MEMBER UPDATE
January 29, 2010
2009 SALARY SURVEY
The 2009 CEC Salary and Benefits Survey will be available starting Monday to nonparticipants for a cost of $750. The survey covers 5203 positions (as of July 1, 2009) in 131 offices of 46 firms, grouped into a variety of personnel classifications and levels of experience. Where possible, the data are disaggregated between small, medium, and large firms as well as by metropolitan areas. A summary of benefits is also included.
For more information, contact Michael Hancock at mike@cectexas.org . (Plan to provide the information on positions in your firm in 2010 and you will receive the report in October at a reduced cost.)
TBPE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING TASK FORCE
The TBPE's Structural Engineering Task Force met for the first time on January 21 to gather information and provide recommendations to the TBPE concerning the new 16 hour Structural PE exam and the future of structural engineering licensure in Texas. Representatives from CEC, TSPE, SEAoT, and ASCE as well as TBPE staff and one board member were present. The new 16 hour exam will replace the current four-hour Structural 1 and four-hour Structural 2 exams starting in 2011. The civil exam with a structural afternoon component will remain in place for the time being.
The group discussed the implementation of the new exam and recommended that the it be offered just like every other exam. The committee also discussed the long term plan for structural engineering licensure. Eight states have a special SE designation for structural licensure. SEAoT would like to see Texas have the PE, SE designation in the future. This would take a statutory change likely involving defining a scope of practice (revolving around the definition of "structural") for those designated as SE's. There would also be the issue of grandfathering current licensees practicing in the structural area. The committee recommended that the TBPE study the issue of SE designation for structural licensure. The TBPE will address this recommendation at it's next quarterly board meeting in late February.
OTHER
TEXAS CEC Annual Meeting will be held April 8-9, 2010 at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort east of Austin. The program will include a seminar by Jon Stigliano of the Strategic Solutions Group on Managing in a Down Economy, a Political Update panel, and an update by Mark Dotzour with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M. Dr. Geoffrey Orsak, the Dean of Engineering at Southern Methodist University will speak at the Engineering Excellence Awards Gala.
The meeting with Texas Department of Rural Affairs, previously scheduled for January had to be rescheduled for February 10. Please contact Peyton McKnight at peyton@cectexas.org for more information.
With state primary elections looming March 2, your investment in CEPAC - the Consulting Engineers Political Action Committee - will help TEXAS CEC communicate our public message. You can invest at www.cectexas.org .
IN THE NEWS
Go to Infrastructure News at www.cectexas.org/infrastructure for newspaper articles from around the state and country on transportation, environment, construction, public works and other areas including:
- The Texas Transportation Commission approved an order using the state highway fund to backstop the NTTA's debt on the Southwest Parkway project, with final action slated for February.
- Louisiana legislators are looking at an increase in the state's fuel tax.
- A slice of federal stimulus funds seeds big rail plans in California.
- The Dallas City Council decided on a $165 bond package.
- KBR cancelled plans for a large corporate campus in west Houston, opting to expand its presence in downtown Houston instead.
- Parkland Hospital unveiled plans for a $1.2 billion complex.
- McGraw-Hill: Home construction up, commercial down in December.
- The Board of Regents established two new transportation research centers within TTI.
- Texas lost almost 24,000 jobs in December.
- and much more . . . .
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