The AGIC Symposium is coming up fast. Plan to be at the Prescott Resort in beautiful Prescott, AZ from August 26-29 to network with and learn from other GIS Professionals and Vendors from across the state. Important dates to remember:
*May 23: Abstract submissions due. Submittal form.
*May 9: T-shirt Design Contest entries due. Entry guidelines.
*July 18: Scholarship applications due. Includes the Tony Gonzales and Women in GIS Scholarships.
*July 28: Last day for early bird registration
*Sponsorship sign-up now open.
*August 4: Last day for group room block at Prescott Resort.
Check the AGIC Symposium website for more details. Follow us on the AGIC-L Listserv or on social media to hear further announcements.
This page provides an overview of the benefits and responsibilities that come with serving as an AGIC Council Member. While this page provides a good summary, it is recommended that all Council Members read the AGIC Member’s Manual. The manual officially outlines the guidelines and procedures the Council follows and defines commonly used terms, such as what are a Committee and Workgroup. While it is highly encouraged that Council Members read the entire manual at least once, those with time constraints will primarily benefit from reading Sections 1-6.
For those interested in becoming a Council Member, it is recommended to start by talking with the AGIC Officers or with the Deputy State Cartographer. While AGIC does not require any professional credentials, ARS § 37-177 does limit how many members may be appointed from each sector as identified in statute. By talking with the AGIC Officers first, the Council can ensure a position is available.
Prospective applicants will then be asked to submit an application to the Arizona Boards & Commissions, who will coordinate with the Arizona Governor's Office to review the applications. If accepted, you will receive an official appointment to AGIC from the Arizona Governor. Please note that applicants will be asked to submit a current resume and references, agree to a background check, and may be interviewed by Boards & Commissions staff.
The FAQ section includes common questions received from current and upcoming Council Members. If you have a question that is not listed here, please contact AGIC for assistance.
First, it is important to understand that, while Council Members are appointed by the Governor, they are still considered volunteers. Your time is valuable and neither AGIC nor the State Cartographer’s Office (SCO) have the authority to require members to do anything, including participating in meetings.
That said, attendance is important! According to the Arizona Revised Statute, AGIC must have a minimum of 18 Council Members attend a meeting in order for the meeting to continue. Otherwise, by law, the meeting must be canceled (refer to the AGIC Manual, page 14). As such, it is requested that anyone who does agree to become a Council Member, at a minimum, commits to attending three of the four quarterly Council meetings each year.
It should be noted that while AGIC Officers do not have the authority to remove Council Members if they do not attend meetings, the Officers can work with the State Cartographer’s Office to recommend to the Governor the individual be removed from the Council.
No. In order to make Council meetings as open and transparent as possible, all meetings provide a virtual meeting space, currently Google Meets, as well as a physical meeting space. Council Members may attend in-person or virtually, whichever option is the most convenient.
About once every three years, AGIC organizes a leadership retreat. These are two-hour facilitated meetings designed to collect feedback from Council Members and other AGIC participants that will help Council Officers design the AGIC Strategic and Business Plan, which outlines the goals that will guide AGIC business for the next three years. While Council members are highly encouraged to attend those meetings in-person, AGIC does not require Council Members to attend.
No. However, because Committees and Workgroups are where the majority of AGIC activities and projects are performed, it is highly encouraged that Council Members participate in at least one of these groups.
Attend Council Meetings. Attend as many meetings as possible, prepare for meetings by reading the materials distributed ahead of time, and participate in the meetings by asking questions and voting. As a member, you have the authority to influence the activities that AGIC, its Committees, and Workgroups focus on through your vote. In addition, you can request, or as a Chair, help direct agenda items for AGIC meetings.
Participate in a Committee or Workgroup. These groups carry out the work of AGIC. The more people who participate in these groups, the more that AGIC can accomplish.
Participate in or attend presentations from the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC). All AGIC Council Members are enrolled as members of the NSGIC. This means Council Members have access to presentations and forums only available to NSGIC members. They are also able to participate in NSGIC Committees and Workgroups and can get the membership rate if attending the NSGIC Annual Conference or Mid-Year Meeting.
Most importantly, network with other Council members. Many Council Members have mentioned that one of the primary benefits of being a member is being able to connect with other GIS professionals on the Council. This has helped them learn from the work others have done, improved their own professional development, and avoided mistakes, leading them to strengthen their resumes and grow within the industry.
The majority of AGIC Council Members have said that the primary benefits of their membership have been networking and professional development. Their membership has given them the opportunity to build their professional network by connecting with and learning from other GIS professionals in the state. This has enabled them to further their professional development, strengthen their resumes, and find guidance from other professionals to help them advance their own careers.
Another notable benefit is being able to keep up with changes in the Arizona GIS Community. Through their membership, the Council learns of new developments or projects happening in the state. In addition, with their membership with NSGIC, members are also able to learn of activities happening across the nation, often helping them learn from other states and tie their own work into the national picture. This has helped people further understand and demonstrate the importance of GIS to their agencies and organizations and relate their own work to bigger-picture issues.
A philosophy that drives most AGIC’s business is “build once, use many.” Through information exchange opportunities provided by the Council (e.g. meetings, presentations, conferences), AGIC works to form collaborations between organizations to develop datasets, applications, standards, guidelines, and other resources that benefit the Arizona GIS Community as a whole. This work helps minimize time and costs for individual organizations to develop these resources by sharing the time and costs, and lessons learned, with other groups in the state. Council Members have also noted the benefit of being able to influence the directions, guidelines and standards used to develop datasets intended to be shared across organizations. By ensuring that everyone is using the same standards, the datasets are able to meet minimum expectations and help improve the overall quality of the data.
Council Members have also noted that through their connections with other GIS Professionals, who are either Council Members themselves or generally participate in AGIC, they are able to connect with and find support from others who have helped them avoid mistakes, fix GIS issues more quickly, further reducing costs to their organizations. The resources provided through AGIC, such as datasets and applications made available in AZGeo, or the guidelines published in the AGIC Resources webpage, have helped address many of their organization’s needs.
AGIC has also provided Council Members the opportunity to see the trends across the geospatial industry, both within Arizona as well as across the nation, through NSGIC. This has helped several Council Members coordinate their team’s priorities and projects to stay ahead of the trends and keep up with new and upcoming technologies.
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