Page 8 - 2023 Spring

Thoughts on Professional

Practice and Education

Article 2: FS Exam as a Student Graduation Requirement
By: Knud E. Hermansen P.L.S., P.E., Ph.D., Esq.
†

About the Author:
Knud E. Hermansen began his surveying career in the United States Marine Corp. over 30 years ago and spent over 20 years in the military
reserves, much of it with engineering and construction units within the United States Army Corp of Engineers.
He has a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a law degree from West Virginia University. He is a licensed
professional engineer, a licensed professional land surveyor and attorney at law. After many years at other firms he currently has his own
practice consulting on matters pertaining to boundary disputes, easements, land development, liability, title, and contract issues.
He is the author of numerous books and articles and taught at Penn State University for four years. Although retired, he currently teaches
3 to 4 courses per semester at the University of Maine in their civil engineering technology program.

his is the third article I have prepared in a series giv- case? Old age has taught me there is often a wide chasm
Ting thoughts on professional practice and education. between what was done and what should be done - what
This topic, I have no doubt, will leave blood on the walls is wanted is not always what is needed.
– a metaphor only. I will have good friends who take issue I hoist the target as I once did fifty years ago as a young
with some of my thoughts. Old age allows opinions to be
Marine working the ‘butts’ at the rifle range. Here is the tar-
expressed in a manner that youth cannot do or does so in- get: I suggest that experience not be required for licensing
appropriately. When I was young, I often cared what peo-
of a graduate of an accredited surveying program. There I
ple thought of my opinions. Having reached an old age, I have made my statement and shown the target. I can al-
have come to realize another person’s opinion about me
ready hear the shots and bullets passing through my hoist-
has never paid a single bill I owed. Living to an old age al- ed target from readers. Some reader is already writing to
lows friends to mature and enemies to be cultivated.
the editor stating in so many words, with heated passion,
I will not give a long discourse on my experience, edu- that my unsolicited advice is meddling and is not welcome.
cation, and practice. Suffice to say my first of many survey What is present, works. Perhaps that thought will be the
licenses was achieved in 1978 before many who will read consensus of most of the individuals that read this article.
this article were born. I will even surmise that my last pro-
Why would I make such a statement? Surely as old as I
fessional license, that of an attorney, was achieved before
am, I must recognize that experience has taught me far
many readers of this article were born. I have seen and ex-
more than four years of surveying education, if not more.
perienced much in my life that allows for many opinions.
I must have learned important knowledge that was nev-
In this missive I will touch the often-sensitive topic of ex- er available through education. My answer to both state-
perience requirements for the surveying program gradu- ments is a resounding ‘yes.’
ate. I will begin by stating I am not so much advocating for I must emphasize that important knowledge, complete
change as I am suggesting the profession consider chang- knowledge, or extensive knowledge is not the purpose of
es. As is so often the case, the way a person did things in licensing. Licensing’s purpose is to protect the public. Li-
their past causes them to feel that way is the best way to censing is to ensure the licensee has attained the minimum
do things in the future. I had six years of experience before level of knowledge, established by the profession that is
obtaining my survey license based entirely on my experi- thought necessary for competent practice.
ence. That is my story. Why isn’t my way the best way in this

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