This region includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin
A former assistant golf course superintendent, Shane joined the GCSAA staff in 2015. He resides in Ferndale, Mich.
Tel: 800-472-7878, ext. 3635; sconroy@gcsaa.org
You guessed it. I'm piggybacking off last week's CTEM post for this week's CGCS post. Also, new this week, a fellow field staffer is guest appearing for the first time. Taking the lead this week is GCSAA's Northwest Field Rep Dave Phipps as he so eloquently wrote a post about the modernized CGCS program just last year. So, please join Dave as he breaks down the modernized CGCS program:
The famous philosopher, Heraclitus, once said, “The only thing that is constant is change.” With that said, change brings new opportunities and new opportunities bring growth. The GCSAA Certification Committee felt the same way as they took a close look at our existing certification program. Like most successful programs, as they grow, they need to evolve to meet the changing times. This was the approach as they decided to make some changes to modernize the program. The intent was to keep the high standards of the certification process while reducing the amount of time necessary to complete it.
To review what has changed, let’s look at the old criteria. First, to be eligible for the program the applicant must have met the eligibility requirements of specific levels of education and experience. In other words, meet the Class A requirements. In addition, the applicant must have possessed a current pesticide license or have passed the GCSAA IPM exam. SECOND, the applicant must have completed the online GCSAA self-assessment. THIRD, the applicant must have completed a portfolio. LASTLY, the applicant must have completed the proctored, paper-based exam and attesting of the golf course. Renewal requirements followed.
The new program is similar in several aspects. The applicant still must meet Class A criteria and possess a pesticide license or pass the IPM exam to apply. There continues to be an attesting component and an exam. And, the renewal criteria remain the same.
What is different:
The new Leadership & Communication component of the program gives options in which to complete. You will be required to provide proof of three out of the four following activities:
The attesting process was also enhanced. The 2021 Certification Committee worked through the attesting process with Dr. Thayn. Attesting content was reviewed and is structured in a way that lends itself to providing better direction to the attestors for grading.
There are a few additional enhancements to the program to make you aware:
I am by no means an expert on this program since I am not a certified superintendent, but I can certainly attest that the work that has gone into making this a more time-efficient, yet accountable, program. We can all be grateful to the staff at GCSAA and those who have served on the Certification Committee over the years for adapting and changing our certification process to meet the needs of today’s superintendent. Our program remains the standard by which all others are measured.
As always, if you've missed a previous post, please check them out below:
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