Virginia Chapter of the ASLA

Strategic Plan

VISION STATEMENT

We believe landscape architects enhance the social, environmental and aesthetic stewardship of our communities.

We believe beauty and design are essential to creating a sustainable environment;

We believe the broad spectrum of landscape architectural practice is fundamental to the health, welfare and safety of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

We aim to enrich and protect our cultural and natural resources through quality planning, design and advocacy.

MISSION STATEMENT

To enhance the practice and benefits of landscape architecture in Virginia through advocacy, education, and service.

GOALS

STRATEGIES
(by goal and in priority order)

Promote Ethics, Excellence and Practice through Education and Service

Service

Develop K-12 LA curriculum.
Survey and analyze other existing programs in 2003.
Link location/city with LA sites and field trips in 2004.
Develop prototypical curricula in 2005.
Complete one public service project per year. Involve UVA, Tech, and professionals.
Ask Brian Katen to consider switching from Charrette Coordinator to Public Service Coordinator.
Fund the Meade Palmer Award in 2003.

Education/Links

Develop a partnership with the universities.
Develop list of mentors and match with graduating students in 2003.
Schedule one site visit for UVA/VT students with award winner in 2004.
Add students to VA ASLA website in 2003.
Increase student participation by inviting student chapter leaders to ExCom meetings in 2004.
Solicit interest for Career Day on website in 2003-2004.
Continue to hold an Annual Meeting. Consider CEU potential. Hold in a "retreat-like" setting.

Professional Communication

Appoint a webmaster in 2003 to maintain the web page. Include current Virginia events, activities of interest, LARE review, and resource links.
Send an e-mail with current events bimonthly. Start in 2003.

Public Communication

Increase Public Visibility, Influence and Stature

Create a committee-based chapter focusing on issues, projects or products by May 2003.
Develop and complete membership survey to assess expertise, organizational involvement, and interest areas by May 2003.
Develop strategy for long-term goal of licensure by 2003 Annual Meeting.
Prepare a PR package for public. Allocate funds for distribution. Identify components by 2003 Annual Meeting; finish Annual Meeting 2004.
Identify and foster relationships of professional expertise with partner organizations and institutions. Identify by 2003 Annual Meeting.
Identify LA advocates and develop communication plan and approach. Begin fall of 2003.
Implement educational content of health, safety and welfare at ASLA meetings. Begin immediately.
Prepare a PR package for addressing legislators. Begin Fall 2003. Allocate funds for distribution.
Survey non-member LA’s.

Develop Organizational Effectiveness

Hire an Executive Director in Spring 2003.
Reorganize the Executive Committee immediately. See attached proposed organization chart.
Develop framework for volunteer involvement (both members and non-members) starting March 2003. Outline needs and identify volunteers.
Identify new funding sources now and ongoing.
Establish outcome-based committees and identify a champion for each. Redefine subcommittees based on Strategic Plan by May 2003.
Revise budget to reflect new Strategic Plan by March 2003.
Establish community-based communication and action network starting immediately.
Review and revise bylaws as needed.

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Loss of newsletter – history
No archival repository
All volunteer support – constant changes
Not enough volunteer support
Large geography to cover
Consistency/communication between section activities
Losing clients to new disciplines
Losing profession to new disciplines
Difficulty monitoring legislative process
Uneven or non-existent activity in Sections
Lack of funds
Funding shift at state level impacting education and profession
Narrow public perception of profession
Public sector lacks LA definition (job title)
Too passive and introverted.
Unlicensed and no practice act.
Profession too small – not enough practitioners generating enough financial impact to influence public legislation
Turf wars – too small to fight effectively
Profession not well positioned.
Professional diversity – fracturing makes impact smaller.
Not proactive
Disconnect between practice and legal definition
Too much activity – not focused.
No broad chapter participation
Lack of Strategic Plan implementation
Lack of Strategic Plan measurement
Marketing of chapter activities and lead time

GOOD IDEAS BRAINSTORM

Leverage education programs that are good partners with other existing institutions and organizations.
Consider K-12 outreach.
Participate in Virginia natural resources summit.
Link to wellness, quality of life. Take existing information and disseminate.
Participate in civic boards, etc.
Look at better chapter organization.
Get on board with environmental awareness, green-ness; link with education institutions on brownfields, urban stormwater.
Advance mentorship between professionals and students.
Work with ESRI.
Hold public office.
Play a role in homeland security.
Provide spokespersons in support of . . . .
Provide better communications statewide.
Help influence national policy.
Participate in legislative process, or partner to look at larger environmental issues
Attract more members.
Attract new members.
Broaden focus from ASLA to profession.
Look for opportunities to shift budget in support of priorities.
Provide educational base for certification.
Recognize achievement.
Increase landscape architectural employment at local government level.
Lead in facilitation of complex, contentious projects.
Advance new areas of the profession: brownfields, transportation, stormwater.
Lead and participate in the dialogue on Smart Growth.
Lead in the use of technology.
Lead in cultural landscape as tourism support.
Focus on professional interest groups and diversity.
Focus on beauty and aesthetics (not separate from place).
Support HALs.

PARTICIPANTS

Community Chalkboard and Podium: a monument to free expression