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On Wednesday, April 9, Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) students from the University of Oklahoma represented their peers at the Oklahoma Board of Governors of Licensed Architects, Landscape Architects, and Licensed Interior Designers (OBA) board meeting. Giselle Walker, a second-year MLA student, and Jeremy Crites, a third-year MLA student, attended the meeting to provide testimony on behalf of Landscape Architecture students from both OU and Oklahoma State University.
The students addressed the board to advocate for an update to the state’s licensure requirements for landscape architects. Their testimony requested that Oklahoma align its standards with the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) Uniform Standards, which serve as the national model. More than 20 states have already adopted these standards.
Currently, Oklahoma requires three years of professional experience for MLA-accredited graduates seeking licensure, one year more than many surrounding states. The students noted that this additional requirement is contributing to a loss of emerging professionals, as recent graduates are opting to begin their careers in other states with a more efficient path to licensure. Reducing the experience requirement from three years to two would bring Oklahoma in line with regional trends and help retain graduates in-state.
The advocacy was a success as the board responded positively to the students’ remarks. The vote was unanimous to begin the formal process of updating the licensure standards. The process, which is expected to take 18 months, will evaluate education and experience requirements for landscape architecture licensure in Oklahoma.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to announce the promotion of Ph.D. student Rafael Hernandez to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Gibbs College of Architecture Assistant Professor Dr. Ladan Mozaffarian, in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design, has co-authored a new book chapter with Josh Newton and Andrew Born, published in De Gruyter Handbook of the Geographies of Race.
Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design (PLAD) alumni Trey Ingram, AICP recently spoke with current PLAD student and graduate media assistant Molly Strobel to share his experiences with the Regional and City Planning program and current work with the Toyota Mobility Foundation.
