The Gili for nhi Surveyor - CLSA

THE LAST WORD
Making a Local
Education Program
Work-Part II
By Paul A. Cuomo, P.L.S.
I
N MY LAST article I discussed
how a CLSA Chapter provided the
impetus for a successful Community
College Surveying Program. I
stated that the first contact should be
made by the local surveying community
since the schools do not recognize
the need for such a program. Before the
school agrees to provide support, you
will have to provide curricula including
detailed class outlines, a list of instructors,
and required textbooks. The
minimum program offered should be a
two-semester course in Plane Surveying.
(Survey 1A, IB; Plumb Bob 1 & 2;
or whatever). These courses should
contain lessons in chaining, instrument
use, topo surveying, note keeping, safe
field practice, mapping standards and
procedures, horizontal and vertical
curves, traversing, and a smattering of
the U.S. Public Land Survey System.
Other lessons should include use of the
hand-held calculator and EDM and
data collectors. Most schools do not
have the equipment for this type of
class. Besides borrowing things from
the local surveying firms, some other
sources are local CLSA chapter's education
fund, local ACSM section, California
Foundations for Land Surveying
Education, local vendors (they sometimes
give a sizeable education discount),
and private donations. Fund
raisers, such as golf tournaments,
equipments fairs, and seminars could
be put on to raise money for the program.
With the state budget in such
poor shape, these types of activities are
becoming the only way a program will
be able to support itself.
If you are going to expand the program
into higher level classes, I suggest
that a boundary control, a land description,
and an advanced survey
problem class be offered. Another excellent
topic is survey mapping and office
practice. This is a new class just being
developed. (I will expand on these
in my next article.)
The biggest obstacle that needs to be
overcome is finding capable instructors.
The plane surveying courses are
the backbone of the program. They provide
the necessary background and incentive
for the student to move on into
the profession. The key to a successful
and meaningful experience for the student
is how well the instructor is prepared
and organized. There are plenty
of class outlines and materials available
for new instructors to follow. Lack of
material is not a problem. I'm sure that
a call to Richard Buchholz, Mike Welch,
Mitch Duryea, Billy Martin, Hal
Walker, Roy Minnick, or a host of others
will get you all the class material
you will ever need. How well the material
is put to use is what really counts.
Another key to the success of the plane
surveying course is the requirement
that the students have a background in
trigonometry. This should be a prerequisite
and rigidly enforced.
As your program expands you
should put an A.A. or Certificate Program
in place. A Surveying and Mapping
Certificate Program should include
twenty-five to thirty units of
surveying and surveying related
courses and should be chosen from the
following list: Plane Surveying 2, Advanced
Problems (California Coordinates,
Astronomy, Photogrammetry,
Geodesy, etc.) Land Descriptions,
Boundary Control, U.S. Public Lands,
Control Surveying, Survey Office
Practice, Route Surveying, Trigonometry,
and Map Drafting. There programs
are in place now at Rancho Santiago
Community College, Community College
of San Francisco, Santa Rosa Junior
College, and Evergreen Valley College
in San Jose.
In my next article I will discuss the
development of higher level courses
and the needs of the students that attend
these programs. ©
Copyright
CONTINUED FROM PACE 45
INFRINGEMENT OF
COPYRIGHT
The copyright owner is entitled to institute
an action for infringement of
copyright against anyone who exercises
the exclusive privileges of the
copyright owner as set forth above.
The owner of the copyright is entitled
to (1) an injunction to prevent further
infringement, and (2) damages in the
amount of the actual damages
proved plus the infringer's profits or
statutory damages in the amount of
up to $10,000 if the infringement is innocent
or up to $50,000 if the infringement
is willful. An infringement
action must be commenced
within three years after the infringement
claim accrued.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Unpublished and unregistered works
which were created before January 1,
1978, can still be registered under the
auspices of the Copyright Act of 1976.
Duration of the surveyor's copyright
in such works is slightly different
than that expressed above, but in no
case will the copyright expire before
December 31, 2002. Unregistered
works which were created before
1978 but which have been generally
published, i.e., distributed to the public-at-large
have lost their copyright
protection. New or updated copies of
works properly noticed, registered
and published before 1978 may bear
copyright notice that was acceptable
either under the old law or that which
is required by the new law.
Strong contract language in any
contract will give the surveyor a remedy
against the other contracting
party be it the client, an employee, or
consultant. It is suggested that language
be added to contracts which
cover any indicated situation.
Finally, it is well to note that are
other remedies for misappropriation
or misuse of surveys. Court actions
based upon unfair competition,
breach of contract, and restitution
are viable remedies through which a
surveyor may recover damages.
Reprinted from the June 1982 Journal of the
Florida Society of Professional Land
Surveyors. ©
46 The California Surveyor Winter/Spring 1992