2011 Fall Regular Meeting Agenda Items Preview

I am currently working on the official agenda for the fall meeting.  In the mean time, I am posting this list of topics as a primer for what will be covered at the meeting.  There are other topics that will be addressed, but the bulk of the meeting time should be spent discussing the following items.

• The university is wanting to offer more and more of their classes online.  Gary would like to discuss the future of online learning with the committee and get our input.  One particular obstacle is the labs.  It is difficult to offer a lab online which requires participation in surveying procedures.
• The CBI is currently recruiting for a new endowed chair of the CBI.  There is a meeting to be held on 9/30/11 in which the direction of the recruiting efforts will be decided upon.  Gary would like to get our input on this matter, which is the primary driver behind meeting on 9/23.  Following is Gary’s executive summary:

Conrad Blucher Chair of Surveying vacancy

With Dr. Loon stepping down from the Blucher Chair position, the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (CBI) is looking to start a search to fill the Endowed Chair position. A new job description has been developed that incorporates all aspects of the Surveying industry and its academic pursuits. The position will focus on research, service, and teaching with a greater emphasis on research. The current options as to which field of academic research the chair should focus could be closely aligned with our existing strengths and needs, which are 1) Geodesy, 2) Hydrographic Science, or 3) Other.

Presently CBI has strong relationships with the National Geodetic Survey at NOAA and the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services at NOAA. These two entities are two of three sister line offices under the National Ocean Service – Hydrographic Services at NOAA (the other being the Office of the Coast Survey). We should also keep in mind that several of our former graduates have substantial careers in the Hydrographic Services industry out of Houston, Texas.

The Other category could represent any of the myriads of geospatial technologies that are associated with surveying and mapping, including the Geographic Information Systems and Geospatial Intelligence arenas.

The Geographic Information Science Academic Advisory Committee is encouraged to add their thoughts on which direction CBI should focus the incoming Endowed Chair and any potential candidates that may be interested in joining the CBI team as Blucher Chair of Surveying.

• The latest versions of the degree plans have been posted here, so be prepared to comment on the changes specifically and the degree plan in general.  Gary would also like to discuss the obstacles confronting the 5-year plan.