PDI GCSAA EDUCATION Cancel The title field is required!

1. Ronald Kirkman

   

   40 posts
   
   4/6/2017 3:04 PM

   Greetings All;
   
   Don't know if this is the proper area for my question but I guess as good as any.
   
   Now, I'm going back maybe 25 years ago. GCSAA was entertaining I think it was called "Professional Development Initiative" PDI- but not sure. This was a great debate on the forum but I can not remember what it was about. If it was about education I don't know why I would debate against it.
   
   I remember, I think it was in New Orleans that a group of us met in somebody's room and debated the issue to bring up at the Annual Meeting in a few days.
   
   I don't remember what the outcome was. Can anyone out there recall what this was all about?
   
   Thanks,
   
   Capt. Kirk
   Retired Alien
   Needham Golf Club
   Needham, MA

   
   
   
   
2. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   4/6/2017 3:04 PM

   Capt.
   
   The debate, (and interesting enough, that is when I really got more involved in the association) was yes we were going to start PDI, which we did approve. I'm hoping I remember the issues clearly enough, but if I'm wrong, hopefully someone can correct me, and I think some of my comments might be as much of an opinion as a stated fact.
   
   What it changed was, requiring continuing education units, similar to what CGCS had to do. Before that process, all one had to do to become a Class A (if I remember correctly) was be a superintendent for 3 years.
   
   PDI required one to earn 5 points, in 5 years, a combination of education and service points. GCSAA set up a system and encouraged chapters to offer a combination of either service or educational points, making it affordable and obtainable. This was also tied into the affiliation agreement and required new members after 1997 to be members of both the chapter and GCSAA. Chapters were hoping this would increase attendance at meetings.
   
   GCSAA was able to market that Class A really meant something, in an effort not to hurt feelings when eventually grandfathered Class A members did not meet the new points requirements, instead of sliding back to a B member, that was changed to SM, (which we just recently changed back to B).
   
   I remember Steve Mona would describe it as a rising tide lifts all boats. I will say in some states, I think the chapters became stronger, (my opinion I look at Missouri) to the detriment of the Missouri Valley Turfgrass Association?, which became Missouri Turf and Ornamental Council, which just merged with Missouri Nursery and Landscape Association to become Missouri Green Industry Alliance, because the chapters in Missouri stepped up with educational offerings to meet PDI requirements, (Of course there might be some other issues that played apart of this, I had just gotten here at the time) where as I know MWTF in Indiana seems to be still doing well, (maybe with the chapters in that state supplementing and working with MWTF?)
   
   I do miss those days of debate on the forum.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
3. Corey Eastwood

   

   80 posts
   
   4/7/2017 11:04 AM

   Sore subject Capt. I was at that meeting with you. PDI was ramrodded through by GCSAA BOD and local chapter BOD's that drank the Koolaid. I addressed the General Meeting and was told I was Out of Order and to sit down. My opinion on it even cost me the Presidency of the CA Chapter. It's twenty years later and I believe it failed and has been dropped.

   
   Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired
   
   
4. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   4/7/2017 4:04 PM

   Corey Eastwood, CGCS said: Sore subject Capt. I was at that meeting with you. PDI was ramrodded through by GCSAA BOD and local chapter BOD's that drank the Koolaid. I addressed the General Meeting and was told I was Out of Order and to sit down. My opinion on it even cost me the Presidency of the CA Chapter. It's twenty years later and I believe it failed and has been dropped.

   
   
   No it is still in use. As a matter of fact I we voted in 2016 and upped the requirement on education points to 3 edu's per 5 year period. Go into the membership area, I double checked and it is 3 edu points needed and then 2 more service or edu points to maintain an A (5 points total).
   
   Also the eligibility requirements to become an A has been strengthened. One needs to earn a total of 20 points which is a sliding scale on years as a superintendent, +/or depending on type of degree +/or continuing education. It is in the member section as well under Class A eligibility requirements. I wish it would have let me copy the tabs to insert in here.
   
   I think the results are mixed, while important for the profession as a whole, there are certain employers (in my opinion) that really don't recognize that value of continuing education. They look at just as much where you have been, and maybe who you know and have been mentored by. Of course then there are the employers who just want the cheapest person. Personally while I might not have benefited in better jobs in my career, the education has enabled me to keep my job and continue to improve my course. Of course that's just my opinion from my experience.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
5. Ronald Kirkman

   

   40 posts
   
   4/7/2017 8:04 PM

   Hi Corey;
   
   I know you were at the meeting and I remember other superintendents there but I did not want to put any names down.
   
   It appears Mel has summed it up what was going on. I do remember I did not want to see a golf course superintendent lose his/her class A status for whatever reason to do with PDI. I had no idea it may have caused you to lose the CA Presidency.
   
   Corey, I'm quite sure it was 25 years ago because we were in New Orleans when this took place.
   
   Capt. Kirk
   Retired Alien
   Needham Golf Club
   Needham, MA