Committees
What Makes an Effective Volunteer Group?
The selection of volunteers to serve as members of committees is based on several criteria:
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Demonstrated interest in the industry and association.
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Willingness to serve — commitment.
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Ability to serve — time, company support.
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Something of value to contribute — knowledge and skill.
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Professional reputation — ethical and cooperative.
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Reliability — will assume necessary responsibilities.
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Leadership and communication skills.
Our Committee Volunteers are worth their weight in gold. They share their time and talents without any compensation. Our Committee Volunteers are a valuable source and are appreciated.
If you would like to volunteer with one of your committees, please notify the Committee Chair of the committee you would be interested in or email us and let us know which committee you are interested in joining.
Advocacy
The goal of the Advocacy committee is to improve and enhance the image of structural engineers and of the profession itself to a broad audience consisting of students and educators, the general public and the media, code officials and government agencies, prospective clients, and other engineers. Education should include what structural engineers do and what our responsibilities are.
Membership
The FSEA State Membership Committee aims to engage and support FSEA Chapters and Members in a proactive and interactive manner. In 2015, the Membership Committee successfully recruited one member from each of FSEA's seven Chapters in order to bring a full committee into 2016. In addition to recruiting members, and based on our 2015 Membership Survey responses, we successfully negotiated reduced fees and additional member benefits sent via our FSEA email account.
SE Licensure
SE Licensure Executive Summary
FSEA has been working since 2007 to establish a structural engineering (SE) license in the state of Florida. Rationale for this additional level of accreditation include:
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Increasing size and complexity of current building codes and standards compared to decades past.
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Decreasing redundancies and safety factors arising from well-intended efforts to reduce construction costs.
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Reduction in engineering curriculum requirements in a field that has become more specialized.
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Significant potential for injuries and loss of human life should a structure fail.
SEI, CASE, NCSEA, and NCEES have all agreed that an enhanced 16-hour examination focused on structures is the best path toward ensuring that the design of structures protects the safety, health and welfare of the public. This exam has been available in Florida since 2011, but under current law, it is not (and cannot be) required for those seeking to become licensed Professional Engineers (PE) who perform structural design.
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The applicant for the SE license would need to have passed the 16-hour NCEES Structural exam and show four years of active structural engineering experience.
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The 16-hour exam would also qualify as the exam for PE licensure, which could be applied for simultaneously.
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ALL CURRRENT PEs DESIGNING STRUCTURES WOULD BE “GRANDFATHERED” IN AS SEs. Prior to the 2017 PE renewal period, Florida PEs who sign an affidavit attesting that they have been practicing structural engineering will not be required to pass the 16- hour exam.
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“Threshold Buildings,” as already defined by Florida law, will need to be designed by a licensed SE. All structures below that threshold may be designed by a licensed PE (practicing within their area of expertise) as currently required by Florida law.
This approach has been endorsed by the Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE), and an additional structural license has the support of both the Florida Engineering Society (FES) and the Florida Institute of Consulting Engineers (FICE). It is the mission not only of structural engineers, but of all engineers to hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public in the state of Florida.
