Surveying Board

That is crazy. I know that in New Hampshire, it takes something like 6 months after you take your test to find out if you passed or failed, which seems ridiculous at best.

That's just how some of the boards work. I feel your pain but other than stay on top of the staff to make certain they do their job, not much you can do.

We were trying to get some classes approved in one state. Much like you we sent in the information months in advance. The staff made sure the application never made it to the board because it was always missing some critical bit of information. Four different times we called only to be told they needed "this bit of information". Each time we pointed them to our original application and the exact data for which they were looking. The only response we would get was "Oh, there it is."

Finally, after 5 months of getting the run around from the staff, I contacted one of the board members and asked what it was going to take to get the staff to do their job. The only response I got was "it never hurts to be here in person".

Yep, that guy wanted me to take the time and expense to travel a very long distance for something that they would consider and approve in less than 5 minutes.

The bottom line is you can't count on the staff and you can't count on the board members caring. (Some do care, others, not so much.)

Larry P

About 10 years ago I applied and sat for the S.I.T. here in Mass. Received my letter stating that I passed the exam and waited for my certificate in the mail. Waited, and waited, and waited some more.

Finally called the board after 6 months. They told me my application had been denied for me to take the exam. I told them I had already taken the exam and passed after receiving a letter from them stating that I was approved to sit for the exam.

Apparently, they retro-actively denied my application after I passed the exam because I was a couple months shy of the experience requirement (which I wasn't, story for another day) and decided never to contact me about the matter.

Anyway, I had to send in some plans/field notes to prove additional experience beyond the date of the exam. I think (not positive) there is only 1 full time staff member at the BOR here in mass. The general day-to-day is most likely more than one person can handle effectively.

-V

From what I understand Tommy, you've narrowed it down to one of fifty possible states..

I think they're all (Boards) capable of similar actions. I wish the Boards had someone they had to answer to...Absolute power corrupts, absolutely.

Well, I'm licensed in 7 states, so we're down to 43. It isn't Oklahoma, so we're down to 42. It's not in New England because that would be against my morals, so we're down to 36.

That sounds like another state I've had unpleasant dealings with. The problem with it is there are too many yankees.

I'm guessing Indiana...

I think I can narrow it down to 5

State And ABET Degree ?

The rejection may be valid while the contact problem is unacceptable.

State requirements vary, especially to course content and credits required. Your application should have included an "Official Transcript" which would include course names/numbers, credits and grades. That may still have not been self explanatory. States are most familiar with in state programs, but out of state programs vary considerably. Give them a pass on that for now.

If you consider the compensation to board members and the time they put in, pretty much everything is left to clerical employees not actual professionals. I had that bad experience.

Interesting side story, at my second Board Hearing one Board Member asked me if Lehigh University and NJIT were ABET certified and questioned if NJIT was even credible. The Board Member sitting next to him chimed in that he was an NJIT graduate. (Actually based on his age he more likely graduated from Newark College of Engineering prior to the merger into NJIT.)

Consider this, the State Law in PA says it is the Board's responsibility to tell me which programs are acceptable not vice versa.

Paul in PA

J.F. Which Five Of That Eleven?

Paul in PA

Well played Jim, well played.

In the past few years, I have briefly tossed around the idea of licensure in New Jersey and Texas. Neither idea hung around very long.

You can eliminate Illinois....I remember when Tommy got his license in

wait for it.........

...........the "Land of Lincoln". B-)

State And ABET Degree ?

Maybe the slow issues are caused things being farmed out to some third world country, like everything else these days.

That was back in 2005.

I still don't have a stamp there.

I go up to Mt. Vernon the fall of the even years and listen to Milton Denny talk all day to get my continuing ed.

:good: :good: :good: :good:

I can think of worse ways to get your CEU's.....Mr. Denny is pretty good.

State And ABET Degree ?

I don't expect every state to know the content and quality of every surveying program. That's what I thought the accreditation process was for.

State And ABET Degree ?

> Maybe the slow issues are caused things being farmed out to some third world country, like everything else these days.

No, I'm pretty sure I know the state Tommy means. Our experiences are pretty similar. In that office they just don't give a dam. My memory is I have left messages wanting to speak with the Executive Director of the board on at least 5 different occasions. Calls back? Zero, not once.

The good news is that not all state boards are that way. Several are very good at communicating and being proactive.

Larry P

State And ABET Degree ?

> I don't expect every state to know the content and quality of every surveying program. That's what I thought the accreditation process was for.

Exactly right. Why have an accreditation process if every state has to nit pic every detail of the entire program?

Larry P