March 2014   REGION DIRECTOR'S REPORT Board Considers L.A. Section’s Proposal to Form 501(c)6; Community Engineering Corps Formed William P. Grogan, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, your Region 5 Director, is a member of the Mississippi Section and is the Deputy Director, Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Bill represented you at the January 21, 2014, ASCE Board of Direction meeting, which was held via conference call.   Bill and fellow Board members dealt with a variety of issues, including the following: The Board received a report on the creation of a new Community Engineering Corps in partnership with Engineers Without Borders–USA (EWB-USA) and the American Water Works Association. The program will facilitate providing pro bono engineering services to underserved communities in the U.S. and builds upon ASCE’s long-time relationship and support of EWB-USA. The Board believes ASCE’s involvement in this new program will address significant underserved community needs in the United States, while also addressing the interests of those ASCE members who want to serve but are unable to travel internationally due to work and family commitments. Watch for a series of informational webinars this spring to learn more about the program and how to participate. Learn more about the program. The Board considered a proposal from the Los Angeles Section to create a 501(c)6 entity to allow unlimited lobbying, participate in a more meaningful way in public policy discussions, and form a Political Action Committee (PAC). ASCE and its Sections and Branches are classified by the IRS as 501(c)3 tax exempt non-profit organizations. Organizations with this tax status are not permitted to establish PACs or endorse political candidates. To better understand the implications of the LA Section’s proposal, the Board took part in a webinar on February 20 to explore the pros and cons of approving such a change.  The Board has scheduled a vote on the proposal for its meeting on March 21.  The Board authorized ASCE’s Structural Engineering Institute and its Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute to use funds from their reserves in the current fiscal year to develop a U.S. tsunami inundation map for inclusion in the 2016 edition of ASCE 7, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures. The Board agreed that the positive benefits of this activity for the profession and the public justified an out-of-cycle budget expenditure. As part of its ongoing efforts to improve its effectiveness, the Board held a retreat in Charlotte in October 2013 in conjunction with the ASCE Annual Conference. Looking back at the results, the Board spent some time at its January meeting discussing how to define one of the core values identified in Charlotte — thinking strategically. The Board agreed that this is essential to its performance both for individual Board members and as a body, but pinpointing what that means can be elusive. The Board will continue discussion of Board values at its next meeting, in March. Do you have questions about the Board’s actions, or ideas on how ASCE can better serve its members and the profession? Email Bill.  BIRMINGHAM BRANCH ‘Engineering Showcase’ engages students during EWeek The Birmingham Branch celebrated National Engineers Week by giving students the opportunity to learn about civil engineering at the McWane Science Center’s annual Engineering Showcase. Volunteers led students in activities and talked with them, their parents, and educators about their experiences as a civil engineer. More than 800 students took part in the event, which attracted local TV news coverage. See ASCE’s demonstration in a report on the Engineering Showcase that includes an interview with ASCE member Rachel Garrett.  Watch video>>   Branch website>> HUNTSVILLE BRANCH As long as they help spell victory ... Photo University of Alabama Huntsville Student Chapter Does this ring true to you? The University of Alabama Huntsville’s ASCE Student Chapter created these T-shirts to raise funds for their teams at the Southeast Regional Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge competitions. To see if any remain available for sale, write uah.asce@gmail.com. Visit the UAH Student Chapter Facebook group.   Section website>> FLORIDA SECTION Santiago Calatrava designs new university’s campus, first academic building The first academic building on a new university campus to be located in central Florida will do more than provide space for classrooms and laboratories, as designed by renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, it will establish a bold architectural tone for the entire campus development. The engineering effort required to realize the design is equally ambitious. Find out more in ASCE’s online Civil Engineering magazine. Read story>>  Outreach event? Concrete Canoe? Let us know and we'll announce it here! Spring is around the corner, and we're moving into a very busy time of year. If you’re a local ASCE leader and your Section, Branch, Younger Member Group, or Student Chapter has staged any special events, engaged in outreach from grade-school kids to state legislators, ramped up for Concrete Canoe regionals, or anything of the sort, let ASCEnews Weekly know and we may include it in next month’s Region report. You may already have written about it and posted pictures in your newsletter, website, or social media. Share the details and any photos at asce.org/localnews. Got questions? Write to submissions@asce.org. Missed last month's Region 5 update? See the February edition of News Around Region 5 Share this page via social media and email: