Annual Report 2011: FY July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011
Division of Professional Affairs
I wish to thank everyone who has stepped forward to work hard in this fiscal year 2010–2011, to move forward the business plan of the Division of Professional Affairs. The DPA developed an aggressive Business Plan for this fiscal year. Part of the aggressive plan is based on the fact that the DPA’s membership is on a gradual decline, the age of our membership, the need to expand the DPA’s presence internationally to support the AAPG, and the desire to provide valuable support to our membership.
The present realities are as follows. The membership is on decline. The DPA has traditionally been a U.S.-dominated division. There is a significant growth in student and young professional membership in the AAPG; these students and young professionals need career development assistance and support that helps the retention of these young people as active members of AAPG. There is a need to represent geoscientists in engaging with policymakers on matters of professional concern.
There is a need to increase DPA’s revenue above and beyond membership dues in order to support DPA activities, as well as our pledge to the Geo-DC office in Washington.
Currently there is activity in the states of Texas and Florida relating to licensing of geoscientists. These activities have kept myself, Paul Britt, and Rick Erickson very busy. Paul and I are on the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists Task Force, organized right after Governor Perry’s State of the State address where he proposed in his budget cuts to merge or eliminate 40 boards within the state and the TBPG is one of them. So a task force was organized to address this issue. See more, later in my column. We know not what is lurking in the shadows, ready to spring on us during these last few months, but I can assure you that the EC is ready to handle whatever comes our way.
Status of DPA Goals for 2010–2011
I present here a summary of our activities for this fiscal year with regard to the DPA goals in the Business Plan.
- An Expanded International Presence
So far this fiscal year we have accomplished much in the goal of expanded international presence. We changed the DPA Bylaws to add six international councilors. This fiscal year we added three new councilors: Canada – Bill Haskett; Europe – John Brooks; Asia Pacific – Bob Shoup. Each new councilor is working to get the DPA active in each of these AAPG Regions. We have not been successful in defining councilors in the other three regions to date. I believe this task will fall onto the shoulders of next year’s leadership team. - Expand Overall Membership
We undertook the largest membership campaign since Mike Party was president. The DPA needs to use “personal touch” to convince AAPG members to join the DPA. The membership committee will report on the progress of this campaign to date. We have added 68 new applications since our campaign began. With reinstatements, new members, and through reciprocity from SIPES and GSL, we added 150 our goal for this year was 200 new members. We may reach our goal by the end of the year. I strongly recommend that we continue a membership campaign in the upcoming fiscal year. - Gathering and Learning
Gathering and learning relates to setting up opportunities for DPA members to meet and network, offering continuing education services, becoming more involved with and obtaining more exposure at all AAPG conferences and improving our newsletter, The Correlator.
We have been successful in certain areas this fiscal year in moving these ideas forward. Perhaps our best achievement has been the improvement of the look, feel, and quality of The Correlator. We have received a number of positive comments about the 4th Quarter 2010 and 1st Quarter 2011 Correlator. The thanks go to our new editor Chandler Wilhelm, the newsletter contributors and the AAPG staff. Well Done!!! I was informed at the AAPG annual convention in Houston that Chandler has agreed to remain on as editor for another year. Thank you Chandler.
We have made great progress in regard to getting more involved in the AAPG Sections and Regions conferences. During this fiscal year, we will offer an increased number of short courses and luncheon talks at AAPG conferences and geological society meetings both in the U.S. and internationally. For detailed information regarding what the DPA will be sponsoring at each Section meeting, ACE, and ICE, please contact Norma Newby for the details or review The Correlator section on the DPA Event Calendar.
The Continuing Education committee has begun to establish a list of talks and courses that the DPA can sponsor at AAPG conferences or at local societies. We will soon be adding another online ethics course. We continue to need assistance to define other courses and talks that the DPA can support and sponsor. - US Governmental Affairs
The DPA continues to support the GEO-DC office. The Governmental Affairs Committee continues to define the key issues important to geosciences to address with policy makers. We had a very successful “Congressional Visiting Days” in September. The State Registration and Licensing Committee continues to support our members and other AAPG members with regard to active state and federal legislation. I am sure more will be covered on these topics by the individual committees.- Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG)
In February, Texas Governor Perry introduced the new budget for Texas, we learned that there was a real possibility that the TBPG would be suspended or merged with another agency. The DPA’s State Registration and Licensing Committee drafted a letter (which was approved by the AAPG EC) for the governor’s office and the state legislature showing our support for either retaining the board as is or allowing the formation of a self-directed semi-independent agency. - Florida Board of Professional Geologists
The DPA has also been active in support of the Florida Board of Professional Geologists. With each councilor, committee member, committee chair, the DPA Executive Committee and the support of the AAPG staff, our Division Manager Norma Newby and all our members, we can only be successful in our activities. I thank everyone who has stepped up to meet the DPA challenges this fiscal year.
- Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG)