Leadership

We had a good kickoff teleconference today for the new S573 Accreditation of Soil Science Programs committee. NSCSS is strongly in support. Our committee charge: Evaluate if Departments that offer “programs”/degrees in Soil Science are interested in an accreditation process.

Invest in yourself. Invest in your profession.

Pierre Bordenave has been recently appointed by the National Academy of Sciences to the U.S. National Committee for Soil Science (USNC/SS) for a term of 3 years.

Soil changes over time. Anticipating the effects of management and environmental change is increasingly important. How best to capture that dynamic, and communicate it, is one of the more stimulating subjects being addressed by our soil scientist peers in academia and the public sector.

Soil Change Working Group: Soil Change within the Human Time Scale

Candidates for elected office starting in 2010.

The Committee has submitted nominations. Nominations closed September 30th and Balloting closed December 31st, 2009. We greatly appreciate those among you who accept the challenge of serving in our elected offices, especially in these difficult financial times. It is particularly gratifying to see all available positions matched with candidates.

When Ohio pedologist Andy Kleinschmidt applied to join NSCSS yesterday, I hesitated to encourage him. Andy provides soil science consulting services for a fee, but as a Cooperative Extension Soil Scientist. That's a red flag for NSCSS.

Donald D. Patterson is being buried today in the North Dakota land that was his home for more than half a century. Don, 82, was one of my mentors and a professor at North Dakota State University, Fargo, in the Soil Science Department. Originially from northern Iowa, in the 1950's he was a member of the rugged survey crew that criss-crossed the state producing general soil survey area maps for the Agricultural College. Don was a meticulous soil scientist, and willing to share his in-depth knowledge of the State's soils. He was deeply involved with the professional soil classifiers association of North Dakota, and was instrumental in obtaining the soil classifier registration law in the state. In addition to field research in soil classification, Don's interests turned to land valuation and related important uses of soils information. He will be missed by those whom he selflessly helped and advised.

About a year ago, NSCSS took a public position in support of public access to the fruits of publicly funded research. This short video on the Science Commons project provides some context for those who wonder why scientists care, and care deeply, about this issue.

The authority of the Board is defined by the bylaws. The following summarizes the basis in the bylaws for the authority and responsibilities of the Board, and processes by which it leads the Society.

The United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations (USCSSA) was established in 2001 to promote national communication and coordination between soils societies / associations. NSCSS is a charter member of USCSSA and a member of the USCSSA governing Council.

For requirements that don't warrant bylaws coverage, we have Rules of Policy and Procedure.

The current version of the bylaws was approved by the Board of Directors on March 4, 2009. History The Bylaws, derived originally from those of the ACEC, have changed fairly dramatically since their inception.