The earth sciences need some system of regulation and accreditation. Such action will not immediately provide one more job; nor will it raise our stature or increase our income at once. Our chief concern is how this regulation should be accomplished. Hence, the AGI Committee for Study of Professional Standards. AGI is the only vehicle which can represent all branches of earth science and through which a profession-wide study can be made! The Committee is not constituted to force legal regulation or accreditation on either the profession or colleges and universities.

It is proposed to reorganize AGI as the one and only professional organization; a federation representing all earth scientists and their scientific organizations. Within this new federation, creation of a "Professional Institute" for self-regulation and accreditation is proposed. Far more stringent professional requirements can be made than can be written into any acceptable law. Surveys indicate industry supports and individually rewards real attempts to raise professional standards and competence. Self-regulation is a step in the right direction, but may or may not take the place of legal regulation. Only those of us in the profession can decide how we want it regulated.

End_of_Article - Last_Page 953------------