Profile: CLARB works to protect the public's health, safety and welfare by establishing and promoting professional licensure standards for education, experience and examination required for the profession of landscape architecture.

The Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) began this year advancing ongoing strategic initiatives and projects.

 
Earlier this year, CLARB helped found the Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing (ARPL), a new coalition of advanced professions focused on educating policymakers and the public about the importance of rigorous professional licensing standards.

CLARB is working with other ARPL members to inform lawmakers of the need to maintain licensing standards for highly complex, technical professions like landscape architecture that have a clear impact on public health, safety and welfare. The coalition was formed to ensure the voices and concerns of advanced professions are heard by lawmakers amid the growing debate around licensing. With ASLA as a partner in this effort, CLARB is working on behalf of the voice of all licensees within landscape architecture.

Following a year-long friction analysis, CLARB's "Rethink Regulation" initiative was born out of the question, "How should CLARB be adapting to changes related to advancements in technology, pushes for regulatory reform, and changing stakeholder preferences and demographics?" In June, members of the Policy and Process Workgroups dedicated to this project met to evaluate the data and research from a survey conducted earlier in the year and develop potential solutions. The results of their work were then presented to the membership during a half-day workshop at the Annual Meeting in September, where members were encouraged to consider the findings and share their own thoughts on advancing the findings. As with many licensed professions, landscape architecture licensure requirements vary across CLARB's 54 member jurisdictions, and during this workshop members discussed the value of having uniform standards for licensure and a common application (goal: reduce friction in the licensure process) as well as how boards need to evolve and function differently in the future (goal: greater emphasis on education and outreach to foster a greater understanding about how regulation protects the public). Next steps include research about the experience requirement of landscape architecture licensure, the types of information boards really need from applicants to evaluate them for licensure, and the technology that can help deliver a seamless experience from application to licensure.

CLARB's 2019 Annual Meeting took place on September 26-28 in St. Louis, MO. At the Meeting, CLARB's Board of Directors announced the hiring of the organization's new CEO, Matthew M. Miller who would begin his service on November 1.

For only the third time since its inception, the Greg Kopischke award was presented at the Annual Meeting to recognize an outstanding individual who displayed Kopischke's spirit of going beyond the call of duty in contributing to CLARB's mission to protect the public and the environment. This year's award recipient, Randy Weatherly, truly exhibited Kopischke's honesty, integrity, dedication, leadership and gentle nature. The CLARB Community felt the loss of Randy after his unexpected passing in late 2018. Randy's wife, Barb, their son, Josh, their daughter, Katie, and Katie's husband, Brice, received the award on his behalf. The Greg Kopischke Award was created in 2005 to honor the memory of Greg Kopischke, a tireless advocate for CLARB, licensure, and future landscape architects, who passed away after a valiant struggle with cancer.

Additionally, during this year's General Business Session at the Annual Meeting, Member Board Members present were given the opportunity to vote on three proposed resolutions to amend the organization's bylaws. The proposed resolutions would allow CLARB to implement an agile, balanced governance structure that can adapt to meet changing needs while maintaining focus on smart regulation. CLARB members overwhelmingly supported this monumental refinement of the organization's governance structure and processes and demonstrates CLARB's future-focused leadership among its peer associations. With bylaws changes effective as of October 1, 2019, the majority of CLARB's elected and appointed leadership will continue to be licensed landscape architects and the opportunity now exists for the leadership candidate pipeline to grow and include additional perspectives, attributes, and geographical and demographic representation.

As seen in LASN magazine, December 2019.