As most members are aware, one of the most pressing topics discussed at this years Board of Trustees and Chapter President's Council Meeting was whether or not a landscape architect should be required to be licensed in order to obtain Full Membership in ASLA.
The issue held sway over a large portion of the meetings and the discussion was lively. Sitting in the room, listening to Presidents and Presidents-Elect give their views, was like watching a tennis match with a flaming ball. Agreement and disagreement came in varying degrees and all views were extremely compelling. Most leaders that I spoke with expressed frustration over the complexity of the issue and the fact that both pro and con arguments were valid.
Ultimately, the decision rested with the Board of Trustees, and our St Louis Chapter Trustee has the following message for members:
"This past week in Washington DC the issue of linking Full Membership and Professional Registration was finally brought to a vote. Following the majority of over 60% of ASLA membership, the Board of Trustees voted to not associate Full Membership with professional registration at this time. This concludes a very comprehensive review of the issue and we would like to thank all of the members that took the time to fill out the member surveys over the past several months. Watch for more information in coming publications from ASLA and Land OnLine." Hunter Beckham, ASLA Trustee St Louis Chapter