Page 8 - Traverse 50.3

Are We Relevant, Or In a recent article in the Nevada Traverse, Knud Hermanson, PS, PE,
PhD, Esq, floated the idea that maybe it is time to drop, or decrease,
the amount of time that most states require for obtaining practical
Are We Not? experience prior to taking both the FS and the PS exams for students
who have obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in a surveying curriculum.
He made a persuasive argument for the idea, and if you have not yet
By: Rick Byrem, PLS read his article, you should go back a couple of issues and check it out.
Part of Knud’s rationale for this idea was that we would be more in
line with the engineering profession by allowing this practice.
I agree with Knud, and I would like to introduce you to an idea that is
a bit further out onto that proverbial branch of creative thinking. It is
time for us to swallow our pride, admit that we are not as cool as we
think we are, and enlist the help of those lovable characters that we
all know, the engineers.
Before you start to spit and sputter, and wonder what might be
wrong with me, please stay tuned for a minute longer and con-
On December 1, 1955, an unknown seamstress on her way home sider the following. In another recent Nevada Traverse article, Trent
from work in Montgomery, Alabama, made a decision for herself Keenan, PLS, stated that nationwide “there are currently 513,000
that would transform the world she lived in. As with most social engineers who have a formal education…[and] there are currently
pioneers, her actions would become both revered and reviled, 35,000 licensed land surveyors.” Those are compelling numbers.
depending upon the opinions of those whose lives were impacted Trig Star and Get Kids into Survey are great programs, and we should
by what she challenged. continue to support them. However, let’s be honest with ourselves,
Rosa Parks had paid the same fare to ride on the bus that day as the this type of outreach just might not be able to keep our profession
white man for whom she was told to give up her seat. She was tired staffed with the people that we need when we need them.
of being considered as less than a regular citizen with inferior rights. What I am suggesting is that there might already be enough inter-
Her decision to challenge the status quo and the conventions that ested parties among the “513,000” engineers, and the existing en-
ruled her daily life resulted in her arrest, but that same decision would gineering university programs that support them, to begin filling our
also result in her becoming an icon of the American civil rights move- ranks right now. By integrating land surveying as a distinct discipline
ment. Today, her statue can be found in the US capitol building. within the engineering profession, we will be able to attract a new
For me, Rosa Park’s act of courage is a good example of standing generation of well-trained surveyors faster. We will achieve greater
up for what is right and fair in those situations where people find sustainable success as a profession by being a fully integrated part of
themselves being treated unevenly. But this familiar story is not why I the engineering curriculum rather than struggling to find matriculates
brought you here today. on our own.
As land surveyor’s we need to ask the question: Are we relevant, or There are civil engineers, structural engineers, mechanical engineers,
are we not? geotechnical engineers, chemical engineers, biomedical engineers,
industrial engineers, aerospace engineers, nuclear engineers, and
A lot is being written about the “sunset” of our profession. It is impos- computer science engineers.
sible to ignore the fact that way more licensed land surveyors of my
age (70) will be shortly riding off into that sunset quicker than new Why not surveying or geomatics engineers?
surveyors will be riding in to take our places. There are also plenty of It seems to me that our profession has spent the better part of the
stories about how some state governments, including our own, are last three decades trying to raise ourselves up to a higher level of
questioning the need for licensing the practice of land surveying at all. respectability. I think that it is safe to say that we have been suc-
And, there is certainly more than one clever entrepreneur out there cessful in those efforts. Many states have imposed higher education
right now developing a fancy new app designed to circumvent the requirements for licensure as a land surveyor. Many states also now
need for us crusty, old, and expensive surveyors. require continuing education credits to maintain those licenses. I also
There has also been a fair amount of conversation within my own or- believe that we have all seen an improvement in the level of expertise
ganization lately about things like, “Why do we need another survey?” and professionalism among our ranks during this same period.
“Why do we need all this expensive accuracy?” and “Why can’t we Might the next logical step in our growth as a profession be to gain
design off the County’s lidar data?” recognition as a genuine element of the engineering profession?
To those folks asking those kinds of questions, I have my own set of Something to think about.
questions, “Do you want an accurate and verifiable design surface
and boundary, or just some approximations and guesswork?” “Does Let’s be clear. I am not suggesting that we simply let the engineers
it matter if your improvements fall within the setbacks and property do our work. Specialized training and certification to function as a
boundaries?” “What’s the big deal if the topo is within a foot or two surveyor is as important as it ever was. I am suggesting that we just
if you are designing curb and gutter?” “Why don’t you just let me might find the support that we are seeking in a place where we have
sketch up your improvements on a notepad and save the client a lot previously been too proud to look.
of money?” As land surveyors in our profession in the 21st century, thankfully,
Given all the circumstances that we find ourselves in today, it is we do not experience anything remotely similar to the humiliation
time that we stand up for what we know to be true and say, “Yes, of racial segregation that was discussed at the beginning of this
we are relevant, we do have specialized skills that are needed, and article. However, isn’t it time that we stand firm and confident in
yes, you do need an accurate survey before you design your multi- the relevance and value of our profession? Oh, and by the way, if
million dollar project.” I never hear the phrase “only a surveyor” ever again, it will be too
soon. There is nothing within our professional sphere for which we
Now, let’s set the above discussions aside for a moment and move in need to apologize.
a slightly different direction.
Let’s keep our seat on the bus.

6 The Nevada Traverse Vol.50, No.2, 2023