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PSS licenses are up for renewal in spring 2010.
How to become a Professional Soil Scientist.
Continuing education requirements.
PSS licenses should be renewed by June 30, 2010
The Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience, and Interior Design (AELSLAGID) licenses professional soil scientists in the state of Minnesota. These licenses can be renewed via the Board of AELSLAGID website (www.aelslagid.state.mn.us). It is YOUR responsibility to renew your license. If you not renewed your PSS license, then you cannot practice soil science. If you have questions, please call the Board at 651-296-2388. The Board staff in charge of soil science licenses is Holly Salmela (Holly.a.salmela@state.mn.us) or 651-757-1516. Call the board to notify them of any address or name changes.
Remember, there is NO grace period!
You must have 24 professional development hours (continuing education units) for your biennial renewal (except for carryover permitted by the previous biennial period, which must not exceed 50% of the biennial requirement).
The cost for renewal is $120.00.
Read the information carefully. Remember to complete exactly what they request or your renewal will not be accepted and will be sent back to you.
The Board received many renewals in 2006 and 2008.
They returned many applications that were received without signatures because this is considered incomplete.
Be sure to mail (or use the online system) by June 30, 2010 (post-marked by that date). The earlier, the better, or use the online service.
How to Become a Professional Soil Scientist
A Soil Scientist in Minnesota who wanted to become licensed as a Professional Soil Scientist under the Grandfathering period had until August 5, 1998, to apply. The Grandfathering period has now expired.
Currently, a written test must be passed as one requirement to become licensed. These tests are administered by the Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience, and Interior Design (Board of AELSLAGID). The next exam is slated for April 16, 2010. The deadline for applying to take this test is February 16, 2010. The following exam is slated for November 19, 2010. The deadline for applying to take this test is September 20, 2010.
The cost to become licensed is $120 for two years.
To inquire about the written test or to get application information regarding licensure as a Professional Soil Scientist in the State of Minnesota, send your request to:
State of Minnesota
Board of AELSLAGID
85 E. 7th Place, Suite 160
St. Paul, MN 55101
651-296-2388
The Board of AELSLAGID website contains detailed information on licensing and other topics, and can be accessed at:
http://www.aelslagid.state.mn.us/
Continuing Education Requirements (Minnesota Statute 326.107)
by James C. Balogh, Ph.D., PSS
Continuing education is required for all professions licensed or certified by the Board. Professionals licensed or certified by the Board must obtain a minimum of 24 professional development hours (PDHs) of continuing education per biennial renewal period. One PDH means an educational contact hour of not less than 50 minutes. The initial period for obtaining the first 24 PDHs is from August 1, 1999 to June 30, 2002. You will have an additional 11 months to obtain continuing education PDHs for the renewal period of July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2002. In future renewal periods, you may carry over up to a maximum of 12 PDHs from a prior renewal period.
Programs and Activities
Based on the continuing education task force recommendation, continuing education must consist of learning experiences which enhance and expand our skills, knowledge, and abilities in order to remain current and render competent professional services to the public. Remember, the entire purpose of the licensing program is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Therefore, a well-rounded continuing education program includes technical, non-technical, regulatory, ethical, and business practice needs as related to protection of the public. Continuing education activities which satisfy the professional development requirement include, but are not limited to, the following:
Criteria for Continuing Education Activities
Continuing education activities must have a clear purpose and objective that maintain, improve, or expand the skills of the professional. For example, the technical, regulatory, or ethics training portion of the MAPSS summer and winter meetings meet this criteria. The sessions regarding MAPSS business or social gatherings at these annual meetings do not meet the continuing education criteria. The content of acceptable continuing education presentations must be well organized and presented in a sequential manner. There must be evidence of pre-planning which must include the opportunity for input by the target group receiving the instruction.
It is very important for both continuing education providers and professionals to remember that participation in a continuing education activity must be documented. MAPSS should consider providing participants in the educational portions of meetings with a signed certificate which includes the date, activities, sponsor, time, name of the participant, and a summary of other requirements discussed in the section on reports and records.
Continuing education activities are not limited to those given in the Minnesota. As long as supporting documentation is obtained, continuing education activities are not limited by geographic location.
Reports and Records
Professional licensees and certificate holders must keep records of their continuing education activities. Records or documentation of activities must include dates, subjects, duration of programs, sponsoring organization, PDHs earned, registration receipts where appropriate, and other pertinent documentation. These records must be kept for two years after submission to the board. This information may be audited by the Board. The Board in its random audit process may require the professional to produce the continuing education information. Documentation on your continuing education activities also may by requested by the Board during a renewal application or a complaint alleging noncompliance on the part of the professional.
As part of the license renewal process, the Board will supply a form for the licensee to submit a summary of their continuing education activities. This form must be completed with sufficient detail to permit audit verification by the Board.
Noncompliance
A licensee or certificate holder who does not satisfy the continuing education requirements for a renewal period will be placed on probationary status. The probationary professional then has 180 days after notification by the board to substantiate the originally claimed PDHs or to earn other PDHs to meet the minimum requirements. PDHs earned in the probationary period can not be applied to the next renewal period. An individual who applies for a license or certificate renewal after the biennial renewal period has lapsed and has not satisfied the continuing education requirement shall be notified by the Board. The licensee or certificate holder again has 180 days to substantiate the original claim for PDHs or earn PDHs to meet the minimum requirement. If the continuing education deficiencies are not made up in the specified time period, the individual’s license or certificate will be suspended.
Exemptions
A licensed or certified professional is exempt from the continuing education requirement for the following reasons:
Summary
Continuing education is a condition required for license renewal. All licensed professional soil scientists should take this seriously. Based on a review of agenda’s from past MAPSS summer and winter meetings, at least 50 to 60 percent of our biennial continuing education credits can be secured by attending the technical sessions of MAPSS meetings.
Recent reports suggest that the half-life of a college degree ranges from 3 to 5 years. Whether we practice as soil scientists in government, academia, industry, or the private sector, we should take pride in our status as well trained professionals. The continuing education requirement should not be viewed as an additional onus. We should use this opportunity to document our professional integrity and pride. Certainly the laws of physics have not changed. However, our ability to manipulate and interpret these "laws" changes constantly. Continuing education is a way to remain in touch with the constant evolution of soil science.
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