.S., OSN Committee Chair
2024 PLSO State Committee Chairs
Standing Committees
Communications........................Jonathan Link, P.S. Education Terrence Wright, P.E., P.S. Fundraising George Hofmann, P.S. Legislation..................................Doug Nihiser, P.S. Management Review.........Jeffrey Waggamon, P.S. Membership Jared Akins, P.S. Nominations...............................Jonathan Link, P.S. Past Presidents Council ................ Jared Akins, P.S. Program ......................................Kevin Stacey, P.S. Scholarship Mike Nichols, P.S. Scholarship Fund Board ........ Franklin Snyder, P.S. Trig-Star...............................Patrick Leonhardt, P.S. Young Surveyors Network......Andrew Jordan, P.S.
Special Committees
2022 Survey Datum.................Raymond Foos, P.S. Ohio Surveying News................Gary Schuller, P.S. Political Action Richard Fredrickson, P.E., P.S. Standards Bradley Kramer, P.S. State Line.............................Dean Ringle, P.E., P.S. Strategic Planning..............Jeffrey Waggamon, P.S. Website & Social Media Cara Tryling, S.I. Workforce Development ...........Thomas Silva, P.S.
2024 PLSO Chapter Delegates
Askega......................................William Loetz, P.S. Central Ohio ...............................Doug Nihiser, P.S. Cincinnati David Hulsmeyer, P.S. Cleveland Mark Yeager, P.S. Congress Lands........................Raymond Foos, P.S. Firelands .................Richard Fredrickson, P.E., P.S. Miami Valley Patrick M. Ernst, P.S. Mohican-KillbuckValley..........D.LynnSnyder,P.E.,P.S. Muskingum............................Michael Nichols, P.S. Northwest Ohio.............Michael Lenhart, P.E., P.S. Ohio Valley Michael Austen, P.S. Scioto Valley Charles Chapman, P.S. Southwestern .................................... Eric Lutz, P.S. Toledo..............................................Justin Leu, P.S. Treaty Lands Jeffrey Waggamon, P.S. Tuscarawas Valley........................ Jared Akins, P.S. Western Reserve............................Paul Couch, P.S. University of Akron .................Joseph Fenicle, P.S.
Greetings from the PLSO President
As we restart the Ohio Surveying News, I want to thank you for the privilege of serving as your president in 2024. I’d like to share a bit of my experiences while serving you thus far.
On Saturday June 1st, I was asked to speak at the dedication of the Surveying Museum at Fort Steuben in Steubenville, Ohio. This museum was a dream of Mike Besch. His widow, Ann, and PLSO Past President Robert (Bob) Akins have been working to make it a reality for several years.
The museum is a result of a grant from America 250-Ohio, a collaboration of the University of Akron, the Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio, and Historic Fort Steuben. The Museum of Surveying has been created within the wooden pickets of the reconstructed 18th century Fort Steuben - the only fort built specifically to protect surveyors.
Historic Fort Steuben’s website describes the museum:
“The Museum traces the history of surveying from the ropes and measuring sticks used by the Egyptians to the drones and GPS units which are now common in modern surveying. Informational panels, dioramas, displays, and interactive elements are included in the project. The Museum is a memorial and tribute to the late Thomas “Mike” Besch of the Surveying and Mapping program at the University of Akron.”
I highly recommend a trip to see the museum as it is well done and educational.
In September I had the pleasure of attending the Kentucky Association of Professional Surveyors Conference in Louisville as a guest of the KAPS. It was a good conference with lots of discussions around where to find the next generation of surveyors. The representative of the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors talked about how they had found some success with exhibiting at the state and national Future Farmers of America (FFA) conventions, by showing how surveying could be a good off farm job for a future farmer. The next day the representative from the Tennessee society spoke about their success of exhibiting at their state FFA convention. He also spoke about how they have developed curriculum within FFA where a student can graduate high school with a Level 1 CST certificate.
Based on this information PLSO attended the Ohio High School Guidance Counselor’s meeting in October of 2024 and is planning to exhibit at the Ohio FFA convention in May of 2025.
As always if you have any questions, please reach out to me.
Yours in Surveying,
Jeffrey Waggamon, P.S. President, Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio
2024 PLSO President
Jeffrey Waggamon, P.S.
From the Editor’s Desk
Throughout Ohio, the leaves are falling and providing us with better lines of sight to wrap up those challenging projects before the end of the calendar year. This edition of the Ohio Surveying News (OSN) is full of several articles, written by our membership, focused on the future of our profession while recognizing the footsteps of our past members.
At the time of this writing, we are only days away from the 2024 General Election. For the Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio (PLSO), we have a slate of candidates for open positions within the 2025 Board of Directors to be sworn in at the Annual Conference. I encourage everyone to read the bios for each of these candidates that are included in the OSN and follow instructions on how to cast your vote.
2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the PLSO Annual Conference and we will honor that tradition with a look back at the first conference. As we enter the next phase of our profession the Board of Directors is inviting everyone to exercise the right side of our brains and vote for an updated logo for the Ohio Society of Professional Surveyors (fka PLSO).
To further the sustainability of our profession there are two (2) articles that touch upon efforts to bring awareness to the next generation of surveyors. Andrew Jordan, as Chair of the Young Surveyors Network has written a summary of that group’s field reconnaissance of section corners in Hocking County. Patrick Leonhardt, as Ohio Trig-Star Coordinator, has provided an overview of the initiative to promote surveying in local high schools while awarding cash prizes for these students.
The first article on Professional Practice and Education, offering insights on licensure for faculty in higher education is included in this edition of OSN.
I encourage you to read about efforts by Political Action Committee Chair Rich Frederickson and Executive Director Paula Hammer that have enabled PLSO to reestablish standing with federal and state agencies.
Many of us recall the great work of Don Friemoth to keep us informed and entertained through his service as the Editor of the Ohio Surveying News. I am truly honored to continue this effort as we resume the publication and I look forward to reading submissions to your Ohio Surveying News by our members.
Respectfully submitted,
Patrick M. Ernst, P.S. Editor, Ohio Surveying News
Highlights of the 2025Annual Conference include:
• 26 educational sessions
• Up to 21 PDHs available
• 50thAnniversary Banquet on Friday Evening
• Exhibitors featuring surveying equipment and services
• Young Surveyors Event at Pins Mechanical Co.
• Annual Benefit Social & Raffle for the PLSO Scholarship Fund
• Spouse & Guest Program featuring an outing to the COSI - The Center of Science and Industry
• And much more!
Conference Hotel Information
Hilton Columbus at Easton 3900 Chagrin Drive Columbus, OH 43219
• The conference room rate is $171 per night plus tax.
• Conference attendees are responsible for their own room arrangements.
• Attendees can make a reservation by calling (614) 414-5000 and providing the group code 958.
• Hotel reservations must be made by January 19, 2025.
2025 PLSO Officer Candidates
The following individuals comprise the slate of candidates for the 2025 PLSO officer positions. Ballots will be sent to all PLSO members in good standing via email in early December. Those members without email will be sent a paper ballot.
Office of President Elect Candidate
The President Elect shall act as a vice president, presiding at meetings in the absence of the President and shall assume the other duties of the President upon the President’s request and shall chair the Nominations Committee and Communications Committee in addition to serving as an ex-officio member on other committees. The purpose of this term shall be to better prepare for the leadership requirements of the following years.
Joshua Mihelcic, P.E., P.S.
Joshua Mihelcic graduated from the University of Dayton in 2004 with bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Prior to graduating, he accepted a position with Northwest Consultants, Inc. (now Fishbeck since July 2019) and has been with the company since. Joshua has been involved with many transportation projects, and specializes in the areas of roadway design, drainage, traffic control, maintenance of traffic, and right-of-way design. On past projects for ODOT and other local agencies, he has completed services for every phase of the design process from topographic survey and establishment of the existing conditions to development of the final design plans. Early on during his career, he took part in topographic surveys and assisted with other surveying tasks. These surveying tasks provided an opportunity for him to become more interested in pursuing this path. After taking additional course work through Sinclair Community College and Cincinnati State, Joshua passed the required tests to become a licensed professional surveyor. Shortly thereafter, he joined PLSO and became involved with the Miami Valley Chapter. Since 2012, Joshua has served on the executive committee for the chapter as President and is currently its Treasurer. Using his experience gained through the Miami Valley Chapter, he has served as PLSO Treasurer from 2017 through 2019, and as secretary from 2023 through 2024.
Candidates for Office of Treasurer
The Treasurer shall oversee the financial records of all the PLSO funds. The Treasurer shall approve the disbursement of such funds in accordance with the annual budget or as directed by the Board of Directors and shall present a report of said activity at the Board of Directors and Annual Membership Meetings. The Treasurer will serve as the chair of the Finance Committee and member of the Scholarship Fund Committee.
Raymond Foos, P.S.
Ray Foos began his career in 1989 after completing his associate’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Toledo. He began working for Makeever and Associates, starting as a survey tech and eventually getting his Professional Surveyors License. Ray was responsible for completing boundary surveys, topographic surveys, and construction layout. In 1997, he left Makeever to start a new firm called Contractors Design Engineering. Ray came to the Ohio Department of Transportation in 2007 as a surveyor in District 3. While there, he was instrumental in building the Culver-Davies Calibration Baseline and obtaining its certification with the NGS. In 2015, Ray became the Survey Operations Manager in the ODOT Office of CADD and Mapping Services. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the Survey and Mapping Specifications for the department, evaluating and implementing new survey equipment, and serving as the department’s expert on geospatial topics. Ray works closely with NGS to resolve issues with Ohio stakeholders dealing with geodetic control issues, and has developed and implemented the Ohio County Coordinate System. He is the current PLSO Treasurer, and has presented various topics at PLSO conferences and seminars. Ray served on the Ohio Survey Licensing Task Force and helped redefine the requirements for survey licensure in the state.
Kevin L. Woeste, P.S., L.S., P.L.S.
Kevin Woeste is the founder of One MC Solutions and the CEO of McSteen Land Surveyors, a prominent land surveying firm serving Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. Licensed as a Professional Surveyor in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, he has developed a deep expertise in the surveying industry, supported by his strong background in both finance and operations. Before transitioning into surveying in 2015, Kevin began his career in the energy sector with BG Group, working on financial and physical modeling for a $5 billion liquefied natural gas portfolio. He holds a degree in Finance from the University of Toledo, a degree in Mapping and Surveying from the University of Akron, and an MBA from the University of Dayton. Since joining McSteen, Kevin has gained hands-on experience in every aspect of the survey process, including ALTA, boundary, topographic surveys, site plans, and mortgage location surveys. His technical and leadership expertise has enabled him to transform McSteen, doubling its size in the past seven years. Kevin is deeply committed to advancing the surveying profession and is an active member of several organizations, including the PLSO Cleveland Chapter and Ohio Land Title Association.
Candidates for Office of Secretary
The Secretary shall take roll call, verify quorum, and keep minutes of all regular and special meetings of the PLSO membership and of the Board of Directors and shall make copies of such Board of Directors meeting minutes available to the PLSO Office no later than ten (10) days prior to the next scheduled meeting.
Andrew Jordan, P.S.
Andrew Jordan has been in the field of surveying for 11 years and has been licensed in Ohio since 2018. Upon graduation from The Ohio State University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and a Minor in Surveying and Mapping, he began working for DLZ Corporation as a surveyor and right of way acquisition agent. Not long after taking the Ohio PS exam, Andrew accepted a position as a Survey Project Manager with American Structurepoint Inc., performing base-mapping, boundary resolutions, directed ALTA surveys, topographic & boundary surveys, lot splits, annexations, deformation surveys, subdivisions, vacations, right of way projects with bridges, road widenings, roundabouts, and safety infrastructure. In 2021 he started the survey practice at Compass Infrastructure Group as the seventh member and only surveyor. After three years, the survey practice has grown to a group of 6 full-time survey personnel performing surveys for state, county, and city clients. Andrew has been an avid and engaged member of PLSO as well as the surveying and right of way communities. He is currently the chair of PLSO’s Young Surveyor Network and participated in the PLSO Strategic and Communication Planning Committee. Andrew is also an active member of the PLSO Central Ohio Chapter.
Chris Leroy, P.S.
Chris Leroy has 35 years of extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, including work with Butler and Hocking counties, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), and various private consulting firms. His expertise includes project management, rightof-way plan preparation, boundary surveying, topographic surveying/mapping, utility mapping, and subsurface utility mapping. Chris is an ODOT prequalified right-of-way designer and reviewer, and has a proven track record of successfully completing complex projects. While at ODOT, he contributed to the education of other technicians and professionals by presenting on topics such as records research, boundary resolution, and basemap preparation for the right-ofway prequalification class. Chris has been a member of PLSO since 1990, and has been a frequent presenter at PLSO conferences, where he has spoken on Ohio811 and subsurface utility mapping.
Welcome New Members
The following members have joined PLSO during 2024 and been approved by the PLSO Board of Directors. Welcome all new PLSO members and thank you for your support!
MEMBER TYPE NAME
Professional
Matt Akroyd
CITY, STATE CHAPTER/S
Columbus, OH Central Ohio
John Alban Willoughby, OH Askega
Timothy Burkholder
Eric Eesley
Marysville, OH Central Ohio
Mount Vernon, OH Central Ohio
Jacob Emery Pulaski, PA Out of State
Matt Ferris Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Ryan Hartig Milford, OH Cincinnati, Southwestern
Daniel Houck Canton, OH Tuscarawas Valley
Eric Isaac Lorain, OH Cleveland
Daniel Kaiser Maumee, OH Toledo
Ryan King Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Greyson Nolder Salem, OH
Ryan Nuhfer
Thomas Hutchins
Bowling Green Toledo
Mark Powell Grand Rapids, MI Out of State
Troy Ray Peoria, AZ Out of State
Anthony Williams Dayton, OH Miami Valley
Associate Logan Brooker
West Unity, OH Toledo
Phuong Bui Cincinnati, OH Cincinnati
Tyler Carpenter Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Justin Ginnetti
Nicholas Gyurky
Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Strongsville, OH Cleveland
Kyle Ince Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Clinton Lutz Milford, OH Southwestern
Jessica Meahly Barnesville, OH Ohio Valley
Jeffery Miller Toledo, OH Toledo
Adam Moorman Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Drew Ritzler Gibsonburg, OH Toledo
Cody Schanfish
Affiliate
West Chester, OH Miami Valley
Ethan Straub Akron, OH Cleveland
Michael Bass Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Hayley Bukala Huntington, WV Southwestern
Zacharie Jones Lima, OH Treaty Lands
Mikaela Marhoffer
Loudonville, OH Mohican-Killbuck Valley
Michael McConnaughey Hillsboro, OH Southwestern
James McDonnell Hunt Valley, MD Out of State
Paul Passarelli Cleveland, OH Cleveland
Justin Pingle Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Victor Popescu Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Michael Rubio Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Garrett Spargur
Hillsboro, OH Southwestern
Craig Staggs Hillsboro, OH Southwestern
Brian Warren
Greenville, OH Miami Valley
Craig Zacharyasz Berea, OH Cleveland
MEMBER TYPE NAME
CITY, STATE CHAPTER/S
Student Joe Barriere Fremont, OH Toledo
Christian Bednarz Plymouth, OH Central Ohio
Chris Blaze Strattanville, PA Out of State
Jeremy Bresciani Commercial Point, OH Central Ohio
Noah Cline Troy, OH Central Ohio, Miami Valley
Jack Csokmay Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Joseph Cusimano Warren, OH Central Ohio
Keely Dryden Gahanna, OH Central Ohio
Nick Green Akron, OH University of Akron
Lucas Gorz Delaware, OH Central Ohio
Zion Griffin-Meiling Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Samuel Hole Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Colin Howard Erlanger, KY Out of State
Kevin Hughes Columbus, OH Central Ohio
Jake Lutz Delaware, OH Central Ohio
Tobias Martindale Somerset, OH Central Ohio
Ryan Milani Greenville, PA University of Akron
Jared Minor Circleville, OH Central Ohio
Clay Montgomery Miamisburg, OH Miami Valley
Joseph Morrison Akron, OH University of Akron
Mohamed Saleh Cincinnati, OH Central Ohio, Southwestern
Tyler Searles Commercial Point, OH Central Ohio
Nikolai Shesko Warren, OH University of Akron
Tristian Sliker Akron, OH University of Akron
John Sublette Lorain, OH Cleveland
Katie Szpak Akron, OH University of Akron
Redouane Ait Taleb Columbus, OH Central Ohio
John Walker Mt. Gilead, OH Central Ohio
Aaron Weersing Medina, OH University of Akron
Caleb White Mount Sterling, OH Central Ohio
Derrick Withers Pataskala, OH Central Ohio
Tristan Zawalsh Mt. Pleasant, PA Out of State Sustaining 3Dflow (Giacomo
Trig-Star Season Coming Soon
PLSO Chapters are again invited to participate in the upcoming 2025 NSPS Trig-Star competition. The testing window is quickly approaching, and now is a good time for chapters and individual members to contact area high schools to encourage participation in the program.
Sponsored by the National Society of Professional Surveyors, Trig-Star is a competition that recognizes and rewards high school students who excel in mathematics, particularly Trigonometry, and their teachers. The goal of the program is to demonstrate practical uses for mathematics and bring greater awareness of the surveying profession.
The purpose of the Trig-Star Program is to promote the study of trigonometry in high school and to promote excellence in the mastery of trigonometry by honoring the individual student who has demonstrated superior skill among classmates at the High School level; to acquaint the high school trigonometry students with the use and practical application of trigonometry in the surveying profession; and to build an awareness of surveying as a profession among the mathematically-skilled high school students, career guidance counselors and high school math teachers.
The Trig-Star test is first administered at local high school level. The local winners are submitted to the PLSO Trig-Star coordinator to determine the state winner. The state winner is then eligible to compete for the National Trig-Star title.
Local awards are provided by the local chapters and/or sponsors.
State awards are provided to students by PLSO in the amounts of $250 for first place, $125 for second place, $75 for third place, and $50 for fourth place.
National awards are provided to students and teachers by NSPS in the amounts of $2000 for first place ($1000 teacher award), $1000 for second place ($500 teacher award), and $500 for third place ($250 teacher award).
NSPS also provides a scholarship for high school seniors, college freshmen, or college sophomores, who have participated in the Trig-Star Contest at some point in their high school career, and who plans to enroll or is enrolled in a (2) two- or (4) four-year surveying (or closely related) degree program, either full or part-time. The applicant does not have to have won at any level of the Trig-Star Contest but must have participated in the contest at the high school level.
For more information on administering the Trig-Star test in your area, please contact Patrick Leonhardt, P.S., PLSO Trig-Star Coordinator, at ptlohsurveyor@gmail.com.
YSN Search for Township Corners in Hocking County
Earlier this year, a survey crew made up of members of the PLSO Young Surveyors Network and the Hocking County Engineers Office visited the Ohio Company Purchase in Hocking County. The purpose of the visit was to search for three townships corners of Starr and Green Townships. The crew included Doug Dillon, P.S., P.E. (Hocking County Engineer); Chris Leroy, P.S. (Former Deputy Surveyor, Hocking County Engineer); Jon Beiter, S.I. (PLSO YSN member); Seth Boyd (University of Akron student member); Travis Caldwell, P.S. (PLSO YSN member); Alex Garcia (University of Akron student member); Andrew Jordan, P.S. (PLSO YSN Chair); Tommy Rolph (PLSO YSN member); and Jon Youmans, P.S. (PLSO YSN member).
Initial research was conducted by Chris Leroy, P.S., who identified the Ohio Company field notes, recent and historic surveys in the area. Chris also reached out to each property owner to request permission to search for, locate and mark up the potential township cornerstones. The involvement of landowners in this activity was crucial as it emphasized the practical education aspect for the crew of volunteers
The crew met at the Hocking County Engineers Office on the morning of April 6. McCarty Associates provided their survey crew truck and equipment as did Compass Infrastructure Group. The crew made it clear to each property owner that the goal was to recover or identify the cornerstone and that the County would be back later to gain additional data. All of the owners were very helpful and welcoming to the group and even ventured into the wilderness with the survey crew.
The southernmost corner had limited success. The crew gathered GPS points on the fence lines, old wood posts, trees with woven wires grown into the trunks. They did locate a smaller stone on the surface near an old steel broken off fence post near a rock that were near some other rocks. The rocks/stones/broken steel post lined up with all the old posts well and the GPS elevation matched up well with the topographic notes gathered by Leroy. He later returned to collect static session data on the rock/stone and post in the area.
The middle corner had more success than the first. The crew found a more recent ¾” rebar that was well marked near a pile of stones. In the pile there was a stone that was clearly broken in half and the pieces fit together well. A GPS point was taken in the low point of the pile. The crew also went east along the section line and located a ¾” pin in a pile of stones at the quarter corner.
The crew trekked across the quarter section to the north south section line and located another pin to aid in resolution. Leroy then later returned to take a static session on the center of the pile of stones. He was able to determine that there is only about one foot of soil on top of bedrock in the area. There would have been a high likelihood that the stones were stacked up in the past by what would have been Levis Davis, County Surveyor. There was no cross notch in the stone, but the dimensions of the stone are typical of other Levis Davis stones in the county.
Continued on page 12
YSN Search for Township Corners
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The northernmost corner was a refreshing finish to the day. After a treacherous walk across a nicely laid out concrete driveway through a well-manicured lawn to a small four inch by six inch stone with a worn cross notch in it at the base of an old nearly completely rotted out six to eight inch wood post. There was an additional rock wedged between the stone and the post. Leroy later returned to take a static session on the stone.
Events like this one are beneficial to all parties involved:
• The landowners have the opportunity to submit their input on where they believe the corner to be, and the surveyors were able to educate them on the history and practices of surveying.
• The young surveyors gain an opportunity to look for stones with the help and guidance from more senior members of the survey community.
• The local surveyors benefit by having township corner/evidence to the corner marked up and painted.
• The local agency benefits by having volunteer labor aid in traversing the land and locating the corner evidence that would otherwise take the county much longer and use more public dollars.
The Young Surveyors Network wants to plan similar events with other county, city, and state agencies. The host agency would need to conduct basic research, obtain landowner permissions, and provide coordination. Contact PLSO at info@ohiosurveyor.org if your agency is interested in getting involved.
Thoughts on Professional Practice and Education - Faculty Licensure
by Knud E. Hermansen, P.L.S., P.E., Ph.D., Esq.
This will be the first of several articles giving thought to the topic of professional practice and education.
I have reached the age where I have a great many opinions and have no fear of sharing them. I have no employers that would take umbrage of my opinion. Perhaps some current or past clients might object but they are free to seek others to perform their services should they wish.
If this is the first of several articles I plan to write, I can introduce myself thoroughly in this article and be reticent about an introduction in later articles.
I am retired after 30 years of teaching though I still do contract teaching for surveying and engineering programs.
I have also retired from the military where I was a surveyor and engineer for over twenty years. I have been licensed in several states as a surveyor, engineer, and attorney. I still have an active license for each profession in at least one state. I have consulted in a wide variety of roles offering surveying, engineering, and legal services. I have surveyed many miles of boundaries. I was a member of a licensing board at one time. On numerous occasions I have served as an expert witness, trial attorney, appeals attorney, arbitrator, mediator, boundary commissioner, and, of course, a professor and instructor. Old age, experience, and my varied and unique practice I hope gives me a perspective that will generate some thought, no doubt some controversy, and perhaps some changes.
In this missive I will focus on surveying faculty qualifications. I will not and never claim to be among the best faculty.
I am sure there are some former students that will claim I am not even a satisfactory faculty for I had hard standards and high expectations that left some students disgruntled and unhappy that I chose to apply these standards to them.
As I said, I am too old to change or even give much care to what a young student, lacking experience, may believe.
To put it simply, their opinion is seldom my reality. After the graduate has practiced in the surveying profession for fifty years and still wishes to maintain a low opinion of my instruction, I will welcome their thoughts and give them worthy consideration.
The point I wish to make in this missive is to give my opinion on faculty licensing. I do not believe a quality surveying program must require every faculty to be licensed to practice the profession of surveying. However, I do believe a majority of faculty should be licensed to practice the profession. I will offer three reasons for my opinion.
First and most importantly, I am of the firm opinion that no amount of education and research in surveying or ‘geomatics’ (as some programs prefer to use), allows a faculty to provide the impactful presentation experience allows. Of course, any person wishing to become faculty and claim they have experience outside of academics should have enough experience to be able to qualify and sit for professional exams in at least one state.
Continued on page 14
Thoughts on Professional Practice and Education - Faculty Licensure
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I am mindful that some faculty may have experience in areas of surveying practice that their state of residency will not accept toward licensure. Yet, that person will not be prevented from applying and being licensed in some other state that does accept their experience for licensure. (There is no state, by law, that can demand residency in the state before being licensed.) By way of example, I would refer the reader to some states that require a license for and therefore must accept experience in areas of remote sensing and GIS when applying for professional licensing.
Second, I believe it important that faculty set an example that will encourage students to seek professional licensing in the surveying field. This is done most effectively by the faculty themselves being licensed to practice the profession of surveying. I have seen numerous articles in professional magazines that lament the aging of the licensed surveyor population and how few young persons are entering the profession. Many employers lament the difficulty of finding young persons interested in filling employment openings. Young adults are not given a good example by allowing surveying instructors to be unlicensed.
Third, I believe faculty are much more inclined to have been or become active in their state and national professional societies when licensed. I am of the very firm belief that a successful college surveying program must enjoy the support of state surveying societies. To enjoy that support, there must be continuous interaction and familiarity between the academic program and the professional society. The interaction and familiarity are often absent or tenuous at best when faculty are not licensed. Lacking a license, the faculty can’t be a full member of the professional society.
I have such a firm opinion on the importance of requiring licensed faculty, that I would demand licensing as a prerequisite for a faculty member even at the sake of academic qualifications. If the only choice to fill a faculty position was between a licensed individual and one with a Ph.D. of similar temperament, I would opt to always take the licensed individual.
Many universities that host surveying programs require a Ph.D. These same surveying programs do not require professional licensing of faculty. For some reason which I cannot comprehend, even after 30 years in college teaching, university administrators think it much more important to hire a Ph.D., without practical experience, often without experience as a resident, to teach surveying topics. The administrator will not accept someone without the Ph.D. that would have many years of relevant experience, relevant license, and familiarity with the residency where a graduate is likely to seek employment.
Having given my opinion, I now offer advice by suggesting ABET and professional societies make strenuous and consistent requests of administrators of surveying programs to demand current faculty become licensed and new faculty to be licensed prior to employment. The line is very clear. If a person wishes to teach in a surveying or geomatics program, they should have a professional license.
Other books and articles by Knud can be found at https://umaine.edu/svt/faculty/hermansen-articles/
The PLSO PAC Needs YOU!
The Political Action Committee (PAC) representing the interest of Ohio’s surveying community the PLSO PAC needs your help! This fund is used to support the efforts of our Legislative Committee by contributing to candidates who have been helpful in advancing the PLSO legislative agenda, and fund representatives to attend events that help PLSO build relationships and advance our issues.
PLSO could not have accomplished past legislative goals without the positive relationships with lawmakers built through PAC support.
The PAC is an important component of PLSO’s legislative efforts, and is in need of replenishing its funds for a busy year ahead, including defending professional licensing and obtaining immunity from trespassing through right-of-entry statute for surveyors. The fund may accept donations from individuals only (no corporate gifts permitted).
Please consider sending a contribution using the form below to PLSO PAC, 6797 North High Street, Suite 101, Worthington, OH 43085.
Together small contributions can make a BIG difference! 6797 North High Street, Suite 101
• Political action committees are prohibited from accepting cash contributions in excess of $100 from any one individual during the calendar year.
• Contributions must use personal funds. Ohio Campaign Finance Law prohibits political action committees from receiving corporate funds.
• Checks should be made payable to PLSO PAC CP39.
• Payments and contributions to the Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio, Inc. PAC are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.
Sustaining Members
Learn more about sustaining members at the showcase section at the bottom of the home page at www.ohiosurveyor.com.
